7 Easy Tasks to Instantly Declutter Your Office Space

A cluttered office has a way of making everything feel heavier. The smallest task becomes harder to start, and creativity can feel like it has no room to breathe. When your workspace feels chaotic, so does your mind.

Photo by ergonofis on Unsplash

After working from a cluttered desk for months, one simple weekend reset changed everything. Clearing just a few key areas made room for focus, fresh ideas, and a sense of calm that had been missing for far too long. The difference wasn’t just visual. It was emotional and deeply motivating.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, tired, or easily distracted while trying to get things done, your space could be the hidden reason. The good news is that it doesn’t take a full renovation or an expensive overhaul to turn things around. Just a few practical steps can refresh the entire feel of your workspace and bring back your clarity.

At Nevermore Lane, we believe in the magic of making small changes that lead to big shifts. Your office can be a source of inspiration and energy again. These simple decluttering tasks are designed to help you reclaim that space and turn it into something that supports both your goals and your peace of mind.

1. Clear Your Desk of Non-Essentials

First things first. Your desktop surface should only house the essentials. That means your laptop, charger, notebook, pen, and maybe a plant or a photo frame if you want to inject some personality into it.

Everything else is surplus to requirements. So, if your desk is stacked with random bits like empty coffee cups, half-used Post-it pads, and old receipts, getting rid of them should be your starting point.

Chuck anything that doesn’t serve your day-to-day work life into a ‘deal with later’ box (we’ll deal with that in Task 6).

2. Clear the surrounding area

Once you have cleared your desk, the next logical thing to do is to tidy up the area around it. The chances are there are boxes, old pieces of equipment or tech, broken furniture, and lots of half-used reams of paper lying about the place.

It is a good idea to spend some time identifying what you don’t need or use anymore and then taking measures to remove them from your office space.

If you have a substantial amount of clutter you need to get rid of, consider calling in professional rubbish removal services such as those offered by 1300 Rubbish to help you. You can learn more about their service here.

If you want to get rid of an old couch, here is how you can do that.

3. Recycle Old Papers

Whilst you are clearing the surrounding area, you’ll no doubt come across forests of old papers.

For the things you do need to keep, scan and store them digitally where possible. However, if you no longer need them, try to be ruthless when sorting through the stacks.

Shred sensitive documents and recycle what you can in a dedicated recycling bin, which should be easy to access when required in future.

4. Create an “In and Out” Tray System

It might sound a bit old-school, but there was a reason why so many office workers back in the day had an “in” and “out” tray for their physical paperwork. It basically stopped piles of paper from creeping up on you.

You don’t need a fancy filing cabinet, particularly as everything can be stored on the cloud. So, just find a space on your desk for two trays. One for new documents you need to action and the other for stuff that’s ready to be filed, scanned, or binned.

This small tweak helps keep your workflow tidy and saves time hunting for that one invoice you swore you saw last week.

5. Untangle and Hide Cables

Cables and cords are the silent mess-makers in any workspace, and they can be potentially dangerous. So, if you’ve got a tangled snake pit behind your monitor or under your desk, grab a few zip ties, clips, or even toilet rolls to tidy them up.

You can run cords along the underside of the desk or use adhesive clips to keep them out of sight. Moreover, if you find that you’ve got chargers or cables you haven’t used in months, pop them in a labelled container, or better still, donate them if you no longer intend to use them.

6. The “Deal With It Later” Box

Remember that box of random bits from Task one. Well, once you have completed the rest of the decluttering tasks, it is a good idea to give yourself a separate bit of time to go through it.

Some of the things you should do include testing your pens and highlights and throwing out the ones that don’t work. Also, check to see if your hole punchers, staplers, batteries, printer cartridges, and binders are still operational and store them away properly if they are. 

This is another time to be ruthless because if anything in this box doesn’t belong in the office, it shouldn’t live there.

7. Do a Weekly Five-Minute Reset

Tidying up a decluttered space is one thing. But keeping it clear is another entirely. For this reason, it is a good idea to set aside five minutes each week to make sure your desk and office area remain clean and tidy.

A good time to do this is on Friday afternoon, just before you finish for the weekend, as it means you’ll be able to start the next working week without distraction.

Taking the time to chuck out rubbish, file paperwork, put away anything out of place, and give your desk a quick wipe-down is a good way to stay on top of keeping your desk area clean. It should also give you a sense of completion that your working week has finished.

Create a Space That Works for You

Decluttering for a clutter-free space doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Even the smallest improvements can make your office feel more open, inviting, and aligned with your workflow. It’s not about creating perfection but building a space that works for your needs and supports your success.

When your desk is clear, your focus sharpens. When your drawers are tidy, your time is better spent. Each small task adds up to a noticeable shift in energy and efficiency. Your environment should help you thrive, not hold you back.

Let your workspace reflect the life you’re building. Whether you’re chasing a new goal or simply want to feel more present in your daily routine, these small changes can make your office a place you actually want to be. Productivity starts with how your space makes you feel.