The Vernal Equinox has come and gone; Spring has finally returned. With the weather finally warming up, it’s time to put away the snow shovels, store the ice melt and hang up the winter coats. It’s also time for Spring Cleaning, so you can prevent the spread of germs. What may seem like a daunting task is made easier with our step-by-step guide to how best to approach cleaning your workstation, whether in your home or an office building.

 

Desk

Start with what’s right in front of you: your desk. First, discard any garbage on your desk – any wrappers or coffee cups or outdated notes. Clear the clutter. Once you’ve done that, start with your drawers. Everyone has that one drawer that seems to be a magnet for junk. Organize your pens, paper clips, binder clips, etc., with an in-drawer organizer. This will help maintain all the work you’ve done. Discard any broken office supplies or furniture. Next move onto the drawers that hold files or bulky items and organize those—toss what you don’t need anymore. Disinfect the desk itself, a phone, your drawer handles, and any other surface you can find.

 

Computer

Next up is the big one: your computer. First start with cleaning the outside of the device. You can use compressed air to get crumbs and things of that nature out of any ports or in between keys on your keyboard. Wipe down the mouse, clean the cables, and then start in on what’s inside: the files.

Next, go through your inbox and delete anything you no longer need. Do the same with your files. Clean up your desktop; consolidate those files crowding your desktop into folders so that you’re able to stay organized. What files can go in the trash? What files need to be properly secured and disposed of? Archive old files to an external hard drive or cloud storage server.

 

Papers

If you’ve got a pile of papers on your desk that you’re avoiding, it’s time to tackle them next. Go through each document one by one and see if you need to store it, scan it, or shred it. Whatever needs to be stored can be easily sorted because you’ve already gone through clearing up your desk drawers. Whatever needs to be scanned can be easily sorted into the folders you’ve created on your computer or moved to cloud storage. And whatever needs to be shredded can be disposed of securely. A less cluttered space equals a less cluttered mind.

 

Space

Speaking of space, look around you. What needs to be cleaned? Would you like to change up the décor? There are uncomplicated ways to update your workspace to keep up with Office Design Trends. Sprucing up the space with new reception seating, adding a plant wall, or bringing in more color can help improve both morale and efficiency. And remember to keep your space allergen free this year.

 

Find Your Favorite Cleaning Supplies at OSI.