It all starts with a clean desk

While not the best example of a clean desk, here is a picture of me working at a clean surface. Ahh, those were the days. Today, my desk holds my computer screen, three wooden Ikea desk organizers filled with crucial items, and the clutter that accumulates during a week of inattention.

My goal is to clean my desk once a week, and when I do, life seems much more ordered. As I work from home, I am able to be more focused and decidedly more productive with a clean desk. There's nothing like a clean work surface to motivate you when you need inspiration.

Why I love Ikea

Not only does Ikea offer great storage solutions, they share advice and tips to make your home a more simple, organized environment. I like this new slideshow, Five Steps to Get Organized, which presents these tips (in more detail):

1. Sort everything, into as few categories as possible.
2. Reduce -- get rid of excess.
3. Put everything you keep in its place.
4. Count and measure items that need storage.
5. Choose the right storage or organization items.

It's my desk that sometimes starts to pile up with unwanted clutter. I sorted through everything last week, and now I can see my mousepad again. These are some of the desk organization items on my Ikea wish list:

Ikea letter organizer, for use as an in/out box, $9.99. This would keep me from having piles to sort through....

And the MACKIS storage rack for writing materials. You know, I really think I would write more notes if I had them so neatly accesible.