How I Keep A Simple & Tidy Work Area

cleanworkspace.jpg

I’ve been asked time and time again why my desk is so clean when I post a picture to Flickr, people tell me I should leave it the way it is and not ’stage’ the desk shots. Well, uhh, folks - that’s how my desk looks in a normal situation.

How I manage to keep such a tidy desk is something even I don’t know. It would be so easy to let things pile up and be working under a cover of books, paper, and stationary, but I don’t. I manage to keep the workspace clean and tidy and it usually stays that way. I think it could be down to my OCD problem, everything has to look right, be right, and fit in right.

There are a few things I can comprehend which I do to keep the workspace tidy. These include putting things away as soon as I’ve used them. Finished with a book? I put it away right away. When I’m packaging a parcel to send in the post, as soon as it’s done the tape and excess bubble wrap get put away in the cupboard. If my desk is not tidy, I find it difficult to work comfortably. A clean environment is critical for me to be productive and work well.

A reader by the name of Peter asked me this exact question last week, I think a shortened version of the answer to how I keep my workspace so tidy is my problem, that little problem called OCD.

Are you much like me? Is your workspace clean and tidy or messy and cluttered? How do you like to work?

Comments

  1. #1

    Brian Amerige → brianamerige.com

    I’m not exactly that way with my desk (although it’s mostly organized), but I’m definitely that way with source code.

    I don’t do what most programmers do — that is, write code and refine it if I end up using it. Every line I write is production-quality, and I don’t take shortcuts. I probably spend twice as much time thinking about writing code as I do writing it, because I typically only write a method once — that’s all I need.

  2. #2

    Rich → nostrich.net

    My desk isn’t messy. It merely has character!

  3. #3

    Josue Salazar → madeincr.com

    I’m not like you at all when it comes to this. Mine is messy, cluttered and dirty, but I do get shit done. Oh and it’s not that I like to work in a mess, it just doesn’t bother me.

  4. #4

    Jordan Green → www.jordangreen.info

    haha Glenn me and you both have OCD ahhh its sooo much fun. Well most of the time anyways. Im used to it now though. I have tidy desk and tidy room, only my bed is the thing i dont tidy for some reason im not sure why either but yea, I like a nice clean workspace to work with also.

  5. #5

    Alec

    Tidy is good! (http://tinyurl.com/2u8but if you must.)

  6. #6

    Greg

    Your desk has more stuff on it than mine…

  7. #7

    Summer Ordoñez → www.summerjuice.net

    I love staring at your desk, Glenn, haha. I’ve been trying to keep mine tidy lately :-) I’ve also found a lamp similar to yours, but it’s not as great… but it does the job.

  8. #8

    rmaspero → www.rmaspero.com

    i try to keep it tied but i way to much stuff my problem is i need in and out trays if i had them and a bigger desk problem solved.

  9. #9

    zach → musingcynic.blogspot.com

    I like to keep my desk right between being kind of messy and really clean. I bothers me once it gets past a certain point, but if it is too clean it kind of bugs me too.

    That said, when friends come over they often comment on how clean it is - so maybe i too am just OCD about it, haha.

  10. #10

    Shreedhan → shreevee.com

    You don’t have OCD. You just like to be neat.

  11. #11

    Julian Schrader → julianschrader.de

    I don’t like stuff on my desk as well. My biggest problem at the moment is that my workstation is MacBook Pro powered — there’s a lot of wires on my desk, I hate them ;-)

  12. #12

    Jakob Wells

    You can call this obsessive. You can call this smart. But to liken it to a debilitating and torturous disorder, is insulting to those who have it. No offense Glenn.

    It keeps your mind clear and focused, and makes it easier to work—that’s all.

  13. #13

    tom → tff4.com

    Part of me is constantly bothered by things being out of sorts, but there are two overruling parts of my psyche that prevent me from having “OCD” as you refer to it (some might call it “anal retentiveness”):

    1) It takes a lot of time to be compulsively organized. Time you don’t have in the adult world, the one where you’re married, commute, work, commute, cook, maybe work out, do some freelance work, watch a show or two, and then sleep only to do it all over again the next day.

    2) It takes money to be hyper-organized. There’s always some shelving system, binder, etc, you can get to better optimize your space. And then pretty soon, you’re just besieged by those possessions, too.

    I find it’s easiest to have more space, and cleanly space at that, if you are able to rationalize more often that not why you SHOULD rid of something or not even get it to begin with. Packrats will always find excuses to keep the crap around…

    That is why I have asked people refrain from getting us non-meaningful (that sounds horrible; whimsical) or non-utilitarian gifts for Christmas. I got tired of the wife refusing to pitch something because her mom or her sister got it for her. On that note, I need to go get rid of more crap in MY closet.

  14. #14

    zacchchch

    MUGGINS!!! ACTAUL MUGGINS

  15. #15

    Ryan

    I keep both my work desk and my home desk cleared of any clutter. I get a little claustrophobic if there is crap everywhere. This not only applies to my desks, but to my whole apartment. I can’t even take a nap on the couch if the living room is messy.

    Call me nitpicky.

  16. #16

    Alex → www.firstofall.net

    I’m the same, I can’t sleep in my room if it’s a tip, or even sit down to listen to some music. Clutter = an unnecessary distraction in the otherwise clean and functional lines of the room around me.

  17. #17

    Craigeth → craigeth.blogspot.com

    i try to keep my desk tidy. the problem is i dont put crap away until later. meh. it doesn’t bother me that much. im actually more tidy at home than what i am at work.

    i am certainly much more tidy in the digital world than in the real world.

  18. #18

    Mike → www.theoompa.com

    I keep my desk rather clean too. Not as clean as your’s, but pretty clean compared to most. I don’t clean up right when I’m done using something, but if I’m heading to the kitchen or some such, then I take whatever belongs there with me, and clean it then. While other parts of my room are rather messy (I have a huge stack of books on my “stuff” table), my actual desk is rather clean, unless I’m working on school stuff. Then it’s covered in papers and such :)

  19. #19

    Nick Danforth → nickdanforth.blogspot.com

    You’ve seen the pics Glenn. I’m exactly like you :)

  20. #20

    Timothy Neilen → timothy.worddissociation.net

    Where exactly do you keep your Altec Lansing FX6021 speakers? Not on the desk.. obviously.

  21. #21

    Ruan Ellis

    I find it depends on what I am doing, when I am working on School/University projects, my work area will be as clean as I can make it, although if I have some free time, and I am working on repairing a client’s PC, then alot of the time my table will be just full of tools. My PC on the other hand, I am almost obsessive about Cable Management, to try and get it as neat as possible!

  22. #22

    Glenn Wolsey → www.glennwolsey.com

    Where exactly do you keep your Altec Lansing FX6021 speakers? Not on the desk.. obviously.

    On the desk, this is just an older photo. I’ll get some new ones up on Flickr soon.

  23. #23

    greg → www.toonice4tv.com

    I try to keep my desk as clean as possible as I too get distracted with a cluttered desk. I’m about to move to a new place and plan on getting a nicer desk with less shelving to force myself even further to being as neat and minimal as possible.

  24. #24

    Loren Morris → www.r3fresh.com

    My workspace isn’t dirty, but it is a little unorganized. I like a little bit of a mess, it makes me worry less about keeping it clean.

  25. #25

    Jon → www.theappleofmyi.com/blog

    My desk HAS to be tidy, and admit to having OCD ;-)
    I try and keep it clutter free - in fact, as I type this, I have the two ACDs, (30″ :-) and a 23″), ipod dock, Griffin Powermate, a pile of papers and my mobile + moleskine.

    The pile of papers is annoying me. They will be banished soon.

    Hoping to have a dedicated office built in the garden soon and that is going to be awesome. Custom storage, space, wood floors, huge desks and lots of mac gear. Mmmm!

  26. #26

    zzap → zzaps.com

    Have you been clinically diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Glenn?

  27. #27

    Glenn Wolsey → www.glennwolsey.com

    Have you been clinically diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Glenn?

    No, I haven’t ;-)

  28. #28

    Alvin → www.purehype.org

    My desk has slightly more items as compared to yours but it’s definitely neat and tidy. Just like you, I can’t work in a messy environment and I make it a point to clear my desk after use :)

  29. #29

    Wes Howard

    I love your desk!

  30. #30

    Blogging Work Space with Mood Lighting → www.quickonlinetips.com/buzz/blogging-work-space-with-mood-lighting

    [...] Mac Pro & 30″ with mood lighting - “I manage to keep the workspace clean and tidy and it usually stays that way. I think it could be down to my OCD problem, everything has to look right, be right, and fit in right.” [...]

  31. #31

    Liza

    Where did you get those lamps?

  32. #32

    Glenn Wolsey → www.glennwolsey.com

    Where did you get those lamps?

    I bought these lamps at a place called “Lighting Plus” in New Zealand.

    I’m not too sure if they are available overseas, best bet would be to try this designer furniture store. http://dwr.com/

  33. #33

    Liza

    Thanks!

  34. #34

    Lennart → kreideraub.blogspot.com

    It’s not OCD as long as you like it.

  35. #35

    Justin

    I am just like you. When my firends come over they are amazed how clean my room is. I am young, and they just keep saying how do you do it? Well I am constantly cleaning and trying to make the desk even tiderer.

  36. #36

    Liam

    Same here, I’ve OCD. people say its a real problem. but its not. and its actually kind of fun. Cos whilst everyone else is inside tyding up their rooms, Im out doing the things I love, listening to iTunes, making an iMovie Project, or surfing the latest youtube videos. Even a steve Jobs keynote here and there. OCD is great!

  37. #37

    Grant → www.grantmc.co.uk

    Your desk is so tidy becaus thats the apple way

    There design is neat an dtidy and sleek as is the software UI’s, as is your desktop.

  38. #38

    Shaun Shimbilton

    Glenn’s Tidy cause hes Glenn, That’s the way he’s programed

  39. #39

    Almanca tercüman → www.xn--almancatercman-qsb.com

    I’m not like you at all when it comes to this. Mine is messy, cluttered and dirty, but I do get shit done…

  40. #40

    Jordan

    I’m both ways, which is even confusing to me! I can be neat to the extreme, and I can also be cluttered. When I am very tidy, I’m usually in between jobs or not actually doing too much.
    Once I focus on a project (or projects) and build up speed, the clutter returns. I do have one suggestion fwiw, though: when I’m going through a lot of paper and notes, if there is going to be any delay at all (even a few minutes), I put a visible rip in the paper, which tells me that I don’t need to look at this again. Plus, for research notes, no matter how casual (such as napkins in restaurants), I have taught myself to always write down the date with the YEAR. In field biology, old original notes may be retained for a long, long time (there is reason in so doing), and it is surprising how quickly the YEAR is no longer obvious. That’ll be 2 cents, please.

  41. #41

    Jordan

    Ha ha! By “going through a lot of paper”, I meant to say in preparation for throwing things out. Sorry.

  42. #42

    Blogging Work Space with Mood Lighting → www.quickonlinetips.com/archives/2007/09/blogging-work-space-with-mood-lighting

    [...] Mac Pro with mood lighting. “I manage to keep the workspace clean and tidy and it usually stays that way. I think it could be down to my OCD problem, everything has to look right, be right, and fit in right.â€? - Glenn Wolsey. Now that is sure to inspire you to blog in peace. Like this post?: Subscribe our latest articles via RSS feed or by email for free, after all 14000 daily subscribers can’t be wrong! Discuss this in forums. Share on Del.ico.us | Stumble it | Digg it! Related articles First Female Space Explorer Anousheh Ansari is Space BloggingQUID: New Currency for Space TravellersNASA Space Shuttle Discovery Returns to EarthPaid Storage Upgrades at Wordpress.com : Win 10GB SpaceAvoid Google Adsense Public Service Ads with Collapsing Ad Units [...]

  43. #43

    A Sengupta

    Noone who really has or had OCD would ever, ever even dare say it’s great!! x-(

    OCD is NOT FUN. OCD is NOT GREAT.

    Being a neat freak isn’t the same as OCD. OCD makes people MISERABLE. In fact, I am so busy with my washing that I don’t have enough time to clean up my room! Cos what time I get I need to spend earning a living… and eating

    On the other hand, you may have OCPD

    ** CAPS for emphasis… don’t mean to be shouting…

  44. #44

    Michael.

    I’m exactly the same as you, having no clutter on your desk looks and feels peaceful..

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