10 Things on Your Desk You Should Throw Away

Is your desk clean or cluttered?

There are probably half a dozen things that don’t belong there. Perhaps, many things that you could get rid of and never notice.

What’s on your desk right now, that you could throw away?

Clear the Clutter from Your Workspace

It seems to be a constant struggle to keep your workspace clean.

Stuff “shows up” there as quickly as you can clear it. Some days, you may wonder if it is secretly multiplying in your absence.

Whether your desk is covered in papers or technology, one thing is probably true… much of what is on your desk doesn’t need to be there.

You need to always be clearing the clutter from your workspace so that you can concentrate on your work.

Put them away… or if the items are no longer needed, throw them away!

Regarding clutter, when in doubt… throw it out!

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Most items that you are keeping, you will probably never use again. And there is a cost in keeping all that clutter around. Both in terms of lost productivity and in wasted time and effort finding things when you need them.

So, if in doubt, throw it out!

Here are 10 Things on Your Desk that You Should Throw Away:

1. Papers – Most of the papers on your desk will never be used again. Those piles and stacks are not productive. Only keep the most important papers. Convert what you can into digital format so that they are searchable electronically. And trash the hard copies.
2. Trash – Are there used cups, napkins, scraps of paper, and other discarded items on your desk? Before you say, “I don’t have trash on my desktop,” you might want to take a look. Keep a garbage can within reach of your chair so that you won’t be tempted to put trash down on your desk.
3. Business Cards – Business cards are clutter. By all means, capture the information from them to your address book, and then throw away the business card. You don’t need a stack of them on or in your desk.
4. Pens that Don’t Write – Another workspace clutter rule, “If it doesn’t write, throw it out!” Get rid of pens, markers, etc. that are almost out of ink or no longer write. (How many times are you going to pick up that same pen that doesn’t work?)
5. Old Gadgets – Is your desk littered with gadgets and tools that you thought would make you more productive? Just because you bought a gadget doesn’t mean it needs to remain on your desk. If it is not useful, or is obsolete, recycle or get rid of it.
6. Books You Will Never Read – Paper books have become collectors items to many. They keep them on their desk to look intellectual. However, may of them are never read. Books aren’t trophies. If you don’t read them, then get rid of them.
7. Trinkets and Tchotchkes – Get rid of the meaningless trinkets and other stuff on your desk. Do you need the free keychain or that free stuffed animal? Those freebies only serve to junk up your workspace.
8. Snail Mail – Does your mail end up on your desk? It this day, it is amazing that we still put up with “snail mail.” Get those magazines, solicitations, and junk mail into the garbage can where they belong. (Even better do that before they reach your desk.)
9. Duplicate Supplies – You don’t need three staplers, four coffee mugs, or 500 paperclips. Get rid of duplicate or excess supplies. If you aren’t directly using them, give them to a coworker who will.
10. Unused Items – What else is on your desk that hasn’t been used in 3 months or more? General rule: If it hasn’t moved, you don’t need it.

Clean Up Your Desk

Almost everyone has clutter on their desk that doesn’t belong there.

Take a few minutes now (and every day) to throw away some of the clutter on your desk.

Remember: If in doubt, throw it out.

And keep your desk a little bit cleaner.

Question: What’s on your desk that can be thrown away right now? You can leave a comment by clicking here.