Office Organizing Ideas for the New Year
The beginning of the year is the perfect time to take on some office organizing projects! I’m not talking about a complete office overhaul here. In fact, you can start the new year off right by taking care of some very simple office organizing tasks that will help you tie up loose ends from last year and help you develop systems that will keep you organized this year. Here are a few steps that this Professional Organizer in NYC recommends.
Back up your files. To be honest, this is a task that you should be doing regularly. But with so much going on in an office, this task may be overlooked. Take time right now to back up all of your computer files. You can utilize a Cloud sharing application or an external hard drive. This Professional Organizer in NYC urges you to back up your files in more than one location. TIP: Moving forward, schedule time to back up your files weekly. Better yet, configure your computer to do automatic back-ups every night.
Clean out your digital file folders. Throughout the year, you probably saved or downloaded a myriad of files. Take time to sort through all of those files and delete those that are no longer needed. Don’t waste valuable computer space on unnecessary files. Instead, set up a filing system so that you are saving files directly to appropriate folders. TIP: As you download and save new documents this year, make sure to immediately specify which folder to store them in and to name them according to an established naming protocol. If you take just a few extra seconds upfront to do both, you won’t have to spend lots of time later re-organizing your digital files and folders.
Taxes. Yes, I said it! Tax season is around the corner. To stay organized and on top of things this year, take time now to get organized to meet with your tax preparer. Designate one file drawer, folder or accordion file for collecting all of your receipts, income statements, and expense reports. As you organize your office and sort through your paperwork, make sure to add anything tax related that will be needed specifically for this year’s tax meeting. Taking time now to get ready will make your tax preparation less stressful this year. TIP: Throughout the year, make sure that you begin collecting information that will be needed for next year and set up the appropriate files now. This will significantly reduce the amount of time spent next year on searching for key documents!
Clean up your desktop. New year, clean slate, right? Take a few minutes to look through the icons on your computer desktop and make sure that all of the files and folders are frequently accessed. If not, move them to a file folder in your computer system. TIP: Schedule time into your schedule quarterly to clean up your desktop and keep it organized.
Store away files. As the year has come to an end, now is the time to remove files that aren’t referenced frequently or potentially no longer needed and either archive them or discard them. Those that will be added to the archives should be put into clearly labeled boxes and dated. Don’t keep them piled up in your office adding to the clutter. Instead, store them in a closet or another designated storage space in your office. TIP: When you label the boxes, note both the date that you are boxing up the files as well as a date to review the contents for purging. Not every item needs to be saved forever, so note that on the box.
The new year is here, and with it comes an opportunity for a fresh start. By taking these office organizing steps from your Professional Organizer in NYC, you’ll be able to put last year behind you and focus on the productive new year ahead of you. For more hands on help, reach out to your Professional Organizer in NYC.