Law offices need to function at top efficiency in order to serve as reliable and trustworthy advocates for their clients. Leading law firms cannot run at top-speed if the office space they operate from is cluttered and disorganized.
If clutter is cutting back on your law firm’s productivity, you can improve the output of work by taking on a good, old-fashioned, spring cleaning! You may not be able to declare your efforts as “billable hours,” but you’ll undoubtedly see a profitable trend in work production!
Develop a Strategy
A giant waste bin combined with a well-aimed arm swipe may look like a good strategy for reducing the clutter at your law office, but, hold-up for just a minute! There are better tactics when ridding your law office of dust bunnies and Starbucks cups. These three strategies are more effective and, in the long run, are almost as satisfying. When you’re about to kick clutter to the curb, focus on the three fundamentals of organization: declutter, organize, and maintain.
Declutter
To tackle the clutter in your law office organization, be patient, and be thorough. Consider each item individually and use the following tips when deliberating their final fate:
- Do you REALLY need it? Only keep things that are required and used regularly. Try to avoid an excess of personal and decorative items on work surfaces that don’t contribute to the intended function of the workspace.
- Use it Or Lose it. Just like the time-tested phrase parents say to kids: if an item hasn’t been used, or won’t be used in the foreseeable future, it’s time to toss it.
Organize
Once the clutter has been handled, assess the remaining supplies and resources you have left, and consider how to organize them. Take this opportunity to create efficient storage solutions for those items that passed the stringent bar of inspection during your decluttering phase.
- Put it in its place. If it’s important enough to keep, it’s important enough to merit a proper storage solution. Most importantly, remember to carefully file any and all documents containing sensitive client information.
- File with Style. Filing isn’t glamorous, but improper filing practices can negatively impact high-stakes situations. Adopt a filing system that works for you and your law firm! There are plenty of flexible options available, so choose one that is efficient, transparent, and keeps important documents secure.
Maintain
Workspace maintenance can affect the quality and quantity of the work you can produce. After you’ve expended a great deal of time and effort into decluttering and organizing your law firm’s workspace, don’t slip back into poor habits of clutter collection!
- Daily. Straighten work surfaces at the end of the day. Before leaving, prepare your space for the following day. Coming into a tidy office will make starting back in the morning less harried.
- Weekly. Remove recycling and refuse from your law firm’s workspace at least once a week. Overflowing wastebaskets are eyesores that encourage clutter and junk to pile up where it doesn’t belong.
- Monthly. Deep cleaning office spaces monthly keep it fresh, inviting, and prevents any “dinge” from building up. Invest in professional cleaners to maintain your law firms ideal level of cleanliness and organization.
Final Thoughts
Tidying up an office space is a simple, cost-effective way, that can easily improve your law firm’s productivity. A law office environment where tools are easily located, surfaces are clean and uncluttered, and access to information is streamlined, provides a secure sense of shared purpose to clients and employees.
Once you’ve finished decluttering and revamping your law office workspace, be proud of your efforts and enjoy working in a more satisfying workspace!
