Frasch Ideas—Examine, Inquire, Explore

Clean Off Your Desk

Posted by Theresa on August 26th, 2006 filed in Anything Goes

My husband was gone on his annual golf trip with his buddies this week so I used the time to catch up on a lot of small clean up type projects (like going through the books on my bookshelf, cleaning out my closet, cleaning up my photos on Picassa, and cleaning out some computer files) that are best done by yourself with no interruptions and no worry about the mess it creates in the meantime.

I use the world-famous TFRASCH method whenever I tackle a cleaning project. Okay, maybe it is not world famous but those who have used it swear by it. Below is an article I wrote about cleaning off your desk using this method, and you can adapt it to any cleaning project you have.

Here is the TFRASCH method for cleaning off your desk. Get some boxes and/or bags and label them: File, Action, Redirect, May Need It. For now just fill the boxes. Do not stop to put things away or file them now.

T - Toss

Don’t be afraid to throw things away. Toss anything you no longer need. Put away anything simple that belongs in your desk - pencils, pads, business cards, etc.

F - File

Put things in the File box that need to be filed. Do not file yet. Remember, 80% of filed paperwork is unnecessary. Ask yourself:

Do I need it?
Is it information I have elsewhere?
Can I obtain the information elsewhere?
How will I use it?
Is it timely, accurate, and reliable?
Do I need it for more than a few days?
This is where the “I May Need It” box can come in handy. Some things you might not be sure if you should file, keep or toss. If you are not sure, put it in the “I May Need It” box. When the box is full, tape it up and put a date on it that is six months to a year away. Store it somewhere out of sight. The next time you run across that box, check the “expiration” date. If it has passed, TOSS the box. Do not open it or second guess yourself. Don’t feel guilty. Feel good about yourself for simplifying your life.

R - Redirect

Put everything that belongs somewhere else Besides your desk into this box. Do not stop to put things away now. It is too easy to get sidetracked.

A - Action

Put everything that needs “action” into this box: bills that need to be paid, notes that need to be answered, phone calls that need to be returned, DVDs that need to be mailed, etc. Do not take action now. For now, just put it in the box.

S - Schedule Maintenance

By now your desk should be cleared off and your boxes full. But before you start putting things away, think about scheduling maintenance so that you never find your desk looking like that again! At the end of every day, schedule yourself 10 minutes to clean off your desk. The only thing that should be on your desk when you leave it for the day is your number one priority project for the next day so you can get right to work on it in the morning.

C- Calendar

Use your calendar to schedule maintenance and action items.

Maintenance - As I said before, clean off your desk every night. And schedule regular maintenance to make it stay that way. About once a month or every three weeks, schedule 30 minutes to give your desk a good going over and to make sure you are filing, tossing and not collecting.

Action - Take out everything in your Action box and prioritize it. If it needs to be done now (a bill left unpaid because it was lost on your desk, a permission slip for your child that needs to be signed) put it in a separate pile. You will tackle them in just a minute. Everything else needs to be put on your calendar as to when you need to do it. By making a specific time for it and putting it on your calendar, it stands a much greater chance of getting done on time.

Now is the time to sit down and take care of what needs immediate action. Do it now. Plow through it. Don’t stop until every last thing is done. There now, doesn’t that feel good?

H - Home

This is the last part. Take all the trash you collected and put it in its home - the trash can. Take the Redirect box and put everything in its home. Take the File box and file everything away (remember the filing criterion from above).

Put everything back in its home as you finish with it. Clean off your desk at the end of each day. As you work, file paperwork appropriately. Always re-file things. Repair it or get rid of it. Get in the habit of taking care of things as they come up and your desk will stay neat and tidy, giving you an effective workspace.