It’s that time of year again…Spring Cleaning!  And if you’re anything like me that means you’re tearing through your house, eliminating clutter, and cleaning every nook and cranny.  Spring cleaning is not just for your residence, though.  Office spring cleaning is equally important and satisfying.  Nothing feels better than having a neat and organized space!  Let’s look at some tips that will help you spring clean your office.

Tools You’ll Need for Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning in your office and spring cleaning in your home are very different endeavours.  You’ll need a mop and broom at home, not to mention some other cleaning supplies, but what do you need to clean your office in the springtime?  First, you’ll want a shredder for destroying sensitive documents that you no longer need.  If you don’t have a shredder in your office, contact a local shredding company and get some boxes for these documents to be picked up and destroyed.

In addition, make sure you have tools for organizing your desk – file folders, labels, and storage space come to mind.  You can even create organizational trays, one for papers you need to keep, one for filing or storage, one for trash or recycling, and one for shredding.

Finally, make sure you have a duster, cleaning wipes, surface cleaner, a cloth or sponge, and trash bags so you can sanitize and declutter your office as you go.

Set a Schedule

We’re obviously busy when we’re at work, so you’ll want to dedicate some time for spring cleaning.  Block off an afternoon in your calendar well in advance so that you’ll have the time and focus for nothing but cleaning.  Ideally, you’ll schedule your spring office clean for a time when you can shut down your computer and ignore a ringing phone – interruptions will slow you down.  Maybe even consider spring cleaning the office in the evening or on a weekend.

Visualize your Perfect Workspace

Getting organized before your spring cleaning will help you create your perfect workstation.  Desk clutter can be distracting and create inefficiencies, so carefully consider how you’d like your desk and storage areas organized so you can keep important files and documents close at hand.  You can even implement an inbox/outbox tray system on your desk, or if you already employ such a system consider a “to-do” tray dedicated to your most pressing work.

Sanitize!

High touch areas such as your keyboard, mouse, and telephone should regularly be cleaned with sanitizing wipes, but you can dig a little deeper during spring cleaning.  If you eat at your desk, your keyboard will likely be full of crumbs, so consider using a vacuum or compressed air to clear out the keyboard debris.

Evaluate Cleaning Contracts

Finally, an annual review of your office cleaning contract just makes good sense.  You can evaluate cleaning schedules, unforeseen cleaning needs, and the cost and quality of your service.