7 Ways to Make Your Office Shine

Can a cleaner office make you happier, healthier, and more productive? You better believe it!

The appearance of your office makes a lasting impression on both clients and visitors, but don’t overlook the fact that you’re the one who spends the most time there. You and your employees will be the ones who benefit most from a clean office environment.

This post will tell you how to whip your workplace into shape. But first, let’s look at why cleaner really is better.

Why Keep the Office Clean?

Most of us have a nagging feeling we should be keeping things cleaner, but don’t know why.

According to research from Princeton University and UCLA, we get that feeling for a reason. Clutter not only reduces our ability to focus, it also makes us feel frustrated, guilty, and stressed out.

Would you believe that 82% of the workforce feels they would work harder in a cleaner office? And that 60% of work-related illnesses result from dirty office equipment? It’s true!

Ready to make your office shine? Whether you work in a one-person office or a multi-floor building, these 7 tips will help you get your office clean and keep it that way.

1. Declutter & Organize

It’s hard to give any space a thorough cleaning without clear surfaces. Getting rid of clutter is step one.

When it comes to clutter, desks are usually the biggest culprits. Here are some tips for organizing your office’s most-used surfaces:

• Start by throwing away anything you don’t need. Be ruthless!
• Get desk or drawer organizers for things like papers, unread pieces of mail, sticky notes paperclips, and pens. Here are some creative ideas to get you started.
• Designate a junk drawer for the miscellaneous items you aren’t ready to throw away just yet.
• Consider a traditional filing cabinet if you have a lot of papers and enough floor space to fit one.
• If you’re environmentally conscious and you’re up for a bigger project, go paperless. Start scanning documents for long term digital storage. A bonus is that depending on the scanner you use, your documents may become searchable too!

2. Rearrange the Furniture

Photo: Loozrboy

A good furniture arrangement won’t actually make your office cleaner, but it can make your office feel cleaner.

Functionality is priority number one. Make sure there’s enough open floor space for you and everyone else to move around without getting in each other’s space or squeezing between furniture. A good layout looks looks balanced when viewed from the doorway.

Simply leaving enough space between desks and office equipment can make the room look bigger and more organized. If you really want to switch it up, try one of these creative tips or experiment with feng shui.

3. Get Some Indoor Plants

Flowers and potted plants can make a bigger difference than you might think. Not only do they look nice, plants purify the air, contributing to a healthier, more refreshing office space. Believe it or not, plants have even been shown to make people happier.

Tip: Researchers found that flowers in particular can increase productivity and creativity, so bring on the bouquets!

4. Let in Some Natural Light

A little sunlight can really brighten an office. Throw back the curtains or open the blinds to make your space more inviting.

The benefits aren’t just aesthetic. A 2012 study showed that employees who were exposed to natural light during work hours slept better at night and came back to work less tired and more refreshed, which made them more productive workers.

5. Get rid of Gross Smells

Photo: theilr

Some of the biggest office turn-offs are things you can’t see. Even the best looking office will feel dirty if it smells bad. How can you eliminate unpleasant odors?

If the weather’s nice, crack a window. The fresh air will make you feel more energized and awake.

• Buy a trash bin with a tight-fitting lid and empty it regularly.
• Keep old food off your desk and clean all dirty dishes before you leave the office for the day.
• Go through the office fridge periodically to make sure there are no forgotten lunches lurking in the dark corners.

Some unpleasant odors will stick around even after you’ve done everything you can to get rid of them. If that happens to you, our professionals can help you get rid of lingering bad smells. We don’t use toxic chemicals, which can leave a different kind of unpleasant and unwanted smell behind.

6. Disinfect Surfaces and Things You Touch

Germs accumulate everywhere in offices. Think about how many hours you spend in the office each week. Then multiply that by the number of coworkers you have. That’s a lot of opportunity for germs to be spread around and to be transferred from person to person.

And it’s not just the bathroom that should be cleaned regularly. Grab some disinfectant and wipe down your desk, computer, keyboard, mouse, and phone. Phones get especially dirty if more than one person in your office uses the same one.

You’ll also probably want to do a thorough cleaning of the kitchen area regularly.

7. Make a Cleaning a Regular Activity

Now that your office is sparkling clean, you probably want to keep it that way. Try creating a chore chart with the tasks you want to accomplish each week, including cleaning the bathroom, taking out the trash, and wiping down dirty surfaces.

Keeping an office clean can feel like a full time job — especially if you have a bathroom and kitchen to deal with. If cleaning is taking too much time away from your work, it might be time to hire a professional janitorial service.

Ready to get your office sparkling clean? Contact us for a free estimate! If you prefer, we can even clean your office at night when you’re not there.

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About the author Darren

Darren is the owner of Cascade Building Services. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree at Lewis and Clark University. He used to work in sales for General Mills. In his spare time, you can find him in the great outdoors camping and boating.