Want to clean your desk or office and don’t know how to even begin? This blog details how to clean your desk from Joy at Work by Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein, Chapter 3 – Tidying Your Workspace.

Let’s begin!

Step #1 Books – Discover Your Values Through Tidying

First, take all of your books and put them in one area.

They have to be removed from where they currently are, especially a bookshelf. “Books that have stayed on the shelf too long have become part of the scenery.”

Then go through each one and only keep books that spark joy.

Ask yourself these questions:
“When did you buy it?”
“How many times have you read it?”
“Do you want to read it again?”
“Does this book play a role in my life?”
“Would you still buy this book now that if it was in a bookstore?”

If it’s a book you haven’t read yet, visualize yourself when you first purchased it. That memory can help you decide if you still need it. Set a date to read it.

If it is book you bought on impulse or a gift that you will never read, thank it for the joy it brought you in receiving it and let it go with gratitude. You don’t have to finish reading your books.

Going through your books one by one in your hand will give you a chance to explore your values.

I recently did this exercise and let go of a lot of books on self development and money. However I wanted to keep the science fiction books my mother wrote, and my own creative writing in journals. I realized I like fiction, and writing it!

Step #2 Papers: The Basic Rule Is Discard Everything

Next is the hardest category, papers!

You don’t have to throw away everything, but really most of it will go.

Gather all your papers in one big pile and then go through and make three piles:

1. Have to Keep – for legal reasons, tax reasons, work required manuals and so on.
2. Pending – bills you need to pay, paperwork you need to work on now
3. Want to Keep – it sparks Joy

If you have difficulty figuring out which to keep then ask the following questions:
“When do you need this?”
“How long have you had it?”
“How often do you go back and look at it?”
“Can you find the same content on the internet?”
“Have you already saved it on your computer?”
“How much of a problem would it be if you didn’t have this?”
“Does it really spark joy?”

How to Store Papers So you Never Rebound
Rule 1: Categorize every paper down to the last sheet
Rule 2: Store your papers upright
Rule 3: Make a pending box

Beware the Scan Trap – It takes time to scan. Don’t let the thought of scanning it keep unnecessary papers.

Tidy Your Business Cards and Review Your Relationships

Step #3 Divide Komono (Everything Else) into Subcategories

Again, put everything in one spot (take it all out of where it is now), and sort through it.

1. Office Supplies (pens, scissors, staples, tab, etc.)
There are 2 kinds, desk supplies (like staplers and scissors) and consumables (like staples and sticky notes). Only keep 1 of each desk supply, and keep only the amount you will really use in consumables.

2. Electrical (digital devices, gadgets, cords, etc.)
Say goodbye with gratitude to old cords, headphones, and gadgets that are obsolete or that you no longer need.

3. Job-specific (product samples, art materials, supplies, parts, etc.)
Pick up each item and ask if it sparks joy. “The cells in your body will either leap with joy or sink like lead.”

4. Personal-care items (cosmetics, medicine, supplements, etc.)
“Start by imagining your ideal work life, then decide what kinds of personal-care products will help you realize that ideal. And what kind won’t”

5. Food (tea, snacks, etc.)
Set a limit to how much you want of snacks, condiments, alcohol, etc and stick to it. Check expiration dates.

6. Sentimental Items
This is the hardest category and is your last step.

As with all other categories, gather everything in one spot and go through it by hand one by one.

Ask yourself “Will this spark joy for me if I keep it at my desk now?”

If your response is no, thank it for what it gave you, then let it go with gratitude.

If you have too many for your desk, then take them home. If you have a home office like me, you may have to decide another place to keep them in your home, or take a picture and let them go.

“When Scott tidied up his office, he found it hard to say goodbye to letters and pictures from his daughters. Taking photos of them helped him to part with them. He now reserves the spot where he kept them for his daughters’ latest contributions, making that space more joyful. (p. 68)”

Desk Storage – How to Keep Everything Organized

1. Designate a plce to store each item and store by category

2. Use boxes in your drawers and store things upright
Get small boxes that will fit in your drawers and put things in their correct category in the right box. Store sticky note pads, erasers, etc upright.

3. As a rule, don’t store anything on top of your desk

Conclusion

I hope you organize your desk successfully like I am in the process of doing right now! Check out the book too and feel free to post your before an after photos of your desk in the comments below!