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&lt;p&gt;It&#39;s a small work-world after all.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Just as &lt;em&gt;The Lookout &lt;/em&gt;reported a new low of average personal workspace (75 square feet, down from 90 in 1994), a recent Vault poll revealed that 34% of site visitors work from dinky cubicles—more than any other category of workspace.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Granted, we&#39;re making much better use of our technology compared to 1994-- cell phones are no longer the size of a shoe, and computer monitors don&#39;t take up desk prime real estate anymore.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.vault.com/VCM/blogs/workspace2.png&quot; alt=&quot;Work Space Poll&quot; align=&quot;left&quot;/&gt;But the lack of floor space is still disconcerting; it leaves much leeway for clutter. That, combined with the motivation-killing aspects of the cube (lack of privacy, beige) can be deadly to your productivity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But who wants to organize decorate a three-wall cell? We&#39;d all much rather plan the d&#233;cor for our corner offices.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The trouble is that, however little thought you give to your cube, its state can certainly bother you. Yesterday&#39;s flurry of post its and an old mug of coffee crowding your keyboard are not a great environment to start your day in.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Luckily, a small workspace also means a fairly speedy clean up—if you know where to start.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here are our five steps for optimum cubicle satisfaction:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Expel the expendable&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You might not realize how much useless stuff is stealing precious desk space. Clear everything off, wipe your desk down, and replace only those things you use every day or a few times a week. Examine the rest—what do you have? Knick knacks? Lotions and hand sanitizers? Piles of paper?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sort the leftovers into three piles: Toss, File, Return. Immediately throw out (or recycle) your toss pile, and return any borrowed items to coworkers—or to the supply closet, if you&#39;ve got more than a month&#39;s worth of post its or paper clips lying around. Set aside papers to be filed, and tear down your post-its—instead, record notes in a single notebook on your desk, or type them into &quot;sticky notes&quot; on your computer&#39;s desk top.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Create a control center&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Your &quot;control center&quot; will be a designated area for all those things you reach for on a daily basis: pens, stapler, notepads, paper clips, business cards, scissors—whatever. You&#39;ll need some sort of apparatus for this, but it doesn&#39;t need to be complicated—a coffee mug for pens and a small tray for paper supplies will do, in lieu of a stationery holder. Put it out of your way, but within an arm&#39;s reach of the hand you write with.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Near your phone, place a notepad and pen, but nothing else. Banish personal care items—tissues, hand sanitizer, lotion, hair ties, gum, wallet/purse, money, etc. to your top desk drawer. A little organizing is good here too: a silverware separator can sort small items, but even an empty shoe box can keep loose change or miscellany under control.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Build a reference system&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Unless you have a separate file cabinet, hanging drawers can create an out-of-the-way catch all for papers you&#39;ll need later. Grab a few—along with a label maker—and set up a quick system. Feel free to add a &quot;pending&quot; folder at the front for daily items you simply don&#39;t want on your desk. Just don&#39;t forget to check it!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Books on your desk, if you have them, should be limited to daily reference items or those being used for a current project. The rest should tuck into a desk drawer, or onto their own shelf. As with all desk organization, think vertically wherever possible.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Decorate sparingly—but with purpose&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get Zen for a moment and consider your greater purpose at work. A decorated workspace may seem silly, but if your surroundings for the day could either give you a little boost or bum you out, which would you choose?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For a bump of confidence or focus, try hanging a certificate of achievement and a small photo of supportive friends and family. Those smiling faces remind you that your work has been recognized before, and will soon be again.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Need mood or energy lifts? Try a silly wall calendar or a few pictures that crack you up, and a brightly colored organization items.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hoping to give off an upper management vibe? Look like the master of your domain with a spotless desk, high-quality accessories, and tasteful wall art. You can still do something funny, but think funny in a New Yorker cartoon sort of way (and consider framing it).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Set yourself up for good habits&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Your overall goal is efficiency, so anything that tempts you to goof off should be banished to a desk drawer, or even left at home. Candy, an iPod, a favorite hot wheels car: you can keep them all at your desk if they fit in your junk drawer, but reserve them strictly for break time. Same goes for other distracting items, like a personal cell.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Conversely, anything that encourages you to stay on task, like a to-do list board or calendar, should be kept within easy reach. And keep an eye out for fun desk-top accessories on your next Staples run. A dry erase or black board to keep remind yourself of that 2:15pm call? Sure! And if a Dilbert desk sorter will get you to put pens away, don&#39;t think—just buy it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Read More:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Does Size Matter? Cubicle Dwellers More Cramped Than Ever&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;--Cathy Vandewater, Vault.com&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&#160;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Cathy Vandewater

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