By now you’ve likely heard of organizational expert Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.
Her approach has two main steps: first, review everything you own and ask whether it sparks joy—if it doesn’t, remove it. Second, keep the items that do spark joy and place them in visible, easy-to-reach locations.
That method sounds straightforward at home, but applying it to the workplace can feel trickier. A planner or stapler may not exactly “spark joy,” yet an organized workspace still matters. Whether you follow the KonMari Method or another system, use these expert tips to turn a cluttered office into a functional, productive environment.
View Decluttering as a Valuable Use of Time
“You may think you don’t have time to organize your office, but if you truly understood how much time disorganization costs you, you’d rethink it,” says Marty Basher, a home organization expert. Moving piles around or sweeping messes into a drawer doesn’t count. A consistently tidy workspace supports higher productivity and reduces wasted time.
Decluttering doesn’t require long, all-day sessions. Treat it as an ongoing project and make steady progress through short, regular efforts.
Visualize Your Ideal
Kristyn Ivey, a professional organizing consultant who works with the KonMari Method, recommends beginning by visualizing your ideal work life. Picture your career goals, a project you’d love to focus on, or the role you’d like to attain. Keep that vision in mind while you tidy—it will guide your decisions and help prioritize what belongs in your workspace.
Create a Clean, Open Workspace
“A messy desk or office leads to lost ideas, mislaid documents, interrupted workflows and lower productivity,” says Dorothy Spira, a productivity expert. If you need to do deep, focused work, remove visual distractions: clear paper piles and close extra browser tabs to regain control of your attention.
Although some believe having many items in view helps them work, research and expert observation suggest fewer visual distractions improve focus and performance.
Take Back Control
“People feel anxious when they lack control,” says Ben Soreff of House to Home Organizing. Reclaiming control of your workspace helps you work more efficiently. One essential tool is a clear, open surface—not just for aesthetics, but because an unobstructed desk supports focused work.
Instead of keeping stacks of paper on your desk as reminders, reduce them to actionable prompts—use a Post-it note or a task app to represent what requires attention. After clearing surfaces, perform a deep clean: wipe vertical and horizontal surfaces, keyboards, screens and shelves to improve hygiene and show respect for the items that support your work.
Reevaluate What You Own — and Be Ruthless
If you hesitate about what to keep, use a few simple questions to guide decisions: Does this item serve a clear purpose? Do I use it regularly? Am I keeping it because I might need it someday—and if so, when? Did I even remember I had it?
Clutter often persists because our brains overvalue objects. Answering these questions honestly will make it easier to decide what to discard, donate or store away.
Organizing by Category
Next, organize by category. Focus on books, papers, office supplies, electronics and any sentimental items on your desk. Per the KonMari approach, pick up each object and ask whether it “sparks joy.” If not, thank it for its service and let it go. For purely utilitarian items, consider the satisfaction they provide when used rather than their appearance.
If an emotional approach isn’t for you, adopt a pragmatic stance: remove anything you haven’t used in the past week—chances are it doesn’t need to stay on your desk.
Centralize and Digitize
Clutter—both physical and digital—often comes from lack of centralization. Storing information in a single, organized place reduces the time spent searching for files and relieves the overwhelm of information overload. Ideally, centralize files digitally so they’re searchable and accessible across devices.
Learn to use cloud-based tools and mobile apps to capture ideas and store documents in real time. Scan and digitize paper that you need to keep, and shred what no longer serves a purpose. Apply the same mindset to your inbox: delete unneeded messages and set specific times during the day to process email rather than responding continuously.
How to Organize Those Files
Reducing paper is straightforward because most documents can now be handled electronically. Paper is deceptively easy to accumulate, so commit to keeping only what has a clear purpose: items you’re actively using, papers needed for a limited time, and documents you must retain permanently.
Organize papers into broad, high-level categories instead of overly detailed folders. Useful categories include:
– needs attention (pending)
– saved for a limited period (contracts, tax documents)
– saved indefinitely (references, certifications)
Give Everything a ‘Home’ at Work
Make clutter maintenance a routine so your desk feels as orderly as your home. Functionality is the most important feature of good office design, yet many workspaces become dysfunctional because they’re filled with machines, supplies and loose paper.
Designate a specific home for every item and avoid using flat surfaces as storage. Choose drawers, trays and vertical organizers to keep surfaces clear. Ask yourself: Do I need to clear space before I can sit down to work? Are papers spilling onto the floor? If locating things requires a search-and-rescue effort, your office design won’t help until you organize.
Organizing your workspace is an investment in time that pays off through better focus, less stress and increased productivity. Start small, stay consistent, and build systems that keep your work life efficient and under control.