This scenario might be extreme (or maybe not), but clutter and office disorganization is a growing problem — and one that people don’t often recognize.
Sarah Kimmel, Lehi-based organization expert and author of the blog Organizedmom.net, believes companies don’t invest in office organization because they don’t understand the benefits.

Here are three tips to quick, easy organization that will help increase productivity in any office space.

1. Systems, systems and more systems
“The reason for clutter all comes down to the system,” says Marilyn Bohn, a professional organizer in Salt Lake City. “Employees actually have to work harder because they can’t find what they need.”

Without proper filing and planning systems, desks tend to get cluttered, papers get lost in the shuffle and employee stress can increase.
Kimmel is an advocate of the Franklin software program. She says it’s an excellent collaboration tool between Microsoft Outlook, a daily journal and task lists.

While a planner is important to keep a schedule organized, filing systems in the office seem to be one of the hardest obstacles to overcome.
“Set up a color coordinated filing system,” Bohn says. “Clients will be red folders, and prospective clients will be yellow, for example. The colors help the mind know where to go.”

What’s more, Bohn hardly ever touches the same piece of paper twice. Once a paper is handed to her, she files it away to the proper location. With a filing system in place, she doesn’t have to look for a paper again because she knows where it should be. She recommends assigning specific drawers (i.e. “task drawers”), or if paper holders are needed on the desk, she recommends the vertical kind because they lend themselves to neatness .

Bohn has three drawers: one drawer that needs to be taken care of by the end of the day, another that needs to be taken care of by the end of the week, and a third that needs to be taken care of within the next two to three weeks. These drawers help her compile to-do lists and complete her work on time.
Filing systems are important aspects of office organization and should be implemented company wide, but getting organized involves more then just filing papers. E-mail, anyone?

2. Pings, not pain
Kimmel tries to keep her inbox to five e-mails at a time — crazy, right? Once she looks at an e-mail, she either responds right away or files it into one of the different e-mail folders she’s created.

“Once you get your e-mail under control, you can deal with incoming items faster,” she says.

After dealing with e-mail overload, the newly organized inbox will serve as a springboard to the aforementioned paper organization. And don’t forget the sighs of relief that will come every time you open your inbox. Consider it a fringe benefit.

3. Clean up, everybody everywhere
“Before you leave, take 10 minutes to straighten the desk because it helps remove clutter,” Bohn says.

Kimmel agrees and encourages people to organize one drawer at a time. Instead of entire office space reorganization, she recommends starting with the top drawer of the desk. Focusing on one area a day will take less time and make reorganizing easier. During this time, Kimmel also creates tomorrow’s agenda.

“Plan out what you are going to do tomorrow,” she says. “Have a to-do list and go over any appointments planned. It will help make the next day manageable.”

Office organization is a day-to-day conscious process. Taking it one day at a time will help evolve an office culture from disorganization to fast, easy organization.

“An organized person takes it a nanosecond at a time,” Bohn says. “That’s how you really do it.”

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Whole-grain bread? Check. Smoked salmon? Check. Gluten-free crackers? Check. Don’t be fooled, though, junk food has found its way into the cupboards more than a few times.

“We went through a phase when we were really into Red Vines,” says Ryan Probasco, vice-president of product development for the Provo startup.

The company’s break room has a selling point that most everyone can appreciate: good food.

“What is unique about our break room is what we provide in regards to our size of company. Companies as small as ours usually don’t give their employees the things we insist on providing them,” CEO Ryan Caldwell says.

EnticeLabs is an online recruiting company, and its employee base is comprised of a sales team, a creative team and a development team. These diverse groups are brought together in the break room.

In the break room’s relaxed environment, some of the best ideas are born. A large whiteboard covered in bright green, pink and yellow sticky notes documents off-the-cuff ideas conceived during robust lunchtime debates.

“Our best ideas don’t usually happen during meetings,” Caldwell says.

As with any quality break room, it is tailored to the company’s employees. EnticeLabs’ Web designers and developers are definitely night owls (e-mails with 4:13 a.m. time stamps are common). But even the most dutiful of employees need a break, and a quiet room furnished with a comfy bed is available for the occasional catnap.

APX Alarms is another local company giving employees a break. It is currently constructing a state-of-the-art facility with no shortage of break room space. Huddle rooms, meeting rooms and conference rooms will be scattered around the building.

“We want to inspire impromptu meetings and quick conversations where knowledge can be shared across departments,” says Stuart Dean, director of public relations.

The new building’s design will include a “Main Street” area designated for high-energy collaboration, and “Neighborhood” areas will be provided for quiet individual work.

A café that will serve an estimated 1,000 employees daily is also in the works.

“We want the café to be like the APX family living room,” Dean says.

The bottom line: Some companies have the money for a luxurious break room. For others, stocking the fridge with bottled water and soda is as good as it gets. Either way, the break room is the perfect place to promote an organization’s corporate culture, and more often than not, a place where work and play coexist with ease.

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Working the standard nine to five usually comes with the same standard cubicle. And why wouldn’t it — it is, after all, the workplace of the 21st century. But if you must spend more than 2,000 hours a year in this humble abode, why not make the most of it — all within the bounds of professionalism, of course.
That’s what AtTask’s Bjorn Trejo did with his cube. Rather than begrudgingly stare at that same-old, same-old gray siding, the senior account manager now gazes at picturesque golf courses.
“Everyone who walks by is jealous,” he says.
The cubicle skin is courtesy CubeSkinz, and founder Matt McGhie touts the visual — and mental — effects of giving cubicles a face lift.
“Sprucing up your cubicle makes going to work a bit more bearable,” says McGhie, who has “wallpapered” cubicles in everything from corporate mission statements to the old Yankee Stadium. “If an employee can let out a little bit of their personality, it’s a bit easier to be a number in a crowd.”
Whether you want to make your coworkers envious or simply feel more at home, read on for the dos and don’ts of cubicle etiquette and design.
Welcome to Cubicle Life 101.
 
DO personalize your space with small touches. Not sure what your office considers to be a small touch? Take a look around. What’s in your coworkers’ cubicles? How does your boss decorate his or her office?
 
DON’T turn your cubicle into a shrine. Go ahead and decorate with family portraits, diplomas and pictures of your friends, but remember less is more.
 
DO bring nature indoors. Plants not only boost your mood but they also soak up pollutants and give off oxygen. If people around you have allergies, you may need to consider silk plants.
 
DON’T be offensive. Never display inappropriate pictures or messages. When in doubt, leave it out.
DO consider the exposure your cubicle gets. “A good rule of thumb is if something is detracting from your work or the work of those around you, it is unprofessional,” McGhie says.
 
DON’T forget about lighting. The quality of lighting significantly impacts productivity.
 
DO add a bit of color. This can be as subtle as swapping out your boring mouse pad for a colorful one.
 
DON’T let your cube become a pig sty.
 
DO add a conversation piece. Break the ice with a cool photo or classic knick-knack.
 
DON’T use speaker phone. Not only is this inconsiderate of others around you, it is unprofessional.
 
DO have some fun. Repression never was a good thing. “Don’t hesitate to define yourself, but don’t go overboard,” he says.

DON’T wear too much perfume or aftershave. Allergies are a concern, and strong scents can be distracting.
 
DO keep your personal calls to a minimum. Save conversations about your latest blind date for after work.

DON’T play your music for everyone to hear. Although some of us work best with music, many of us don’t. Strike up a compromise by investing in earphones. “Playing 2Pac loud enough for your area to hear may be expressing your personality, but it’s distracting,” McGhie says.
 
DO be discreet. If you overhear a conversation, keep it to yourself.
 
DON’T barge into a coworker’s cubicle. Treat the entrance of a cubicle like an office door.

Whether searching for the perfect location, designing an effective workspace or deciding on the purchase of that new toaster for the break room, setting up a new office can be a toilsome task.

The big question is, “How do you do it?” Local design expert Jacci Hood-Miller, of Interior Concepts in Orem, chimed in with advice for those who are either moving to a new location or starting from scratch. Take note.

“The best way to be effective in setting up a new office is to go back to the four basic walls,” Miller says. “You’re trying to establish the right ambiance, the correct function and fit it into a budget.”

This is not as complicated as it sounds. Nevertheless, give yourself plenty of time and be prepared for a bit of chaos.

SELECTING A LOCATION
Location, location, location! We’ve all heard the mantra before. Yet there are plenty of factors people fail to consider before making such an important decision.

If you have a small business, being in close proximity to your home may be something to look at. Perhaps your business is better suited near the manufacturer of your product? Can people locate you easily? These are all essential factors to keep in mind.

“No one wants to feel like they are trapped in a box for eight hours a day,” Miller says. “Make sure there is some sort of window or source of natural light. Remember also to give yourself ample space … it’s nice to have a place to hang your purse or coat.”

If possible, consider a location that has a small kitchenette or break room. Being able to bring your lunch to work is something that everyone can and will appreciate.

MOVING IN AND SETTING UP
Consider electronics first. Make sure electrical outlets are accessible for your needs. It is difficult to run a business without a place to plug in your computer, register, fax, etc.
One of the most overlooked benefits of moving or starting fresh is the “thinning-out process.” Listen closely: It is OK to throw out items you haven’t used in decades. Setting up an organized office allows you to spend more time focusing on your business and less time worrying about office issues.

It’s no secret people like to stick with what works because — let’s face it — change can be scary and unpredictable. But living by the old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” can be a serious mistake in the business world. Oftentimes change brings about new possibilities that help your business progress and change with the times.

Whether you have files you are required to keep for 20 months or 20 years, consider investing in a scanner. Store files on a computer or disc and archive those that you don’t need. Not only will this save space, it’s also more efficient.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT DÉCOR
Office décor serves many purposes. It establishes the personality, importance and overall functionality of your office. Décor should reflect your personality and be a place you feel comfortable in.

“Of course you want an office that is visually appealing to those coming in, but one tends to do their best work when at ease in their surroundings,” Miller says.

After all, aesthetics mean nothing without substance.

However, it is important to remember you are in an office setting. Be comfortable, but be tactful. Something that may be appropriate to display in your living room may not be appropriate for the office lobby. That picture of your 3-month-old naked baby looks great on the mantle, not on your desk.

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Omniture’s conference room designs are clean, simple, professional, distinct and fun. “Omniture” is spelled out on glass walls (in binary code, of course) and each conference room bears the name and poster of an Adam Sandler movie (top executives meet in “Big Daddy”), Will Ferrell movie or “Seinfeld” character.

The Bank of American Fork’s main conference room tells its company’s focus as well. The bank’s modest interior design and versatile accessories — including a portable training room — indicate the bank’s focus on people.

C&A Construction’s conference room serves a dual purpose — it’s both a meeting place and a sampling of their work. Potential clients see C&A’s customizing abilities, attention to quality woodwork and recognizable branding techniques before they ever meet a representative.

What are your walls saying about your company? Do they suggest “conventional” or shout “party time”? Whatever your company’s style in décor, a few things are always in good taste. The best conference rooms are recognizable, flexible and practical.

Recognizable
Your company’s brand is your company’s reputation, and you should carry it all the way through to the conference room. C&A Construction used its logo to inspire the interior design of the company’s headquarters, even imprinting the logo in the conference room table. They also brought in their bright, signature shade of red for the ceiling panel and carpet.

“Using our brand helps bring everything together,” says Brian Bird, president of C&A Construction.

Jessica Bennett, Omniture’s design consultant, also used branding to bring things together — the entire worldwide company, actually. Omniture’s international offices shine with the same shades of green and gray as the company’s Orem headquarters.

“You have to spread your team’s colors around so everyone knows what company they’re playing for,” says Bennett, who owns Alice Lane Home Collection in Orem.

Flexible
While the design of your conference room should reflect the image of your company, the best conference rooms are versatile, too.

Ken Burnett, training director at the Bank of American Fork, knows all about versatility. The bank’s training room is used for luncheons, conferences, meetings and even local community events.

“The room isn’t going to win any design awards,” he says of the room’s conservative blue color scheme, “but the beauty is in the flexibility. Conference rooms should be flexible, especially for small businesses.”

The training room at the bank’s headquarters has a projector, laptops, tables, chairs, VHS and DVD players, microphones and several speakers. And it’s portable — all tables, chairs and laptops can be removed in half an hour.

Nathan Walker, manager of Omniture University’s internal training, says a training room’s technical flexibility is essential to a good learning experience.

“You need good network connections. If something isn’t loading fast enough, it’s distracting. With quality technology, employees can concentrate on what they’re learning instead of focusing on the barriers to their learning,” Walker says.

Practical
New technology and furniture are fun, but keeping conference rooms practical is key. Take functionality and your company’s bottom line — whatever it may be — into consideration when sprucing up your office space.

While the Bank of American Fork’s main conference room is clean and functional, it hasn’t received a full remodel in decades. It sports a table from the ’90s and chairs more than 20 years old. Because the room is used mostly for internal meetings, the bank’s officials aren’t too worried about its dated furnishings.

“We’re more concerned with functionality than décor,” says Christopher Liechty, vice president of communications at the Bank of American Fork. “We’re more focused on what’s really important to us — customer service. As long as the room is designed so people can have good experiences, the room is doing its job.”

Dave Thurman, facilities manager at Omniture, says employees have a better learning experience if companies spend money on the right things. Every company has a budget, but allocating funds to helpful tools can help a room’s functionality.

“In bigger conference or training rooms, we’ve put microphones in different places in the ceiling. That way, everyone can hear no matter who in the room is making a comment,” Thurman says.

PAINT THE OFFICE RED (or any color, really)

Ready for a change, but don’t want to break the bank on a face lift? Try a little makeup instead.

Jessica Bennett, design consultant for Omniture and owner of Alice Lane Furniture Collection, says a fresh coat of paint works wonders for dated office spaces.

“People underestimate how valuable a paint job is,” Bennett says. “It brings out the corporate look and branding of the place. I’ve bid design jobs for companies that have nothing but light gray walls. They feel like jails. Paint makes the biggest impact for the least amount of money. It’s like the room’s makeup — a little bit helps a lot.”

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