KESSEL

A busy professional life has its own setbacks and having a cluttered office is probably one of them. Remember the first time you moved into your office? Everything was so spick and span and the brand new equipment and furniture looked tidy and in place and clutter and mess was no where to be found. But months after, you will probably notice your workplace crammed full with papers and other office supplies. Having a cluttered office is not unsightly and annoying to one’s eyes but can also affect your working attitude and work temperament. Having an organized and clean office will keep you focused and motivated to complete your tasks well.

However, since a lot of busy working people do not have plenty of time to keep their office clean at all times, working on a system that would always keep your office organized (so you do not have to spend time cleaning up your office) is the common sense approach. Here are a few practically tips to keep your rubbish away and ensure your office remains clean and spacious at all times.

1. First, you need to put together your own de-cluttering system and devise a way to clean up your room in one direction in order to avoid going back and jumping forward. Being more organized about organizing will give you a measure on how much cleaning up have you already completed. Set a regular cleaning schedule and do not wait for the mess to pile up. Work quickly but efficiently within the time you allotted in cleaning up your office. You can start by getting rid of all the clutter that covers your office table. Take away everything like old memos, working drafts and all other stuff that you do not need anymore. Get hold of the waste bin (or paper recycling bin) so you can immediately dispose of everything that you do not need anymore. You can also have a box at hand whether you can place everything you still need. The last step in the de-cluttering process is pretty simple. All clutter goes to the bin while all those that need safekeeping or filing goes to the box.

2. Updated filing and organized storage helps you a lot in maintaining the cleanliness in your office. Plus, they can help you save time and energy when you try to look for the things that you need. Use cabinets and shelves to keep your paper files from piling up on your office desk. Label your files and make sure that the items are organized according to fixed categories such as notes, letters, documents, contracts and financial records. Place on your office table only those things that you need to work on for the day. Once a day’s work is done, you can put those papers into fillers that can be organized by priority – what needs to be done today, or by the end of the week or by the end of the month.

3. Take a second look at your office layout. Make sure that your desk does not eat up needed working space or prevent easy movement around the office. Keep office supplies like pens, clips, post it notes and staplers inside your desk drawers. Place the computer and the phone somewhere that you would have easy access to and be sure to put neatly together all loose wiring. Place other equipment such as printers, fax machines and fillers in shelves that would not take away badly needed space. A good office layout also means good lighting. Allow as much natural light to get inside your office to make it appear more airy.

4. Do some cleaning on a daily basis. Taking a few seconds everyday to dust everything in sight will probably save you hours of cleaning up once the clutter has piled up and the dust has stuck up in your equipment. Let in fresh air into your office by opening up your window for a few minutes. Emptying your trash bin and clearing up your desk at the end of each day’s work will also be very helpful in keeping your office clean and keep you from ever having to contend with a towering pile of papers on your desk. A clean and empty desk will also be a welcome sight when you get into your office the following day.

5. Try to be more creative when decorating your office. Place some art pieces and some flowers and plants into your total office environment. You can also add a personalized touch by displaying family pictures or inspirational quotes that you probably think would help make your office not only clean and tidy but a more enjoyable and agreeable workplace.

A clean and organized office will help you do your work efficiently and effectively. Putting these tips into good use can help you not only have a tidier workplace but it will give you a good working environment where you can make each working day a lot more fulfilling. A clean office is something that you owe to yourself more than anything else!

I was a soldier stationed in Bangkok, Thailand back in the early 1970’s. Not always having a bunch of money, I used to eat food from the local street vendors. Most of my meals were served wrapped in either a banana leaf or yesterday’s newspaper. Some meals were even served off of unclassified military paperwork that was recovered from the rubbish.

Nowadays, everywhere in Thailand the vast majority of street vendors serve food and drink in plastic bags. McDonalds has nothing on this fast food experience.

Whatever you order, be it a rice or noodle dish, is scooped up into a plastic bag and then sealed with a rubber band. This also includes soups and drinks.

Smaller bags of sauces and spices are also provided. You can even get fresh sliced fruit to go in a small bag with a skewer to stab each sweet morsel.

Shopping on the streets, markets, and malls will also expose you to bags and bags of plastic. It doesn’t matter what the size of the item, it will go in a plastic bag.

I have had numerous occasions where I acquired a large plastic bag to hold a variety of articles and each successive purchase resulted in a small plastic bag being put into the larger. Despite my objections that the smaller plastic bag was not required, I was turned away with a confused look and a smile.

Needles to say, after a day or two in Thailand, you tend to acquire a pile of plastic bags. I do manage to use a couple of them for dirty laundry or to keep items separated, but most of the plastic goes straight into the trash.

I really don’t know what the Thai people would do today without plastic bags. If the tree-hugging environmentalists ever came to Thailand, they wouldn’t know what to do.

Where would they put their sticky rice and beef jerky?

How would vendors sell coke to go?

How would the bootleg software and DVDs be distributed?

How would I get my bowl of Thai soup home?

Would they be able to revert back to banana leaves and yesterday’s newspapers?

I don’t think that the Thai people could live without plastic bags. And any attempt o stop the usage would result in disastrous results.