Having a clean and well-organized office is essential for many reasons. Clean office space boosts productivity, reduces the number of sick leaves that your employees request, and promotes a good image of your company.
However, maintaining a sparkling clean office can be a hard task to accomplish, especially if you have not hired an office cleaning service. There are lots of things you need to do to ensure your office remains clean and impresses your visitors.
To help you get started, we have compiled a list of some of the simple things you can start doing to keep your workplace clean. So, let us get started.
1. Throw out what you don’t need
The first thing you need to do to maintain a tidy office is to conduct a thorough workspace audit to determine what items, paperwork, and supplies you need and what you can do without.
Critically evaluate what is in your office space and determine what you use every day, what you use once in a while, and what you rarely use.
From there, separate the items and get rid of what you don’t use.
While this may seem like a difficult thing to accomplish, it will help you organize your workspace and tidy things up. There is no point in having a heap of files you don’t use because they only add to the mess in your office.
2. Make cleaning a daily habit
If you haven’t hired an office cleaning service yet, consider it your responsibility to empty trash every day. Keep in mind that filled trash bins can lead to foul smells and spread germs and bacteria that can lead to illnesses.
Once you have closed for the day, take 15-20 minutes to conduct quick cleaning before you leave. Vacuum the floor, put back office supplies, organize your files and pantry, and empty the trash bins.
You can also talk to your employees and divide the cleaning responsibilities so that it doesn’t become a heavy burden for you. If everyone can clean and organize their desk, then it becomes easy to keep the entire office clean and well-organized.
3. Go digital
Going digital with your files and documents is an incredible way to reduce clutter and carbon imprint on the environment. It also helps you to create a stress-free work environment for both your employees and yourself.
Scan all your important documents and keep them on your office computer. You should also start working through document processors such as Google Docs and MS Word and use apps such as Asana to keep track of your operations.
If you cannot go paperless, consider buying document organizers that will help you to maintain a physical inbox system while keeping the majority of your work desk as clear as possible.
4. Keep food off your desk
Lastly, stop eating at your desk if you want to keep your office clean. Research shows that a significant number of people have developed a habit of taking meals at their work desks, but that doesn’t help when it comes to maintaining high standards of cleanliness.
Leftovers and food spills may find their way to the floor instead of trash bins. With time, they start attracting insects, and everything becomes a big mess.
If you must eat inside the office, then do so in a designated area that will be cleaned immediately after the tea or lunch break.