Topic: What's on your desk - how do you keep it clutter-free?
wahmcheryl WAHM.com regular
posted August 13, 2000 08:25 PM
Look around you right now - no cheating - no last minute cleaning up. What non-work-related things are on your desk right now?
Is it clutter-free? How do you keep it that way?
I'll go first. I have: a comic book paper towel CD case Frog jumping game coffee cup my purse
posted August 13, 2000 11:36 PM
Clutter free? Ha-ha-ha! What's that? I have a glass of water (which I'm sipping), a TV remote, a bottle of glue, a little gift bag (empty - my 2 1/2 year old likes it), a "Hello Kitty" car stamper from McDonald's, and a Pez dispenser. Wonder if there's room for me to work? My "office" is about a 4'x 7' section of our rather small living room. My desk gets messy!
9/6 No more clutter for me! We no longer have a dining room, but I have an office! Yipee! Everything on my desk at the moment is 100% business related! Ask me again in three months ... Of course, the table is now in that 4'x7' foot space where my "office" used to be, but it actually makes the living room look bigger. :-)
[This message has been edited by Jewel (edited September 07, 2000).]
posted August 16, 2000 02:53 PM
I have two desks at right-angles to one another in the corner of the room, which unfortunately, instead of providing more desk space seems to provide my family with a nice place to toss stuff. And since they're both against connection walls, the piles can get reeeeeally high before they start to slide. I shocked myself when I really took a look around:
Computer, printer, phone Two plastic CD racks, both full Two boxes of floppy disks Pens, pencils, a flashlight
Okay so far, but then:
Play money from daughter's play register A child's jewelry box, play tea set, a kitchen potato-chip bag clip, a Tigger wallet, a Thermoscan thermometer, 4$ and odd change, 3 plastic bracelets, 2 ponytail ties, a deck of flash cards, a Rolodex, about 3-weeks-worth of magazines (Newsweek, Skeptical Enquirer, Psychology Today, Funny Times), and address book, 4 sugarless mint wrappers, various scraps of paper with to-be-filed things on them, my daughter's library books, two spiral-bound notebooks, a clipboard stuffed to capacity, cancelled checks that I just now spilled out of the envelope while looking underneath it <sigh>, an approximately 8-inch-high pile of papers and various mail to be sorted/filed/pitched that looks dangerously close to collapse, and a just now discovered piece of petrified fruit-roll-up my daughter must have abandoned next to my monitor at least 3 days ago.
posted August 23, 2000 07:18 AM
Clutter-free? *S* Here goes: *3 pens, only one works *an empty coffe cup (which will be refilled as soon as I finish this post) *mail *three floppys without labels and 6 with labels *DH's razor(??) *stapler *pencil sharpener *note form little girl's teacher telling me she'll be out of school for two days due to testing.
I think I'll grab that coffee before I start cleaning. It sounds like a mess, but I know where everything is.
posted August 31, 2000 02:29 AM
Beyond the stacks of paperwork that I can barely reach over to get to my keyboard: yellow square post it notes EVERYWHERE, storable containers with art supplies, 3 coffee cups, several water cups, books (that I mean to get to but never have time for) a baseball hat, some CDs... I guess that's good for me... the rest is work related..
posted November 08, 2000 01:58 AM
I am the "MOTHER OF ALL CLUTTER!" No one can beat me in this contest. This is the only time I would tell anyone about my clutter. Usually I am hiding it. Well here goes:
ON MY DESK: Bottle of lotion, chip crumbs, bottle of juice, candy wrappers from my daughter, post it's everywhere, sunglasses, watch, cd cases, sippy cup, blue's clue's cup, nail file, empty bowl (where the heck is my computer!)lol
ON MY FILE CABINET: hair brush, hair spray, windex, rag, children's book
IN FRONT OF FILE CABINET: overflowing trash, candy wrappers from my daughter, 2 pairs of children's house shoes
SPREAD EVERY WHERE! 4 barbies with every accessory you could imagine, baby keys, baby teether, rattles, blue's clue's pillow, baby doll stroller, 2 stuffed animals, crayons, coloring books, children's books, pillows, covers, halloween candy bag, baby swing, tv remote, box of wipes and diapers, diaper genie, clown cup half full of juice, plate of teddy grahams, stickers stuck everywhere except the sticker book!, box of kids video tapes overflowing, folded clothes on other desk, purse overturned from daughter dumping it,picture album.....okay I'm gonna stop cause this is starting to sound bad! Alright, gonna go clean up now!!!!
posted November 09, 2000 01:52 AM
I am the "MOTHER OF ALL CLUTTER!" No one can beat me in this contest
LOL I can!! I'd take a picture but the camera is buried under the kids' school papers for the week, did catch a glimpse of the cord earlier today while searching for my rolodex, it was behind a huge bottle of lotion. I have a paper-free office/business, none of the papers stacked here have a thing to do with business, neither does the bird cage, doggie treats, hair brush & detangler, hair bands, three ashtrays, dolls, husband's model truck, two cats (one on monitor one on printer) I even have little things like barrettes, nail clippers on the keyboard (until the cats knock it off the table).
posted November 09, 2000 08:35 AM
I am giggling so hard it hurts.........wow when Cheryl posed this question I had to ask myself, "Do you really want to answer this?" And looking at my fellow "slobs" I figure ah heck why not......... First, I will only put half the list I know you don't even want to hear all of it (And the half list will be just for part of the desk ok.......) Whoa wait a minute.....now I know where my daughters mold experiment went.... I am not worried while i am typing this I am calling the school......I really don't want her to lose points on this. Hey, what do you want she said she needed a dark place and what more perfect than on my desk hahah. Anyway, two dish towels, package of markers, pamphlets, phone, smokes,comb, brush, reed w/holder, mirror, pager, disks, calculator, phone books, 3 staplers (with no staples) , that box is on the side of them, rolodex, flower(dead)...adds flavor lol, lamp, pencil shavings, more disks, white hout, stampers, envelopes, hey look more disks.......paper aw Ladies I am sorry there is more but after the mold i am just too embarrased to go on......You understand don't you
quote:Originally posted by Jewel: [ 9/6 No more clutter for me! We no longer have a dining room, but I have an office! Yipee! Everything on my desk at the moment is 100% business related! Ask me again in three months ... Of course, the table is now in that 4'x7' foot space where my "office" used to be, but it actually makes the living room look bigger. :-)
So much for "no more clutter" but it's not too bad. I now have several pictures that my 3 year old drew, post it notes covering the side of the computer console, a leadless mechanical pencil, two fliers full of unclipped coupons from the Sunday paper from 2 weeks ago,(this weeks are still in the paper, which is still rolled up in the plastic bag b/c I don't have time to read it!), several cassette tapes, several CDs, 4 patterns for wooden lawn decorations that my husband left here, mailing labels, several diskettes, a Lottie Moon offering bank my 3yr old made in Mission Friends, a barrette, a bank statement, an invitation for a toy workshop I conducted 2 months ago - the hostess never gave me the address for this particular guest, a list of people to call for a Thanksgiving promotion, a little metal rod whose purpose is unknown to me (hope it didn't fall out of the computer, nail file, Carmex lip balm, several Polaroids of my family, two folders full of my husband's papers that he never uses but won't eliminate, a necklace, and my coffee mug (currently in use, does that count as clutter?) Maybe I should clean up now... I'm glad to know I'm not the only one! I can't beat the mom with the mold experiment, though!
[This message has been edited by Jewel (edited September 07, 2000).][/B]
------------------ "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
posted November 17, 2000 08:45 AM
I read once that a clean desk is the sign of an empty mind. If that's true, my mind is so full, it's overflowing
In addition to the assorted "office equipment and supplies" (computer equipment, disks sans labels, stapler, paperclip holder containing a paperclip chain, etc.), I also have a post-it note filing system (the notes with long-term information are on the computer monitor, and the quickie "to do's" are on the desk top - usually buried under other papers), a novel I'm reading, a game piece from Risk, some film canisters, pictures of my family, a hair scrunchy, Scrabble calendar (turned to three days ago , an empty coffee cup, an empty cup from last night , and some rocks (don't ask!). My "office" is an eclectic assortment of business books and magazines and kids' toys. Since my desk doesn't have any drawers, assorted papers, office supplies, promotional items and books are stacked (neatly) on the two lower shelves, and boxes of envelopes and extra printer paper are pushed under the desk. My feet usually share space with one of my pets (the cat or the dog), my briefcase/portfolio and assorted pens, paper and trash that has fallen from the desk top.
Of course the most prolific item on my desk is dust . Now, how did that stuff get there?!
To top it all off, my family is learning a foreign language, and so we have labels on everything .
posted November 28, 2000 08:27 PM
Ohhhh I love this thread!!! I put out "The Boardwatch," which is essentially a (free) daily digest of posts on dozens (make that hundreds) of biz & marketing message boards. Well, this obviously isn't biz or marketing-related, but it was so funny I had to list it in today's Boardwatch anyhoo.
My two cents' worth:
I can't tell you what's on my desk because it's buried under the other stuff on my desk. My favorite thing, though, is laminated and immortalized for all eternity on the front of the multi-pocketed folder I keep saying I'm going to use as my "Must Do Today" sorter. (I do use it for that sometimes, but then it turns into my "The Stuff I Had To Do Eighteen Weeks Ago Or We're Gonna End Up Living Out Of A Shopping Cart and I Can't Believe I Let the Insurance Lapse Again!!" sorter and then it isn't my "Must Do Today" sorter anymore (see?).
Anyway, on the front of it is a cartoon of a mad-looking boy in a striped T-shirt, saying:
"God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now, I am so far behind I will never die."
posted August 14, 2001 01:13 AM
OKAY! Pour the coffee, cause' this is gonna be a long list...
I have 2 desks, here's what's on them:
DESK#1: Non-working cell-phone I found a year ago / empty water bottle / digital camera / floppy disks / customers pictures / flyers / business handouts / stress test appointment card (2 months old) / To Do List still uncompleted after 1 month / bus maps / business card samples / light bill / "Request for Orthotics" approval letter / "Preparing for Vacation" To Do List / Order Forms / public speaking engagement script (not mine) / invitations to a home party - 3 weeks ago / 2 appointment books / blank paper / blank anniversary card (wonder who for?) / "How to Run My Business" checklist (so that's where it is!) / the "door" that fits over the electric cord for my radio / talc-free baby powder / broken calculator / broken microphone / business cards / individual blank business cards (?) / a letter informing me I can "Be a Millionaire in 1 Month - or recieve $2,000 just for participating" (!!!)/ printers manual / empty notebook / 2 dictionaries / pen / notepad / mousepad / assorted magazines / ripped-out newspaper articles / religious information / 2 "Dummies" books (what I need is the "Dummies Guide To Clearing Clutter"! / empty bond paper wrapper / 2 unmarked 8mm tapes / mail / working calculator / bank receipt / 1pen, 1pencil / virus-scanning software / picture my son wants to scan into the computer / prescription RX info
Make More Coffee ...Here's DESK#2: A Calendar, Supermarket Flyer, Bobby pins, scissors, mini first-aid kit, daily planner, toiletries, 1/2 of a toy oil truck, telephone messages book, cassette tapes, bubbles, kitchen wall plaques, eyeglass case, sunglasses, scarf, glue gun, white out stapler, empty ink cartridges, floppy disks no one uses, 2 video tapes, mail, seashell, cd-roms, microphone stand, a "switch", printing supplies (a lot of them), calendars I designed and laminated, paper slicer, sunblock lotion (SPF15), and a computer, printer, phone, non-working fax, & scanner.
My childs desk next to that has MY sewing machine, MY files, MY CD's, and the birdcage.
Be glad Cheryl didn't ask us to also list what's UNDER the desk!!!
posted August 14, 2001 12:37 PM
I guess I'm totally boring AND have an empty mind, because my desk rarely has ANYTHING on it except for PRECISELY what I am working on at the moment (do they call this "anal"??).
posted November 20, 2002 03:34 PM
Good afternoon Cheryl!
In response to: "What non-work-related things are on your desk right now? Is it clutter-free? How do you keep it that way?"
-A pack of cancer sticks, I mean cigarettes -lighter -heart shaped ashtray -floppy disk full of pictures from my sons last football game -doctor appointment reminder card for my son -revoltion topical parasiticide sample for kittens that the vet gave me today - a lace doily - my son's computer game joystick - a candle - my sons football picture and teamates - my other sons school pictures for re-take day -my MIL's business card - mail, coupons, and a copy of Fortune Small Business magazine
I am not clutter free at the moment but soon will be. I'm usally very good at setting up detailed reminders for myself in Outlook and filing everything right away. However, when our kiddies are invloved in team sports, there is an illness in the family, whatever, our routines get out of whack and I have to let some things go.
posted November 20, 2002 10:59 PM
Thanks for bringing this one back up. Definitely a LOL thread. My 10 yr old daughter has decided that we need to spend more time together while I'm working (Mom-guilt here), so she has declared herself my filing assistant. Only things on my desk not work related are bead magazines....of course! Can't wait to see what 6+ months of clutter has added to some of those desks out there!
posted November 22, 2002 03:26 PM
OOOHHHH I am doing MUCH better in the area lately
The only things out are the projects I am working on at the moment No kids' papers, hair clips, etc laying about
Of course the fact that I'm on bedrest and working from bed with the laptop helps. (DH won't let me pile up things on his side of the bed) - BUT I have no idea what is laying in wait on my real desk. (I won't be venturing that far for several weeks yet)
------------------ Laura AKA tenXmom Eleven due New Year's Day 2003
Marketing Designs WEB site design, Logo creation, desktop publishing, and more
posted November 22, 2002 05:22 PM
oh thanks for that laugh , what a great thread, my faith is restored ,,,,,I am not alone in my (dis-)organized mess
As for my *desk*, if you can call it that monitor,keyboard, mouse, speakers, cable modem, half a pack of crackers, nailfile pencil, empty cup , 2 note pads, spoon, assorted loose notepad papers with various notes index card box A-Z Index card box with mostly unused cards HBC magazine, product catalogs, envelopes, old glasses, microphone ( not hooked up ), another Index card box filled to brim with biz cards, clear tape, box with pc cd's, basket overflowing with notepads, disks, paperclips, a paycheck ( YEAH !), more notes, hairclips / rubberbands, candy stuff, dental floss, movie ticket stubs, more nailfiles, nightlites, church envelopes, receipts, negatives,kids' pix ( which are also plastered all over wall in front of me ) Calling lists everywhere ( on floor, bed, dresser ), stand with pens, kids project ( pre-written before final typing on pc ) Valentines couponbook from kids, Insurance quotes, candles, candle lighter, body splash, hmmmmm lets see.........the floor around me has a portable files box with outgoing mail, another check , coupons, local paper, product information papers, briefcase, phonecables,
Next .................
------------------ Heike Wallace *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* - Homebased Telemarketer - ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ What's a Woman to do NOW ? *BELLATUDE* A safe, effective and natural alternative to longterm synthetic HRT http://www.ByeByePMS.com
posted November 26, 2002 07:53 PM
I love this thread! I'm so happy I'm not the only one that is unorganzied. I can almost gaurantee I will have you all beat. Of course, I just don't have enough time to list everything(not kidding). Just imagin a very large desk (you know, the kind that had shelves on top and a cubby hole for the computer) that you can't even see. No joke, I can't put anything on this desk right now without setting it on top of something.
Ok, just part of the list (stuff I can see anyway):
*At least 6 candles that I can see (I believe there are 1 or 2 behind the monitor) *stacks of papers (well, ok, so they aren't really even stacked) *2 spiral notebooks (I know there is a 3rd, I just don't see it) *1 small notebook *A book with a published poem of mine in it *My husband's baby book (don't ask) *2 boxes of checks *box of envelopes *3 bottles of sunscreen, various SPF *2 empty pop bottles and one half full *2 empty pop cans *Cordless phone that doesn't work * Cell phone that doesn't work *Cell phone that does work *head set and microphone for voice chat *camera (haha! with film!) *photo ink cartarage for old printer that my friend now has *2 empty cans of my husband's tobacco *1 full can of tobacco * 1 visible cassett tape that I had to take from my 2 yr old (I know there are more of those around here too) *empty glass, *oops, one more pop can and one more pop bottle *Change jar *Son's change jar * 2 bottles of lotion * bottle of liquid potpourri (had to take from my son because he climbed the shelves in the storage room) * business cards for my cleaning supplies * unused disks * box of kleenex *screw driver *brochure for cleaning supplies * presentation folders * large envelopes * stack of tax stuff for mom's restaurant * Christmas ordiment (probably been there since last year) *unused picture frame *box of staples *Oh, another candle.... *stuffed kitty *husband's cologne
....whew! I could go on all night. There is a lot more, but I need to stop typing and start cleaning. I am so glad this was brought up. Now I realise just how bad my dest really is...
posted November 27, 2002 11:56 PM
I wanted to let you guys know that after over 2 hrs last night, my husband and I got half my desk cleaned off! Just got the cubby holes and shelves left to do, but at least now I can see my desk (and move my mouse now too!) It can be done! whoo hoo!
posted December 05, 2002 03:10 PM
www.flylady.net - my desk is good now, thanks to her. My husband's is another story! [/B][/QUOTE]
------------------ Trust in the LORD with all your heart; lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
posted December 06, 2002 10:21 PM
You mean there's supposed to be a desk under here??? heehee Well as far as non work related goes lol--a glass of Mountain Dew, an empty 6oz. bottle of Sunny D, an empty Dr. Pepper bottle, an empty Benders and builders storage bucket, 2 batteries, a sippy cup and a short cable cord for the tv. Oh and a broken picture frame and a chess piece. Gonna have to clean it up tomorrow LOL
------------------
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posted August 13, 2000 08:25 PM
, and some rocks (don't ask!). My "office" is an eclectic assortment of business books and magazines and kids' toys. Since my desk doesn't have any drawers, assorted papers, office supplies, promotional items and books are stacked (neatly) on the two lower shelves, and boxes of envelopes and extra printer paper are pushed under the desk. My feet usually share space with one of my pets (the cat or the dog), my briefcase/portfolio and assorted pens, paper and trash that has fallen from the desk top.
