organization of your desk/desktop

[donnap99]

How do you keep your active projects organized?  Do you make a distinction between items that you do regularly (i.e., every Monday code invoices) vs. those that are a one-time deal (i.e., travel & arrangements for the meeting in Upper Whoville) vs. those that are the I'm never-gonna-see-the-end-of-this items (i.e., getting intranet pages written & ready to turn over to Computer Services)?

How do you organize your pending items?  your reference items?  

Why am I asking?  'Cause I'm tired of PILES of papers all over my desk.  It looks awful.  I know what each pile is, and I can put my hands on anything within 30 seconds (usually 5 seconds), but it looks awful.  And since moving to my new digs in January I can't use these desk drawers the same as I used to.  I hate this new furniture.  So rather than deal with the drawer space I do have, I virtually ignore it and keep everything on the desk top until it gets filed or tossed.  The drawers aren't like 6" off the floor like my old desk was - they're more like 2" off the ground - and quite honestly, it's literally a pain in the back to bend over into them too often.  

Also, I have a problem when I put things into a drawer - even if the entire drawer is full of active items - I get distracted by what's on the computer or the new stuff that gets put on my desk, and I pretty much FORGET about what's in the drawer!



DonnaP99

[countrigal]

In the past I've kept a tickler file on my desk.  Then items that need to be done are put in the file and kept neatly on my desk (versus just piles all over).  My tickler had letters in it, A-Z, and I put higher priority items in the first part of the alphabet, lower priority items towards the middle, and those things that are "when and if you get to them" at the back.  This seemed to work well for me.  Unfortunately, with the move and all, and due to the size of most of my "packages" of to-do items, I'm back to the piles on the desk route.  I blame it on bossie, since my desk is slowly starting to look like his no matter how hard I try to get it cleared off.  But that's another story.

If that system doesn't work, and if you have enough blank space (after moving the piles) you could always use a desk-top filing system.  They have crate-like hanging file folder holders that you could put at the back corner of your desk so that your filing system for pending and to-do items isn't on the floor and is always in front of you.  We have one here that actually has a lid on it, and wheels, so if it's on the floor (or a long table) you can roll it towards you or roll it away, and the lid will close to keep prying eyes from seeing what they don't need to see.

These are only 2 ideas... I'm sure others will come up with many others.  I'm just braindead this Monday afternoon and counting down till it's time to go home.  Not a lot of ingenuity left in me for today.


CountriGal
Deskdemon Editorial Board Member

[spitfire78]

I have 3 bins on my desk - hold, to do, and incoming.  Any new items that I haven't even looked at yet get put in the incoming bin.  As I look at it, I either take care of it right away or put it in the "to do" bin for later.  The "hold" bin has items that I have taken as far as I can for now and am waiting for someone to get back to me.  I don't put anything in the file drawers until I am done with it and it is ready for filing.  As you noted, it is too easy to get caught up in the stuff right in front of you and forget about what is in the drawers - "out of sight is out of mind".  These three bins have served me well.  A few years ago I felt I was having problems with things falling through the cracks and I came up with this system.  These bins allow me to see instantly the status of all my work.  If the incoming bin is filling up - it is time to go through it.  When the phone stops ringing, I go through my to do bin and start getting things done.  When all of that is done and I have time I periodically go through the hold bin to see what is in there. Then,  I do follow-up phone calls or e-mails to the people for whom I am waiting. This system works well for me.  I'm eager to see what other ideas people have.  I am always open to suggestions on ways to keep things flowing and to keep from forgetting what needs to be done.

[bethalize]

Put them all in files - I see from your link  you have a lovely shelf to put box files and binders on and lots of space for in-trays with the solid metal risers to keep foolscap folders in! I've never got on with drawers for keeping stuff in unless it's completely finished with. A good place for blank forms, mailing labels and copies of things to give to people!

I hate the clean desk policy but it has taught me that the appearance of organisation is more important that the actual organisation itself (oh, the short sighted ones!).

A big ole task list is the thing. Shorthand notebook and write down everything that needs to be done and what the next stage is. You can tear pages out when done or re-write a task on to the next page.

Bethalize
Deskdemon Forum Board Staff

[ControlledChaos]

I have a 4-tier filing tray on my desk - 1 tray for incoming/new, 1 tray for items in progress, 1 tray for filing and 1 tray for general (which includes items that may take a while to get going).  I also use the task option on Microsoft Outlook where I can enter the task and also put in a complete by date.  Therefore, they are always on my computer and once I have gone past the action date the item turns red if I have not completed it.

Val

[mlm668]

I would use a to do list or Outlook's task list.  You can also set the task list to flash a reminder the day you mark something due.  I use Outlook to remind when things are due.  Works great for me.  

I personally like as little as possible on or under my desk.  IMO it just creates clutter.  I like the idea of a rolling file caddy that closes as long as it is put out of hte way and not left out.  

I have two trays on my desk.  One is my to do box and the other is for pending items.  On the other side I keep a wire file rack that I keep my pending files for each job in.  I also keep my fax cover pages and a miscellaneous file there.  I clean out the misc. file every six months and either throw out unnecessary items and file the stuff that needs to be kept for future reference.  

Its very easy for me to let things pile up because I have to much surface.  I would give anything to have a desk desk and get rid of all this excess surface.  The less surface I have the less likely I am to make piles.

Michelle

[vegasadmin]

A variation of a tickle file that I like is, instead of having files labeled A-Z, have files labeled 1-31 and 12 other files labeled January-December.  When you receive something (e.g. a request for mailing labels for a mailing going out in two weeks - amd wouldn't such forethought be lovely!), determine when you'll need to actually begin working on that project and file the request in the file for that day.  (So if you receive the mailing label request on the 3rd but know you won't need to begin working on them till, say, the 10th, put them in the file labled "10".)  If it's something you won't need till the next month, file it in the file for the month you'll need it.   (E.g., you receive the monthly state sales tax form for September on the 26th of September but it's not due till the 31st of October, file in the file labeled "October".)  Each morning, check your file for that particular day.  If you prefer, check it the day before during the last half hour of the day and put everything in your "to do" tray.  If you reach the end of the day with some tasks not finished, put them in the file for the next day (or back in the "to do" tray - the system is reasonably flexible).  Near the end of the month, pull the items for the next month and put them in the appropriate daily files.

A good way to handle recurring tasks with a tickle file is to write each task down, with the due date, on a separate piece of paper and put them in the appropriate daily file.  Don't even bother with the monthly file for them - just pull the reminder on the appropriate day, put it in your "to do" tray and when it's done, place it back in the file you pulled it from and it's ready for the next month.  (If it's a quarterly or annual task, then you'd probably want to put it in one of the monthly, rather than one of the daily, files.)

I've found that a small, portable hanging file frame - I have a sturdy plastic one that coordinates with my other desk accessories - setting on my desk works better for me than a tickle file in a drawer because, like you, I tend to forget about things that are shut away in a drawer.  In conjunction with the tickle file, an "in" tray, a "to do today" tray, and a "finished" tray, as well as one of those A-Z bound books to sort filing and hold it till I file it help me stay organized and help keep my desk top pretty uncluttered.

Colleen