Keep Papers in Check to Cut Desktop Clutter

Students and office workers alike do the majority of their work on a computer, but papers can stack up nonetheless. Best Life suggests creating a zone on your desk distinct from the computer’s area to keep papers organized and cut down on #clutter. To stay on top of the piles, review papers at the end of each day, deciding what can be scanned, filed and shredded. Then, do a complete desktop #decluttering and #cleaning once a week to “deal with any papers or trash you missed” [and] reorganize office supplies, stray folders and misplaced files.

Keep Only what You Need on Your Desktops

#Cleaning and organizing your desk can not only reduce the threat of colds, flu and #COVID-19, it can make you more productive. Having a #disorganized desk makes it harder for most people to process information, and getting rid of #clutter can help you focus. Medium recommends starting with a purge that involves moving everything off your desktop and adding back only the things you need for one week; anything else can be stored or tossed. The same goes for your digital desktop: Extraneous files and open browser tabs only compete for your limited attention, and should be judiciously culled to the ones you actively use.

Returning to the Office? Keep Your Desk Clean

Even with the uncertainty created by the #Delta variant of the #coronavirus, many people are returning to physical offices and schools this month — and as a result, contending with #workplace surfaces of uncertain #cleanliness. Desks are among the dirtiest surfaces people come into contact with on a regular basis, says WeWork, and as long as there is a danger of transmitting the #coronavirus and other pathogens, you will want to keep your workstation(s) #organized, #clean and #sanitized. Start by clearing the desktop and wiping down all hard surfaces (except screens) with a disinfecting spray or wipe.

Contain Distance Learning in a Dedicated Space

Thanks to a dramatic push to get people vaccinated against the #coronavirus, schools may be able to reopen in the fall. Until then, however, parents will continue to deal with the #clutter and #chaos of at-home learning — papers, screens and projects that ordinarily might be confined to the a classroom. Design your remote learning space to contain everything the child needs to learn, the Khan Academy suggests. Make sure that the workspace has good lighting, no distractions and is comfortable enough for extended sessions of screen-based study.

More Time at Home Means More Clutter

The #quarantines and #lockdowns of COVID-19 have most people spending more time at home, says Apartment Therapy — and more time at home means more household #clutter. Not only have you stocked up on canned goods and work-from-home supplies, but there may also be school projects, toys and games laying around. To maintain a sense of order, do the little necessities such as taking out the trash and doing the dishes. If you find time in your schedule, tackle a larger #organization project you’d been putting off.