Spring is coming and it's time for everyone to refresh and declutter. Spring cleaning has a long and storied history, likely originating from the fact that people tend to be more sedate (and lazy) during the winter. Once winter has passed, the urge to be productive and clean out your home becomes overbearing—and the fact that things built up over the colder, lazier months doesn't help.
But spring cleaning isn't just for your home, it's also for your office. Let's discuss how spring cleaning your offices can help, as well as how you can achieve it.
The Benefits of a Clean Office
A clean, clutter-free office helps you focus on your tasks. Clutter doesn't just enhance depression and anxiety: it also reduces productivity by making it harder to find the things that you need. If you make sure your entire business commits to a spring cleaning, you can boost the efficiency and mood of your office for the rest of the year.
Empty Out Storage Areas and Common Areas
Go through storage areas, conference rooms, and other common areas to get rid of anything that's no longer needed. Old technology can either be thrown away or donated and old documents can be safely shredded. Anything that's still necessary but rarely referenced can be sent down to a dedicated storage facility. Keep only the things that you absolutely need and make sure they're all in the proper place. And if you get rid of electronics, don't forget to wipe their hard drives!
Encourage Employees to "Spring Clean" Their Desks and Files
Have a single day during which all employees go through their desks and files, getting rid of anything they no longer need. During this time, employees can also go through all of their current priorities and make sure nothing is falling through the cracks. Talk to employees about the importance of keeping a decluttered, organized office and consider investing in some organizational supplies.
Clean Up Lingering Projects or Tasks
Decluttering isn't always about physical items: sometimes it's also about projects or tasks that have been lingering. If there are any internal projects that have been put off (such as server upgrades, new furniture purchases, or even hiring new employees), now is the time to get them done. Once they're done, you're no longer thinking about them—and they're no longer cluttering up your brain.
Go Through the Break Room Cabinets and Fridge
The break room tends to accumulate a lot of unnecessary things, such as expired creamer or lunches from months ago. Let employees know that you'll be cleaning out the break room cabinets and the ridge, then go through and get rid of anything that's old. Just make sure everyone is aware—otherwise, you could end up throwing away something important!
Perform a Deep Cleaning Throughout the Office
Once you've finished decluttering, consider hiring a professional cleaning company to perform a deep clean. They'll go underneath furniture and behind and inside appliances to make sure you're starting off the year with sparkling clean offices. A deep cleaning is a good idea at least once a year to maintain both the appearance and the health of your office. Reduced dust and dirt will lead to employees who are less likely to get sick.
Make a List of Needed Repairs and Upgrades
While decluttering, consider completing any repairs or upgrades that you've been considering but haven't finished. If there's a damaged cupboard door in the break room or a broken filing cabinet in the filing room, it could be damaging your productivity by just a little every day. Part of spring cleaning is making sure that everything is both clean and in perfect working condition. You may also want to wander around with a little WD 40 for any cabinets and doors that are sticking.
Invest in New Storage and Business Processes
Finally, now that your business is clean, it's important to keep it clean. As you've decluttered and cleaned up your offices, you may have found some flaws in your current storage systems and processes. Take the time to correct these issues now, so that the office will remain well-organized moving forward. If you need additional storage, now is the time to purchase it.
Regularly cleaning and organizing your office will make it more productive and allow your employees some time to take control over their space. Consider adding a regular mass cleaning to your office schedule to ensure you stay on your clean and organized kick.
