I have a habit of starting each work day cleaning one item or area, whether it be wiping down my desk, organizing my desk drawer, or simply emptying my trash can. I also end the day with a small act of cleaning and tidying up. Just those two short moments per day means the remaining 99% of the time, I usually work in a orderly area, particularly important because working from a converted closet means space and storage are of the essence. But some people take it even further, as reported by the The Wall Street Journal's At Work blog. Is it obsessive or admirable when someone clears off their desk each and every night after wrapping up work?
"...Joshua Becker, an expert on minimalism and the author of the books "Simplify" and "Living with Less," says he's cleared off his desk every night for five years now - and finds it has led to less distraction and more freedom.Becker, who says he got the idea from a businessman during a chance encounter in
ThailandPhilippines, methodically moves every item into a designated drawer at the end of the day, with the exception of his computer and phone. "They all have a home," he says of his desktop items, which include a coffee mug, stapler, pens and file folders"
Reviewing Becker's The Simple Guide to a Clutter-Free Desk, his system doesn't seem extreme or unreasonable, just a collection of habits where living with less and simplifying your workspace is combined with the practice of putting things away when you're done. It's not much different from our own 4-Step system for keeping your messy desk cleaner: don't file anything except important financial records (scan and store digitally!), keep important tasks eye level (even better, use my favorite pared down to-do app), practice the all-important "give everything a home" habit, and note/recognize your tendencies and adjust.
Offer yourself a space to store everything you normally use, and keeping a desk spotless is that much easier. The Kukka Blocks Desk Set is a minimalist and handsome desk organizing set for this purpose.
As we once noted, you may be asking, "If I'll never have a super-tidy desk, why bother at all?" Those few minutes spent organizing at the end of every workday adds up, and time is money.
You'll likely spend more than fifteen minutes down the line without some organizing and cleaning habits around the workspace: either tossing stuff into the recycling bin at the end of the day, or in hunting for that pen or scrap of paper with the important phone number. Either way, you pay. So why not choose the less stressful option?
(Images: Paul's Loft-Like Ambitions Tech Tour; Flickr Member Laure Wayaffe licensed for use under Creative Commons)
100 DIY Ideas for the 3-Day Weekend
Danielle's Charming, Classic Walk-Up
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Flatwa...
Party Recipe: Creamy Crawfish Dip
Perfect Summer Cocktail Recipe: Honey Bourbon Lemonade
Now that I'm in college my desk usually looks like several atomic paper bombs went off. I miss have a pristine desk.
When I worked for Prada's Hawaii subsidiary, I had great built in cabinets and two workspaces, a stand alone table and a built in desk space. I cleaned off every night except for an in tray and pen holder. All projects etc got put away in the cabinets. The feeling of walking in each morning to a clean desk indicates a fresh start. Walking in with a project folder open and papers strewn about creates a stressful feeling from the get go (for me anyway). I now at least stack everything in a designated space in my current work space. Each morning I take a few minutes to identify what needs to be done that day without a bunch of papers to distract me.
I do my best to keep a tidy desk but it doesn't always happen when I get really busy. I ALWAYS prefer it neat and organised though, it's easier to settle into a days work when the work environment is more inviting.
I usually clean (my home office desk, or otherwise) on three occasions: when company is coming over, when I'm trying to avoid something else, or when I'm talking on the phone. I think I need to talk on the phone more often.
I find an untidy desk leads to me procrastinating. Everything has a place and everything within it's place means I can focus on the job at hand. When busy, my in/out trays get rather full and untidy, but it's manageable and I can still put my hands on anything I need without having to look.
I'm a graphic design student and I work a ton off the computer (cutting things, binding books, sketching, etc). My desk gets sloppy FAST. I try to purge it at least once per week, but it's tricky because I never make the time to actually do it.