In a busy office, employees work hard and do their best to manage time and output for the benefit of their employer. This chaos involves people, equipment, and supplies shuffling around, and at day’s end, workers go home to rest and recoup.
What about the office itself? Like your home, it needs reorganizing and cleaning, so someone must be employed to maintain it regularly. Is this your task, or are you in charge of hiring a crew to do it? Besides a custodial company coming in, there are things that staff can do as well to assist in this task.
Do you need help figuring out where to start, or does it seem too overwhelming? Here’s how to clean and organize a messy office.
Start with Garbage Cleanup
You’d be surprised how fast garbage accumulates in an office. Most places have bins for recycling, green waste, and general garbage, filling quickly, but clutter builds up on desks and other work surfaces.
To tackle an office cleanup, start with obvious disposables. Work around the rooms and fill all the bins with garbage tied up and taken away. This immediately opens up areas so you can assess the state of the supplies and equipment and how organized the desks and shared spaces are.
Clean and Sanitize
This is where the hard work comes in. With a messy office, not all surfaces get the sanitizing attention they need, so assemble the right personnel to wash and wipe.
Hit all communal surfaces and equipment so you can have a sanitized work area, as this will help prevent the spread of flu and colds. Personal work areas like desks should be maintained by those who inhabit them daily, but the surrounding areas should be cleaned, swept, and vacuumed. This also goes for the kitchen, break rooms, and washrooms.
Office Cleaning Services
As mentioned above, washing and cleaning may be the hardest jobs many would rather avoid. Fortunately, there are professional office cleaning services that you can hire to take on this task.
Office cleaning companies have dedicated staff trained in proper cleaning techniques and understand what it takes to protect workers. They leave behind sterile surfaces and uncluttered workspaces. They also have the right equipment, cleaning supplies, and PPE to make the job easier.
Your staff probably wants to refrain from participating in deep cleaning, and this is outside their job description, so it pays to hire the pros regularly. With their services, it will be easier to maintain a clutter-free office.
Take Stock of What You Use Regularly
There are many moving pieces in an office, from large printers to small push pins, because they are useful. The problem is that as companies grow and change, their needs do as well, and you may be holding on to things that no longer serve you.
Have a walk-through and determine what needs to be out for regular use, what can be put away for later use, and what is not needed. You have space for equipment and supplies outside the regular day, so these can be stored out of site. Now, you are going to have extra room to work with.
Buy Office Organizing Equipment
Now that you have a hand on the mess and clutter, you should invest in equipment that can keep it this way. Consider getting:
- Office dishwasher
- Desk organizers
- Filing cabinets
- Wall storage units
- Cabinet organizers
These will make life much more accessible and unconsciously train your workers to better manage their equipment and supplies on their desks and in shared areas.
Change The Office Layout
Sometimes, clutter results from poor organization, and your office’s layout could contribute to it. You may need more garbage bins, or they need to be in the right areas. Open layouts work well because they are easier to navigate, and everything is on display, encouraging employees to take responsibility for their dedicated work zones.
Changing things around also frees up space for more dedicated storage and shelving to house supplies, making them better organized and accessible.
Finish Up the Day with a Cleanup
No matter how loyal your employees are, they watch the clock. They want to finish the workday and go home like everyone else. A great way to keep up with office tidiness is to have work finished 15 minutes early every day and dedicate this time to quick sorting and tidying up.
This boosts morale because staff look forward to finishing early and can socialize while caring for their clutter. You can even put on some music to lighten the mood and make it a welcome event to finish the shift.
This is how to clean and organize an office. Adopt as many of these ideas as possible into your daily work routine, and your office will transform into an efficient, clutter-free work environment everyone will enjoy.
Also Read: Boost your employees’ productivity by keeping your office clean
