Office Spring Cleaning Tips to Boost Productivity and Happiness at Work
We can easily equate spring with taking a much-needed deep breath. The snow is melting and the gray days are fading. New flowers are blooming and our favorite breezy cotton sundresses are calling to us from the back of our closets. It's all too common to feel bogged down during the long winter months, and for some of us, that means that our productivity, energy, and general happiness might be at an all-time low as we enter spring. That's why spring cleaning is about more than just tidying up. Spring cleaning is a way to signify to ourselves and others that we're ready to get re-energized and to take on the new season with gusto.
While we often think of spring cleaning as a day we take on projects and deep clean around the house, now is also an ideal time of year to clean and re-organize our offices as well. Whether you work from home, in an office building, or really anywhere that you choose to plant your desk, we hope this blog will inspire you to refresh and clean your workspace, helping you to feel happier and more productive as you tackle projects and daily tasks.
Do a Deep Sanitize
Spring sanitizing should be a "thing" since surface-level cleaning doesn't always do much to address germs that have accumulated. The very first step you'll want to take before you sanitize is just to quickly dust everything down. So, start with a paper towel or rag and run it over your keyboard, laptop, desk, the handles on any file cabinet or drawers, and your phone. If you don't have a landline at your office, your cell phone definitely applies here.
Once everything is dusted off, use a sanitizing wipe or sanitizing spray and wipe everything down. Since you'll be using this on delicate surfaces, just be sure that whatever you're using isn't too wet, and that your computer and phone are both off before you begin this process.
If you're worried at all about using a spray or wipe for certain items, opt for a cleaning solution made specifically for screens and use a standard sanitizing option for your other surfaces. Take this as an opportunity to really get into nooks and crannies, especially when it comes to your keyboard and any crumbs or residue that might have taken up residence there — we see you and we are you, workday snackers!
Get Under Surfaces
The easiest and most effective way to clean your office during a deep clean is to take everything off of your surfaces and start with a blank slate. We're talking monitors, that cute succulent that your colleague gifted you ages ago, that stack of books or papers, and your landline if you have one. Lift it all up, set it aside, and use a wipe, rag, or damp paper towel to clean under each surface.
If you have shelves or file cabinets in your workspace, this applies to those as well. You'll immediately feel refreshed once you see the dust and grime you're getting rid of. From there, you can reassemble your workstation, which can also be a great time for rearranging or sorting through some things.
Reorganize Your Space
Speaking of rearranging, spring is a great time for reorganizing your workspace. Depending on your setup, this could mean investing in drawer dividers, upgrading your shelving, or opting for storage baskets to wrangle stray items. Canvas storage bins or seagrass baskets are two options that'll add an aesthetic touch to your workspace while also providing functionality. These work great as catch-all storage solutions that you can keep on a shelf, underneath or adjacent to your desk, or on top of a file cabinet, since you won't want to hide these away.
No matter what solution you choose, take your office spring cleaning as a chance to declutter your space, since a clutter-free workstation can lead to a clutter-free mind.
Add Tasteful Touches
Now that your space is dust-free, sanitized, and decluttered, you might have some room to add some springtime touches to your space. If you're someone who's been living in comfy work from home clothes and only commuting as far as your patio and back, then it might be a great time for a home office refresh. If you have a loveseat or an accent chair in your home office, spruce it up with a floral throw pillow to add a seasonal boost to your space.
If you go into work in an office building, studio, salon, or anywhere else that has you leaving the house for your workday, add touches like dried wildflower bouquets to your desk or even a nice essential oil diffuser with springy scents like geranium or lavender. Little things like this can go a long way toward boosting your mood during work.
These are just as few easy and simple tips for refreshing and cleaning your office for spring! We hope that taking these steps will help you feel re-energized as we head into the new (and some might say improved) season.