To honor an uncluttered, organized workspace, the second Monday in January is celebrated as Clean Off Your Desk Day. This year, that date fell on Monday, January 8, 2024. This is perfect for those whose New Year’s Resolution was “Get more organized” or those who just want to enter the year with less stress and clutter. 

A clean desk and workspace is thought to increase productivity and reduce stress. Those with a high Follow Thru are probably thinking, “Yessss, I love organizing my desk!” Other students, however, may not have seen the top of their desk in months. 

If that’s you, don’t worry. Here are some tips that anyone can use to stay organized:

⚈ Keep the area immediately next to your computer free of clutter so that you actually have space to work.

⚈ Use stackable desk trays for more storage options.

⚈ Color code your papers and notebooks, either by class or by day of the week.

⚈ Briefly clean up your desk at the end of every day to keep important papers from being lost.

Every person has a different threshold for organization and clutter. Just remember: Even if your student has a messy desk, it doesn’t mean they aren’t getting work done. Encourage them to do a little cleaning, but give them space to do it their way!