We all know that closet: cluttered, dusty, and you can barely walk through it much less find what you’re looking for without a box of old holiday decorations falling on you. But this doesn’t have to be your office storage closet! Read on for steps to help organize the storage room and make it less of a death hazard for you and your coworkers.
- Clear it All Out
The first step is to take everything out of the storage closet. Especially if it hasn’t been truly organized in years, you’re going to need to take it all out and start fresh. Once it’s empty, take this opportunity actually clean the room. Vacuum, dust, get rid of cobwebs or maybe even give it a fresh coat of paint.
- Sort and Throw Away
The task of actually going through everything your office has in storage can be daunting, so break it up over the course of several days if you need to and enlist the help of coworkers. It will take time, but this step is crucial for an organized storage closet. Go through it all and throw away or donate things that are no longer used, out of date, or broken. Once you get rid of the trash, start organizing and grouping items into categories. Think about how often they are used, if items are used together, or during certain times of the year to help form your piles.
- Label
Obtain plastic bins or boxes to store items in. Clear boxes can be helpful to identify what is in each bin, but be sure to label everything as well. Large boxes can be stored on shelves. Use drawers, cabinets, and smaller baskets to hold smaller or loose items. Take time to think about the best way to organize certain items. For example, pegboards for tools or adjustable shelving. Consider using plastic jewelry containers for things like pins, paperclips, or thumbtacks. You can have boxes within your boxes to better contain small pieces and keep them together.
- Restock
Once everything is organized into its properly labelled bin, it’s time to restock items into the storage closet. Be sure not to fill the entire area; you need space to walk and move around! Keep more frequently used items lower to the ground, towards the door, and visible. Items used less frequently or maybe once a year (like holiday decorations) can be kept on higher shelves or less accessible areas.
Although projects like this can certainly be overwhelming, don’t get discouraged! Break it into smaller goals and in the end, your office will thank you that they can find the items they need without fear of what they may trip over. Good luck, and happy organizing!