Marie Kondo is a professional organizer that developed her own method of organizing called the KonMari method. It is a simple process intended to help anyone and everyone permanently declutter their homes. The KonMari method is built on the principle of joy and asking yourself, “What sparks joy for me?” and “What are my values?” As warm weather approaches and brings up the need for spring cleaning, try out Kondo’s method to organize your workplace.
The Marie Kondo Method
The first step in the Marie Kondo method is to take everything you have and divide it into 5 categories: clothes, books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and sentimental items. These categories may look a little different for your office, but the process will remain the same. Once your possessions are separated, take each pile on its own and go through every item in that pile individually. Ask yourself if that item brings you joy, if it is necessary, and if you find value in it. If the answer is no, get rid of it. If the answer is yes, decide where it is going to go.
The key part of this organization system is that nothing in the “keep” pile can be put away until you have decided on exactly what you are going to keep. This steps allows you to visualize everything that you have and determine whether or not it is all worth keeping.
How to KonMari Your Office
1. Be Thankful
When she enters a house, Marie Kondo thanks the home for its service before she begins to organize. Applying this to your workspace may seem crazy, but it can give you a new perspective on the place where you spend 8 hours every day. Your desk is the place where you have earned a promotion, nailed down a sales pitch, won a client, or grown your business. Without the workspace, you would be sitting on the floor outside. Express gratitude toward your space and reflect on the things you have accomplished in your professional life because of the workplace atmosphere you have.
2. Define Your Vision
Before you begin the process, you need to define your goals and why you want to declutter your space. This may be that you want to clean up your desk so you will stop misplacing important documents or need to have a cleaner space to focus on projects. Whatever the reason is, make sure you have a vision for why you are taking the time to clear out and organize.
3. Get Organizing
Follow the Marie Kondo method to clear off your desk, sort through your emails, and organize your desktop and files (both digital and physical). Be sure to check your company policy about anything you are required to save before you go deleting emails but clear out anything you don’t need. An overloaded inbox or cluttered desk can be distracting and make you feel overwhelmed. Once everything is organized, you will feel refreshed and be more productive every day.
Weight Off Your Shoulders
If you are managing your company’s payroll or hiring, contact us at Charleston Payroll to make your life easier. We will handle all of your payroll, timekeeping, and have extensive resources for hiring and onboarding employees. Best of all, our business is completely paperless, so we will eliminate some of those papers scattered across your desk.