Office Organization: No More Clutter at Work!

Adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD), hear this: Less is more. The more stuff we keep, the more time and energy we need to get organized. Because you have limited space, find a convenient storage space for materials and objects you use everyday. Store items you use less frequently in a common area -- a conference room, library, or shared space. If there is an electronic version of a document, recycle or shred the hard copy.

Lack of wall space is a problem, especially if you depend on visual reminders to get work done. Can you rearrange your office to make room for a small bulletin board? Is there room for a freestanding cubicle divider that could be placed at the side or in front of your desk to give you space for a whiteboard? In terms of desks, L-shaped and U-shaped models provide more working space than rectangular ones. Ask your boss if there are any such desks in storage -- or if she would be willing to purchase one for you.

Finally, set aside time every week to de-clutter your workspace. Before going home for the day, lay out only what you will need for the next day’s work. Projects that you have completed can be archived. Store ongoing projects, with longer deadlines in a small two-drawer file cabinet near the side of your desk.

Sandy Maynard is an ADD/ADHD coach, an ADDitude magazine writer, and a contributor to ADDitude's new ADHD Experts Blog.

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