I started out by straightening my office. Not cleaning my office mind you. Things just got grouped together and I got surfaces cleaned. My approach to cleaning a room is usually to start in a corner and clean one small area at a time. This method helps me avoid becoming overwhelmed. I put on a TV show, in this case TURN, and then got started.
Paper Organization / My Desk as my Command Center
I am a fan of this storage because it is portable and easy to revamp when needed. If so inclined you could dress it up too!
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My desk is my personal command center and I decided to begin organizing there. The desk I’m using was previously a sewing desk and it only has one drawer so I use three drawer plastic carts for storage. Two storage carts are on my right, and one on my left. I considered the many types of paper that cross my desk and how I wanted them to move through my command center.
Just as you would likely have at a family command center I have incoming mail and bill pay areas and a method for outgoing mail too.
The office door is closest to the cart on my left. So my first drawer I left empty. This is my in/out station. Mail coming in stays there until sorting day unless it requires immediate attention. Every Sunday, I will go through the drawers contents and file items appropriately. And, every Sunday I will deposit any outgoing mail. Beneath that is my bill paying drawer. Mail comes in and bills are immediately dealt with. I have outfitted this drawer with checkbooks, a calculator, pens, a receipt organizer, a book on finance and other financially related items. I can then drop paid bills in the out box above.
The last drawer is a mail drawer also but this is strictly a social affair. Out going mail has its start here. In this space I keep greeting cards, stamps, calligraphy pens, paper and envelopes. Any incoming correspondence I need is kept in the filing cabinet.
I love pretty storage solutions and sometimes purchase them but I also like creative fixes.
Sitting in the middle is the drawer that is a part of my desk. A tea divider from a package I got for Christmas some years back sorts small stationery such as staples and paperclips. This also houses my Franklin Planner, planner pages, planner stickers, batteries and things I don’t want my son to get his hands on too easily. My planner has my schedules and lists. It’s fitting then it is in the center of my command center.
I like separating my pens, markers and highlighters as it saves time when I need something quickly.
On the right I have supplies. Closest to me I put notepads and a drawer below that I have pen storage. The divider boxes are the separation boxes from another product’s packaging. Creativity is helpful when it comes to storage containers as storage can get pricey. My bottom right drawer houses media. Honestly, I would like to have this elsewhere as I rarely touch this stuff but it’s the best place for it for now. There are times as you clean that you learn good enough is sometimes exactly that!
The storage unit farthest from me, holds things I don’t reach for very often. Items like printer paper and gifting supplies. One drawer that’s pretty special though is my comfort drawer. A drawer for those days you just aren’t feeling great and need a pick me up. I’m still in the process of filling it but so far it has cozy socks, yummy dip and Sudoku cards for fun! I keep putting sweets in there but they don’t stick around! I learned the concept from Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
Next time I’ll share my organizing methods for the filing cabinet! One tip. I made chocolate chip cookies to help me through the paper sorting process 😉 just saying!
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