Desks, whether at work or home are an easy target for clutter. Drawers gather junk and miscellaneous items. The desk top becomes a place for piles of things that keep getting higher and higher.

Organization is a must, especially at your office - even if you work at home. Being organized will cause you to be more efficient with your time and allow you to follow through with tasks much easier. Your boss will appreciate you being organized - so when they ask you for something, you can get it to them in a manner of seconds - instead of several hours or days.

Don't use the excuse that you don't have time to put things back. If you think that way - then you're the person that has to tear everything apart and search for hours to find one thing, but usually goes through this process several times a week. If you are not usually good at keeping your desk and work area clean - retrain yourself. It is possible. It may take some time, but achievers put forth effort, so....

Items you should have for your desk are: files for paperwork, containers for small items, drawer dividers to help maximize space, a small note pad for jotting down notes, coaster for beverages, a trash can....just to get started. If you desk cannot accommodate file folders or hanging folders, invest in a small filing cabinet or a file box that can be moved and carried.

First thing to do is remove everything that doesn't belong in or on your desk. If you are trying to organize your desk at work - remove everything that isn't work related for now. Clean out the drawers and get rid of all the trash and food or candy that has fallen in your desk. Clean off the top of your desk with furniture polish or a mixture of vinegar and water (depending on a wood or metal desk).

Your desk top should not be cluttered with a hundred different items. Items that you will most likely need are: your keyboard, mouse pad and mouse, pen/pencil holder, notepad, phone, coaster, mail holder / paper holder, in/out boxes, etc. The things that you use constantly should be kept on your desk. (For a couple ideas for unique pen holders, click here). Put a couple photographs on your desk that you like looking at. Keep a candle on your desk at all times. These are nice touches that make it feel more comfortable and can make you smile if you're having a rough day. A small clock is also nice to have to keep track of time.

In your more shallow drawers, keep your smaller items such as: paper clips, tape, scissors, stamps, tacks, rulers, staplers, hole punches, calculators (if small), extra pens/pencils, markers, etc. Purchase containers or small baskets to keep these items together and organized, instead of sliding all over the place. (The Container Store is a wonderful place to find drawer organizers.)

If you have large binders or books, instead of having them in the drawers or stacked on the floor, see if you can put a shelf over your desk or nearby to put all of them. They are bulky and take up too much room to be in your desk or on the floor.

Use the other drawers for filing papers, c.d.'s, folders and larger items.

You should have bins that are for: 'To do' and 'Done'. This way, when you are done with projects or looking at certain papers or files, you can place them in this bin and towards the end of the day, you can file them in their proper places. Your 'to do' bin will help remind you of exactly what needs to be done and you won't have to search through piles of paper on your desk. If you have daily duties, you can get bins or other forms of paper organizers that will store daily, weekly and monthly items. (Example: an organizer with slots for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.) This is a simple method, but it cuts down on forgetting to do things and it will keep you up to date with your work. This is especially helpful when dealing with accounting work and are on pay schedules.

As for how long to keep certain records or files, always check with your boss to see what he wants first. If you do have to keep things for longer periods of time, take time (quarterly or so) to transfer the files to file boxes that are clearly marked.

Write important dates on a calendar and keep it at your desk and look at it every day to see what needs to be done. If you keep an electronic calendar, do the same thing. Look at it everyday and when you find that something needs to be done on a certain date or you plan a lunch meeting, etc - immediately or as soon as possible - put in on your calendar. Invest in an appointment book if you are busy in that area.

If you find that you jot down notes throughout the day or 'to do lists' - keep a notepad or spiral at your desk (or with you) and write them all in one place. Instead of having scrap pieces of paper everywhere, all your 'to do lists' and things you need to remember will be in one place. Then check them off as you go. It's more organized and looks better then having notes written on everything you own.

Taking simple steps like these will help you keep your desk more organized and keep your efficiency level high - which bosses love. They don't like wasted time and disorganization.

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