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Clean Off Your Desk -- And the Kids’ Desks, Too

Here are 16 easy-to-do tips to help clean off your desk and the kids, too.

Go through your computer hard drive files and download those you no longer need immediately onto a CD or disk. Or if you feel they’re obsolete, delete them completely.
Separate your disks into categories. Put the older ones you probably won’t need into a shoebox. Mark the contents on the outside of the box and store in a closet.
Update your e-mail address book. Group together any addys for family members, co-workers, or church members that you might send a duplicate message to.
Clean in between the keys of your computer keyboard with a cotton swab.
Organize smaller office supplies like paper clips and clamps, rubber bands, push pins, miniature post-its, and so forth in a small multi-drawer organizer found in office supply, craft or hardware stores. These multi-drawer organizers now come in all different sizes with a variety of pullout drawers. Be sure to label each drawer with designated contents.
Combine art supplies such as crayons, markers, colored pencils, tempera paints and glue in a handled basket, mini-crate or shoebox for easy access.
Store colored paper, card stock, and/or stationery in stackable paper tray holders found in office supply or discount stores.
Store note pads, stapler and staples, tape, ink pads and other bulkier supplies in a three-drawer cart with attached wheels (easier to move) available at a discount store.
A medium under-the-shelf basket gives you additional storage while utilizing the wasted space on bookshelves. Keep memos, recent email messages and/or important papers you’ll need to refer back to.
A recipe box will keep smaller Post-It Notes from getting lost. Afraid the notes will get lost in the shuffle? Staple the note to an index card and jot a key word at the top. File.
A small square basket on the top of your desk will keep floppy disks and CDs at your fingertips, yet protect them from possible damage.
Remove all the extra pens, pencils and markers from your desktop. Keep one or two of each in a small holder.
Keep a calendar posted near your desk for quick reference.
Go through the stack of papers on your desk. Put any papers that need to be completed in a separate file folder and mark as such. Shred the old ones.
Place any reports, newspaper clippings or research in a file for future use. If the piece is too large for a file folder, slip it into a 9 by 12 envelope or an expandable vinyl folder. These can be stored in a magazine basket.
Have the kids go through their papers. Separate into piles. Scrapbook their favorites. Shred the colored ones to line a gift basket. Use fun artwork as wrapping paper or book covers.