There are some very unique national days of recognition out there. For example, did you know that “National Name Your Car Day” is October 2nd or “National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day” is at the end of this January? Whether or not you decide to spend an entire day bowing down to bubble wrap, there is one holiday office workers can appreciate and that is “National Clean Your Desk Day.” The easy thing about this day is you can support it by trying out a few key things that could provide you with a cleaner workspace and a more productive day overall.
History of “National Clean Your Desk Day”
You may be wondering where “National Clean Your Desk Day” began or who started his odd, yet intriguing concept. The truth is, the origin of this “holiday” is unknown, but there are some historical tid-bits that coincide with this day that can be helpful when trying to solve this mystery.
It was in the 18th century when the word “desk” became widely recognized and used. The desk trend began with mostly clergymen and professionals; it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution when the desk phenomenon exploded. From there, some laborious jobs turned toward desktop ones and it wasn’t all that long until computers and laptops began taking over.
3 Simple Steps to Keep Your Desk Clean
Even if the history behind this “holiday” is a mystery, it doesn’t mean it should be ignored. Keeping a clean, organized workspace maintained throughout the year tends to be a huge part of how productive you are during the workday. Here are a few quick, easy ways to celebrate “National Clean Your Desk Day” every day of the year!y.
Purge
Throw things out! If you don’t use it, get rid of it. Those two phrases can be the two most difficult parts of keeping your desk clean. A good way to begin the purging process is instead of sorting everything on your desk into specific sections, take everything off of your desk. Start with a physical and literal clean slate. From there, go through every little item and paper on and in your desk.
Organize
Once you’ve taken that deep breath and thrown unnecessary items out, it’s time to file—not pile. Instead of placing papers into piles on your desk or in your drawers, use folders, desk organizers and trays to separate important documents from others. When you just start piling papers across your desk, those piles tend to merge into one, huge mess. A tray or filing cabinet is a more organized way to clean off your desk.’
Minimize
When you purge and organize your desk, you are minimizing the amount of clutter in your workspace. When you want to keep your desk looking cleanly decorated, you can minimize your space and decorate in a minimalistic way. Focusing on minimalistic decor and organizational materials can keep your space feeling larger and, therefore, cleaner. Adding a small plant to your desk next to a modern organizer is a great way to keep your desk clean while still having a hint of personality, and energy, that comes with a plant.
