Time to Get Your Workspace Organized

What is it about January that makes us want to clear the clutter and add ‘GET ORGANIZED’ to our Resolutions for the year? Maybe it’s the fact that most of us are indoors more and we are looking around at the stuff we haven’t found a place for since we bought it on ‘Cyber Monday’ a year ago. Or, maybe it's all the ads from retail stores showing shiny new baskets, containers, bags and more to help us get organized. Whatever the catalyst may be, if you’re committed to getting organized in 2022, we are here to help with some tips to help you get your workspace ready for your next project.

The most important thing to remember when tackling the sometimes overwhelming task of getting organized, is to start small. Focus on breaking it down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Ask yourself questions like: 

Is my workspace cluttered with outdated tech, unusable items, or finished projects? 

If the answer is yes, make this your first task. Put on your favorite playlist on and sift through your workspace, even test all your pens, and create 4 piles.

• Keep
• Donate
• Recycle
• Trash

Once you've finished, immediately take the trash/recycling out and put the donation items into your car. Trust me you will be glad you took these extra steps now. 

Once you only have your "keep" pile left, it's time to introduce Mise en Place or "putting in place." Although this is a culinary phrase, applying to measuring, preparing and organizing your ingredients before cooking, it is often applied to other facets of life. Here we will apply this mantra to your workspace. Ask yourself: 

Do my items have a place in this workspace?

If the answer is yes, that's great you're ahead of the game. Go through your "keep" pile and put things back into their places. 

If the answer is no, take account of what is in your "keep" pile, knowing what you have takes you a long way towards getting what you need.  Remember the following:

• Filing is your friend: Look into getting 2 hanging file organizers. One for your new or current projects, and one for your finished projects. Spice it up by gettin file folders that bring a pop of color or a fun design, and don't forget the hanging files. 
• Don't waste vertical space : If your printer is taking up a large footprint on your desk or cabinet, get a printer stand to elevate your printer giving you space underneath for storage. 
• Storage Boxes hide many sins: Get some storage boxes that match your workspace aesthetic and turn a jumbled mess of cords or random items into a nice addition to your theme.
• Safely Store your tech : If you've got tech equipment stored in your workspace, consolidate it into one area. Get a bag like the Padcaster Backpack to store your camera, lenses, mics, or any other small kit that doesn't have a specific place. It even has a designated sleeve to store your iPad when you're on the go. For larger tech equipment, consider getting a cabinet to keep things out of sight when they are not in use. 

Continue through the pile until you have a place for everything. 

Now that your workspace is cleaned up and everything has a place. Ask yourself:

Do I have a “camera ready spot” for video conferencing?      

If you've cleaned your workspace you should now have a clear surface to sit at and hop on your video calls. However, sometimes your office/desk doesn't have the best lighting, or the background isn't cutting it. If this is the case here are some tips: 

• If you are suffering from bad lighting, consider purchasing a ring light to help brighten you up for being on camera.
• If your desk doesn't have an acceptable background, or is too loud, try designating a secondary place to be your video conferencing station. Leave a notebook, pen and anything you need for your meetings so all you have to do is head over with your laptop or tablet before hopping on your call.
• To go even further, if you video conference often and have a tablet device, consider using a product like the Padcaster Base Station to keep your camera station ready at a moments notice.                          

We hope these tips are useful and help you to get your workspace organized and ready for a new year full of wonderful new ideas! Share a great find for an organizational item, or share before and after organizational photos on Twitter.  We’d love to celebrate your success! Tag us @Padcaster and #GetOrganized