It’s that time of the year again when you’re still in holiday mode, but your paperwork is piling up higher than the Eiffel Tower. When the grass is getting greener, and you can’t get through one meeting without a coworker sneezing off their allergies, you know spring is here!
Spring means spring cleaning – and you often schedule a full-on deep cleaning at home, but what about your office? The office is where we spend a significant part of our day, and we share the office with our coworkers; some of which are less organized than others.
As with any space, your office tends to get dusty and dirty, with all the germs that people track in when they enter the workplace. Doing a bit of office cleaning gets rid of allergens, especially as spring comes around.
1. Divide the work into days
If you have a large office space, it’s understandable that you can’t finish the whole cleaning task list in one afternoon. Trying to do everything at once is not do-able, as your team has their own work to get back to, and some office items that need washing take time to dry.
Divide the work into multiple days. It would be better to do the cleaning tasks on consecutive days, but if your schedule does not permit you to get things done consecutively, having a weekly or bi-weekly schedule works just fine. Start in the easiest areas of the office, and work your way to the more daunting tasks. You’ll get your office cleaned in no time!
2. Delegate tasks based on strengths
Have a cooking enthusiast or coffee connoisseur in the office? Task them to clean the equipment in the office pantry as they would have the best knowledge of cleaning these properly. The organizing pro in your team can get everyone on the same page using a unified organizational system for your files and documents.
Work with your team and get everyone to work on their strong points. By delegating tasks this way, you get to clean the office more efficiently, and at a faster rate than you would tackling one task at a time. You get to have team building, and learn more about your coworkers as well.
3. Get an office cleaning service for deep cleaning
No matter how hard you scrub at those stains, you may not get everything out without the proper tools used for deep cleaning fabrics and surfaces. For a full, deep cleaning, avail of an office cleaning service from a reputable cleaning company. Most companies have set packages that you can avail for a cheaper price and a more thorough cleaning.
It may be difficult to find the best office cleaning service around your area, but you can always check on reviews from previous customers as well as the reputation of the company. Alternatively, you can match with a company that suits your office, and is within your budget set aside for office cleaning.
4. Incorporate storage boxes for files and supplies
Spring cleaning is the time for you to introduce a new filing method, since you’re organizing your files and documents anyway. Storage boxes for supplies work great in maintaining organization around the office, and are simple to use when labelled properly.
Those old files that you need to store in records can be segregated, compiled, and stored in different storage boxes labelled with their identifying information. You’ll find what you need quickly and easily, even for files that have been stored years and months back.
5. Get rid of those spam emails and digital clutter
Physical clutter isn’t the only eyesore in the office. Messy digital files and overloaded emails can make it difficult for you to immediately draw out the files that you need. Improperly labelled digital files are even more difficult to distinguish at first glance, since the icon is often set as a standard for all the same file types.
Take time to manually clear out your digital clutter. Start by deleting spam emails and unnecessary emails to save on data space. Check and label your digital files with the proper names that can immediately tell you what information is stored in the file. Organize these files using digital folders, and name these folders accordingly.
6. Clean out the fridge beforehand
The office fridge has the tendency to take on the smells of whatever food is in it. Spilled food and drinks contribute to the grime that coats the interior of the office fridge, so you know cleaning it out is long overdue.
Clean out the fridge before you start cleaning the interior so you don’t get hindered by any obstructions in the fridge. Unplug the office fridge to defrost the freezer, and remove all the food items stored inside. Take out the individual racks, and wash them separately. Wipe the interior of the fridge with a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue.
Story by Jessica Ng
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