Spring Clean

We’re all busy, and clearing out the office is often way down on the list of priorities, and sometimes isn’t even on the list at all! But it is important, especially if you have clients visiting your premises.  Ask yourself when was the last time your office was cleaned thoroughly?

A big clean up and sort out can be very daunting, and time consuming, so tackle one thing at a time, don’t look at the whole room and panic.  Set yourself a target for today, and do it!  Then set another target for tomorrow.  Here’s an idea of how you could break down the work load:

Tidy Up
It may seem obvious, but cleaning won’t be easy or manageable until all the clutter has been removed.  The stack of papers on your desk need to be filed, the little lumps of blu-tak gathered up into one place and all other bits and pieces that aren’t where they should be need to be put away.

For some people this is quite an overwhelming task by itself, so make it your sole priority for this day.

Clear out the drawers
How often are you hunting around the bottom of your drawers for the ever elusive paperclips? Or maybe the staples have vanished?  This is a great time to empty out those drawers and give them a good wipe over to remove ink spills from leaky pens and get rid of the grime.  There are many places selling stationery drawer dividers which you can place inside your drawers

to keep everything separate, but just as easily you can use little plastic storage boxes to keep staples and paperclips in, and larger ones for pens and pencils, unless you prefer to keep those in a pot on top of the desk.

Sort out the Shelves
Check all of the files and replace damaged ones.  Print or write out neat labels for the files so they are easily identifiable.  Archive any old paperwork that isn’t needed to hand now – you can buy purpose made archive boxes designed to fit lever arch files.  This will free up space on your shelves and the old paperwork can be stored safely somewhere else

De-Cobweb
A place we often fail to notice is the area above our heads.  Pay particular attention to the corners of the room and the light fixture.  Dig out the feather duster and get rid of those cobwebs!  You may not notice them, but your clients might!!

Door and Door frame
Another easy to overlook area is the doorway.  Using a damp cloth wipe over the door and door handle.  If the door is panelled pay attention to the parts that collect the dust.  Then wipe over the frame, including the top ledge which is another place that dust gathers.

Radiator
Dust also gathers on radiators, but should be cleaned pretty easily with a damp cloth.  Take the time to wipe along all of the grooves, grime collects at the base of each section.

Light switch and plugs
Take a soft cloth to the light switch and plug sockets to remove any finger prints and greasy residue that has built up through use.

Move the Furniture
It’s amazing how much dust and dirt builds up in hard to reach areas.  Take the time to pull out desks and drawer units to clean behind them.  Take notice of the skirting boards and the carpet edges, the dust that gathers here is easily overlooked, but easily cleaned.

Clean your chair
Spot treat any stains on the fabric with an upholstery shampoo and wipe over the legs and wheels with a soft cloth to remove dust and grime, a little washing up liquid in warm water should shift more stubborn dirt.

Clean the Bin
Even if you always use a bag liner, and hardly ever eat food at the desk, at some time something yucky will find its way into the bottom of your bin. You’ll notice it when you empty it, of course, but it isn’t always convenient to hunt up a cloth to wipe it out.  Do it now, as part of your spring clean.

Dust and Polish
Clear off the desk completely and get the polish out, then move on to your computer, printer and telephone.  They all get grimy and dusty and they all need cleaning, you can even go the extra mile and invest in sanitising wipes for the electricals.  Do you have a lamp? Give that a wipe too.  Stacking trays? Desktop drawers? Shelves? Every surface needs to be wiped over with a soft cloth and a bit of polish

Clean the Windows
Opinion varies on the best way to clean windows, whichever method you choose remember you will need to clean the glass, and the frames, and the handles and the windowsill.

And Relax
With a clean and clear work place you can proudly invite your clients in without the worry of what they might see lurking under your desk!