How A Celeb Organizer Transformed My Messy Desk To Save Time & Reduce My Stress

Is your messy desk costing you a promotion and more money? I called an organizer to help me de-clutter my office and my life! Get 5 helpful and easy tips right here!

I’ve recently become obsessed with professional organizers, and luckily, I was able to call one and share her wisdom with all of you! Holly Bohn is the Founder and Creative Director at See Jane Work and has helped stars like Jennifer Garner, Heidi Klum and Taylor Swift, to name a few! She’s an expert at de-cluttering and organizing and like, basically saved my life and my sanity! She told me that your messy desk is giving others the wrong impression — it may show that you’re not serious, easily frazzled, or unpredictable. It could be costing you that promotion or raise! “Social media has trained us to respond to visual cues,” Holly told us EXCLUSIVELY. “Telling someone you are successful is not as effective as showing them. While many of us would never dream of bringing a business associate or client into our office if it was a mess, we often don’t think about how the mess affects not only ourselves, but the people we work with. Studies show that 96% of office workers believe that organization is the sign of a better leader, and 3 out of 4 believe that a disorganized office is a sign of deeper company problems.”

Since you obviously can’t paint your office walls or go too crazy, Holly says: “Instead of adding personal items, choose office accessories that reflect your personal style. A heart-shaped mousepad, a stapler in your favorite color, or a college sticker on your pencil cup are great ways to make a style statement, without cluttering your workspace. I specifically designed the Perpetual Calendar and Motivational Easel Card Set to help people express themselves at work in a lighthearted way. Both items have a small footprint, so don’t take up a lot of room, but do add a lot of fun to the workspace.”

WHERE & HOW TO START

Here’s how to get started when you feel completely overwhelmed. My “before desk” was a nightmare (see pics here) — but Holly helped me turn everything around in less than 90 minutes.

“1. Grab three large boxes or bins, label them: Keep, Put Away, Give Away

2. Take everything from your desk and drawers and put it into the boxes. It’s not necessary to completely disconnect electronics, you can clean around those.

3. Dust and clean your desktop, computer, monitor, phone and anything else that remained.

4. Put back the items from the Keep bin. If you simply don’t have enough room, then keep editing until your workspace is no longer overwhelmed. Make sure to use drawer organizers to keep drawers neat and desktop organizers for paperwork and tools.”

THROW or give away things you don’t use or need — in my case, I rarely use paper, so I didn’t need paper clips, a stapler, scissors, or tape. Get rid of broken or dried up pens, and old, out-of-date business cards.

WHAT YOU NEED

“Drawer organization – See Jane Work Storage Bin Set, 5 Pack or See Jane Work Organizer Tray (which can be used on a desktop if you don’t have drawer storage).  Every desk needs a place to keep clips and other small items organized.

Paperwork Organizer – I have yet to meet someone without paper at their desk. No matter how paper-free you try to be, there is always a little paperwork. I love using Poly Pouches or a Paperwork Organizer. It requires little thought, essentially lets me keep my stacks, but looks a little more organized.

Pencil Cup – Somewhere for pens, pencils, scissors and the like to land. Depending on the number of files you keep at your desk you can use a separate Pencil Cup and Desk Tray, or you can use an all-in-one Desktop Organizer that holds it all.

Notepad – A scratch pad that is too big to remove from your desk. You can jot down quick notes, then enter the information digitally or discard it. A blank pad of paper is also a great way for coworkers to leave you a note as well.

Notebook – A dedicated place for all your notes, something you can take with you to meetings, when commuting or traveling.”

The biggest lesson I learned from Holly is that you don’t need to get rid of everything, BUT everything should have a place. Even 87 lipsticks look fine when they are properly categorized and displayed in an acrylic organizer. Having a dedicated spot for my coffee and mouse feels like I have things under control. Finding things is easier, and faster, and there is much less distraction! See pics of her office staples plus my (embarrassing!) before and after pics in the gallery!

HollywoodLifers, are you looking for ways on how to clean your desk?