Office Makeover Fails: 2014 Edition

Here at OfficeAnything.com, we love to fill our blogs with photos of stunning offices and loads of advice on keeping it that way. But for every pretty post, we know there's an ugly office out there in desperate need of a facelift. For those of you who know the horror of paper avalanches, graveyards of decaying furniture, and the post-it note apocalypse, this article can help! Today, we're highlighting common office disasters, along with great tips on preventing them. Hunker down, and enjoy!

Not In Kansas Anymore...

Paper tornadoes are some of the most common natural disasters to plague an unsuspecting office. In places like medical facilities, where keeping old files on clients is mandatory for at least a few years, papers can stack up fast. Without organization, many people are left with a whirlwind that's enough to make them question whether they're in the office or in Oz. For this, we recommend file cabinets for organization and storage. Available in lateral or vertical cabinet options, file shelves provide a neat, designated space for old records too important to lose in a computer crash.

Bonus tip: Investing in a scanner to go paperless is also effective - just don't forget to "trash bin" the unnecessary stuff every few months to keep the hard drive clear.

Cyber Cyclone

Sometimes the messiest offices can actually look squeaky clean. Desks are clear, furniture's current, everything seems in its place - just don't sit down at that computer, or you may never get up again! Not only can built-up files, unwanted cookies, and never-ending programs slow your system to a crawl, but it can also slow response time to a virus should your computer get infected by a hacker or an unsafe webpage. Regular maintenance is mandatory for a clean, fast-running office. Taking time to delete old files, perform disk cleanups, run security scans, uninstall unwanted programs, and update software can save time and money. Don't forget to shut down your computer when not in use.

Bonus Tip: An external hard drive provides more space for backups of your files. If a disaster, such as a hacker or virus crashes your computer, the drive will have backups of everything. Adding space saving ergo products like CPU holders will keep the drives out of the way, so you don't have to sacrifice visual appeal for practicality!

Walls of Shame

Cluttered walls are pretty easy to come by, especially if you look down. In an office, wires and cables are necessary for most computers, hard drives, and lighting. Without organization, however, the floor of your office can start to resemble the snake pit from Indiana Jones. To save yourself from this predicament, be sure to unplug any wires or cables you don't use regularly and store them away. Wrapping up excess cording with a rubber band helps keep things neat. Many desks, like the desks from Global Total Office or Mayline offer modesty panels, grommets, and other useful features specifically for taming tangles of unruly cables.

Bonus Tip: Not sure which cable to unplug? Bread ties can help you keep track! Write the name of your device on the bread tie and hook them to the right cables so you always know what's what.

Zombie Furniture

"Vintage" is a style choice, not "decrepit." If you like the look of old, classic office furniture from the 40s and 50s, that's great! We love it too... but not enough suffer potential injury. If your desk or cool retro office chairs are falling apart, it's probably time to upgrade - or at least perform a makeover. There are plenty cool retro office chairs out there for sale if you know your furniture can't be fixed. If it can though, there are also tons of great DIY restoration blogs for old furniture!

Bonus Tip: The oldest furniture benefits most from a little TLC. Breaking out the tool box to tighten screws, oil hinges, and pick the gunk out of wheel casters every month or so goes a long way to making furniture last!

The Crumb-Pocalypse

According to a study by British Microbiologist James Francis, a dirty keyboard can have levels of germs five times higher than a public toilet seat - gross! Most people don't realize that the little crumbs from snacking at a desk build up quickly in unseen places like keyboard keys, door handles, and drawer bottoms. These unattended crumbs decay, attracting pests like mice and bugs who leave even more unwanted germs on your office equipment by night. For this, we recommend regular cleaning to thwart the crumb-pocalypse. Hand sanitizer, sanitation wipes, and compressed air dusters can help kill germs, and flush unwanted dirt and debris from those hard-to-reach places!

Bonus Tip: Using retractable keyboard trays can help keep keyboards out of the way when not in use. Rolling them under the desk saves them from the falling dust, debris, and snack crumbs that attract pests.

Spring Cleaning and Maintenance Tips for the Office

It's the last day of February, and hopefully, the last few days of winter! But however long it takes the thermometer to actually take a tip from the calendar, one thing's for sure - spring is definitely on the way, and what better way to start it off than with a bit of spring cleaning? Homes and businesses can get pretty grimy during the winter, especially with everyone cooped up inside. Things are bound to get a little run down with the constant use. Fortunately, these great spring office maintenance tricks can tighten things up in no time at all!

Spring Cleaning

Whether you're in a public environment or a private one, spring cleaning is important in any space. It seems like almost everyone catches some sort of bug in the wintertime, be it the flu or just a common cold. Without a touch of spring cleaning however, those bugs can stay on the surfaces of desks and chairs for who knows how long. That's why whipping out the Windex is never a bad idea. If everyone takes a few minutes at the end of the day to clean up desks, chairs, and modern cubicles for office use, the whole workplace turns into a safer, healthier environment. Keep up the routine, and it also reduces the chances of pests (both the invisible ones and creepy-crawlies). There's nothing like a freshly cleaned, lemon-scented office to you up in the morning, so don't be afraid to clean up!

Spring Flowers

Everyone loves spring flowers, but who says they have to stay outside? Recent studies by Rutgers University, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and even NASA have all conducted some amazing research on properties of plants, and guess what! Many of them are great for office use. Keeping a bit of greenery on stylish executive desks with modern design not only enlivens the look of the office, it also enlivens the people! Greens like golden pothos, peace lilies, lemon balms, and gardenias are all gorgeous plants that are scientifically proven to drastically improve air quality by removing harmful VOCs. They're especially excellent for the elderly and anyone living in the city. Users even report clearer thinking and more energy just from keeping these natural, affordable air purifiers for office use around.

Go Green

The modern age has meant some great news for the world's forests. With the advent of computers and digital technology, people are chopping down less trees to make paper. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean we're entirely paper-free. Post-its and small papers can fill up an office faster than you could ever imagine, until it seems like the whole office is swimming in a sea of colorful paper squares. Bottles, chip bags, and lunch containers can add to the melee, creating a nest of mess. Instead of cramming all of this into the trash though, why not consider recycling? With designated recycle bins for styrofoam, bottles, and paper, the trash won't fill up so fast, and will need to be taken out much less often. Furthermore, employees and janitors won't throw their backs out lifting huge trash bags. With all the clutter divided up for eco-friendly disposal, companies can save money on ergonomic office chairs for back pain, (and they may even get a bit of extra cash for going green!)

Office Tuneup

Just like cars, offices need maintenance once in a while. After a long winter spent indoors, chairs, office desks, modular workstations for multiple users, and even computers can get a little bent out of shape. Instead of letting everything fall apart, or springing for brand new furniture, try going around for a little office tuneup. Check the joints of office desks to tighten the screws and glue down any loose panels. Use an air-spray can to gently clean out keyboard trays for computer use. Scrape the gunk out of your office chair's wheels. When all is said and done, go through and empty your computer's recycle bin, run diagnostics, and clean out the hardware. In the end, your office will be faster, more efficient, comfortable, and it may even have that new-office smell!

Keep it Going

All this cleaning is well and good, but it's even better for those who keep it up. People that make a habit out of cleanliness live much healthier lives than those who don't. Instead of simply spring cleaning, try to turn the season into a lifestyle. Don't eat at office desks or around high tech furniture for computer users, as crumbs can attract bugs that spread germs and damage equipment. Afterwards, make a habit of wiping things down with disinfectants, and try to convince your co-workers to do the same. See if you can convince the boss to hire a weekly/monthly cleaning service, and be sure to keep hand sanitizers available for use by everyone. Living a sanitary life prevents illness and improves overall health. Make a habit out of spring cleaning, and you'll never have to do it again!