The Joy of Less, a Minimalist Living Guide (17 page)

While you’re at it, throw out (or recycle) all those items you come across that are clearly Trash: dried-up pens, rusty paperclips, stretched-out rubber bands, spent erasers, outdated calendars, broken pencils, torn file folders, old sticky notes, used envelopes, empty ink cartridges, and all those bits and bobs that are positively unidentifiable. I don’t know how damaged and decrepit office supplies manage to hang around so long, but I suspect they’ve found a way to slip below our radar. Gather them up, and put them out of their misery!

That was a good warm-up, wasn’t it? Didn’t it feel great to clear out all that stuff? Now that we’re psyched up and in the groove, we’re ready to take on some bigger challenges. You may not realize it, but some of your “good” office supplies, practical as they seem at first glance, also deserve to be in the Trash pile. Before you cry “Heresy!” let me explain. Office supplies build up over time—often, over a
long
time—and we seldom clear them out. During that period, technology, tastes, and needs change, leaving some of those items decidedly less useful.

I’m embarrassed to admit it, but during my last major purge, I uncovered a package of photo corners (my pictures are all digitized), a box of floppy disks, VHS labels, and—believe it or not—typewriter correction tape! Clearly, these items no longer had any rightful place in my office. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s discovered outmoded supplies in a modern workspace; dig deep, and you may unearth a few antiquities of your own. These items may still be functional, but they’re largely obsolete; and if they’re of no use to you, or anyone else, you know where they belong. (Of course, choose the Transfer pile over Trash if you think you can find a taker.)

While we’re on the topic of Trash, here’s something else to add to the list: broken computer and electronic equipment. In most cases, we’ve already replaced these items with bright, shiny new ones. So then why does our six-year-old monitor, which no longer shows the slightest flicker at the press of the power button, still reside in the far corner of the office? Do we really expect to bring it back to life if our new one suddenly fails? Given that most of us don’t have the technological prowess to fix it ourselves, or the resources to locate the needed replacement parts, we’d have to schlep it to a repair shop (if we could find one); and the cost to repair it may very well be comparable to buying a new one. If you’re still housing a printer, computer, or other piece of equipment that has long ago given up the ghost, say your final farewell; give it a proper burial, and reclaim that valuable space.

Further candidates for your Trash pile are paperwork and supplies related to past projects and interests. If you’re no longer involved with them, set the stuff free. I know from experience that it’s tempting to retain such items as proof of your hard work. That’s exactly how I felt about my graduate school notebooks; they represented the blood, sweat, and tears of an arduous course of study. However, the physics, calculus, and chemistry contained therein were irrelevant to my new career. The day the recycling truck hauled them away, I felt a hundred pounds lighter—and ready to embrace my future, instead of hold on to my past.

As you’re evaluating your stuff, make generous use of your Transfer pile. Even though
you
no longer need fifty fluorescent file folders or a lifetime supply of No. 2 pencils, someone else might; and that someone else may be a school, hospital, or nonprofit, whose money is better spent providing services than buying office supplies. Computers, monitors, fax machines, and other equipment can be particularly valuable to such organizations. Make some phone calls, and offer up your excess; the time and effort spent to find them a new home is well worth the good karma. Save your donation receipts, and take a tax write-off if possible.

Unless your office is small, or your workload light, you’ll probably find plenty of items for your Treasure pile. This is where the soul-searching, item counting, and decision making come in. Ideally, we want to strike that perfect balance where we have “just enough” to do our work, with nothing extra to hinder our productivity. Candidates for this coveted category include the following: supplies and equipment you use regularly, current issues of magazines and catalogs, paperwork you need to address, paperwork from the recent past, paperwork that needs to be held for a certain number of years, and paperwork that must be stored indefinitely.  We’ll address these items in detail as we work through the steps that follow.

As you contemplate your reason for keeping each item, bear the following in mind: just because it’s an “office supply” doesn’t give it a free pass. Not every kind of office supply belongs in
your
office. Each item must prove that it’s pulling its weight, or risk getting a pink slip. If your home office is like most, space and storage are at a premium. Therefore, you’ll have to be brutally honest about what you use and need; otherwise, you may feel like you’re working in a supply closet!

Now that you’ve purged the battered, the broken, and the obsolete, take a careful look at your leftover items. Ask hard questions to determine what makes the cut; you’re not running a shelter for wayward supplies, after all. Do you really need five different colors of highlighters, or six different sizes of envelopes? When’s the last time you used the voice recorder? How many different ways do you need to tell the date and time (i.e., if you own a watch, computer, and cell phone, are a desk clock and calendar necessary)? Does the paperweight do its job, or just hang around looking pretty? They may seem like trivial items, barely worth a second thought; but together they add up to significant desk space.

We must be similarly rigorous with our paperwork, or it can quickly get out of control. Give each piece of paper a grilling, particularly if it’s not a legal or financial document. Consider whether you need the paper itself, or simply the information—if the latter, scan it or type the pertinent details into a digital file. Furthermore, think long and hard before you print
anything
—why generate more paper to deal with down the road? Leave emails in your virtual inbox, and bookmark webpages for future reference. If you’re worried you won’t be able to access the information at a later date, print it to a PDF file—that way, you’ll have a copy on your hard drive, and can view it anytime. (To do this, you’ll need software such as CutePDF, PrimoPDF, or Pdf995.) This strategy is ideal for online receipts and payment confirmations; it provides the proof you need, without all the clutter. Just be sure to back up your files regularly, to prevent any data loss.

Catalogs are also prime candidates for decluttering. First, consider whether you need to keep (or receive) them at all. Most retailers display their entire product lines on their websites; and it’s often easier to find an item in an online catalog than a paper one. If you need the physical copy, retain only the latest issue, as older ones may have discontinued items and outdated pricing. If you’re keeping a catalog for one item, tear out the relevant page and recycle the rest. Better yet: scan the page, or bookmark the item on the retailer’s website.

Finally, question each piece of office equipment. If you only photocopy or fax something once or twice a year, would you be better off seeking these services elsewhere? Is it really worth devoting desk space to a seldom-used machine? Specialty printers (such as color and photo printers) also deserve a hard look. Are you using them enough to justify their presence, and that of their accessories (like special paper, ink, and cables)? Does the binding machine, laminator, or digitizing tablet have a layer of dust on it? Anything that’s used once in a blue moon shouldn’t be taking up valuable desk space. Consider selling it, donating it, or at least putting it into storage until needed.

Having a place for everything, and putting everything in its place, is the single best way to keep a tidy desk. Instead of letting all those pens, paperclips, and rubber bands run wild in your workspace, corral them into designated spots and
make sure they stay there
. Assign specific places for file folders, incoming mail, outgoing mail, catalogs, magazines, receipts, and every category of office supply and paperwork you can imagine. If it helps, label containers, drawers, shelves, or even areas of your desk, to remind you of its appropriate contents. Be positively militant about it. Check on the troops regularly, and if you find any have gone AWOL, round them up (and whip them into shape) immediately.

Paperwork, too, needs to have a place—and that place shouldn’t be in a pile on your desk! Devise a filing system, and stick to it; that means every letter, bill, statement, receipt, article, or random piece of paper should have someplace to go when it enters the room. Think of it like checking into a hotel. Water bill: inbox. Bank statement: top drawer, second folder. Article on raised bed gardening: middle shelf, third binder from the left. Don’t make them hang around your desk until you figure out how to accommodate them; it’ll get way too crowded. Take the time to develop a system that works for you, and implement it as soon as possible. Nothing’s set in stone; you can always tweak it as you go along. Above all, don’t feel you have to provide shelter for every stray piece of paper that happens along; sometimes the right place for something is in the recycling bin.

With these points in mind, arrange your stuff into your Inner Circle, Outer Circle, and Deep Storage. In the office, your Inner Circle should consist of all the supplies you use on a regular basis, and the paperwork with which you’re currently dealing. That means that your pens, pencils, paperclips, envelopes, stamps, notepads, checkbook, and incoming and outgoing mail (among other things) should be within arm’s reach. Practically speaking, if you’re sitting at your desk, you should be able to grab anything out of your Inner Circle without getting up from your chair. Therefore, the furnishings of your Inner Circle will include your desk, as well as any nearby filing cabinets or bookshelves. Reserve these spaces for the things you use most often; most importantly, don’t let them become overrun with less serviceable items.

In your Outer Circle belongs paperwork with which you’ve recently dealt, and files you may need to reference in the future. Many of us keep bills, receipts, and statements for a certain period of time before purging them. If you use such a system, store them in your Outer Circle. You’ll be able to consult them if necessary, and periodically thin them out. This is also the place for catalogs, journals, research articles, and other reference materials you don’t use regularly; store them in slightly harder-to-reach areas, like high and low shelves, or file cabinets across the room. Furthermore, your Outer Circle should contain backup supplies like printer paper, ink cartridges, and extra file folders. Stash them so that they’re out of the way of daily activity, but easily accessible when needed.

Even if we make little use of Deep Storage elsewhere in our homes, we’ll likely need some for the office. Unfortunately, most of life’s major events—like graduations, marriages, births, and house purchases—come with paperwork that must be retained indefinitely. Moreover, the government requires all of us taxpayers to keep our returns (and their supporting material) for a certain amount of time. With regard to legal documents, real estate records, and important financial statements, we have little choice but to follow the “rules” (and you know I love to break them, so I don’t say this lightly).

No matter how minimalist you aspire to be, don’t be tempted to “digitize and declutter” these essential documents; in most situations that require them, only the originals will do (and they can be a bear to replace if you’ve lost them). By all means, make digital
copies
, but accept the fact that you’ll have to retain at least
some
paper documents. Since you’re unlikely to reference them regularly (if ever), feel free to stow them out of sight, and out of the way. Your less sensitive Deep Storage files may be kept in a closet, attic, garage, or basement (if dry). Those of a more irreplaceable nature (birth certificates, marriage certificates, and other identification papers) should be stored in a fireproof box or safety deposit box. If you live in a disaster-prone area, consider keeping essential paperwork in a “go bag,” that you can grab on the run while evacuating.

Focus the bulk of your energy on the most important surface in the room: your desk or worktable. As you’re probably well aware, you can’t get anything done when it’s covered with stuff. Treat it as flex space, and try to clean it off when you wrap up each day’s work—as if someone else might come in and use your desk tomorrow. (Of course, it’ll only be you; but wouldn’t it be wonderful to sit down at a clean space?) Keep office supplies in drawers or containers instead of scattered across the desk; invest in a standing or wall-mounted rack to hold incoming paper and mail; and use a bulletin board for reminders, cards, notes, and random scraps of paper, rather than let them invade your workspace.

An amazing (and distressing) thing happens in office spaces: everything that provides the least bit of horizontal space often turns into a surface! I’ve seen stacks of papers, and miscellaneous supplies, perched on top of shelves, filing cabinets, window ledges, printers, scanners, chairs, lamps, boxes, and planters. Please, resist the urge to “paper” your surroundings; it’s chaotic, it’s unorganized, and it makes it almost impossible to find stuff. Clear surfaces are not only pleasing to the eye, they’re beneficial to the mind. You’ll be able to think more clearly, and work more productively, without all the visual distraction.

Furthermore, it shouldn’t have to be said, but I’ll say it all the same: the floor is not a filing system. But you know what happens: once all those other surfaces are filled to the brim, the overflow typically lands on that big, flat surface underfoot. Office floors are fertile ground; they’ll sprout stacks upon stacks of books, magazines, and paperwork that grow at alarming speeds. Avoid planting those initial seeds, or you may end up with a forest. I usually advocate some tough-love decluttering over buying additional storage; but if you’ve truly run out of space, and can’t purge enough old stuff to make room for the new, acquire another filing cabinet. It’s better than wading through piles of papers just to get to your desk!