There is no need to alphabetise your files or colour code your stationery (unless you want to) as long as you have a proper place to put everything. Clutter creates stress, even unconsciously, and that is something you don’t need more of.

Your physical environment needs to be organised in a way that makes sense to you. Yes, some of us keep messy tables. My tables tend to get messed up too, but I have found that putting things away means I have fewer things in the way when I need to take stuff out. I won’t end up knocking things over or onto the floor then.

Here are seven suggestions for organising your physical workspace:

1) Dump the stuff you don’t need, don’t use, and/or don’t look at.

2) For storage solutions (tabletop cabinets, file holders etc.) I get containers from IKEA and Daiso. Sometimes, I use cleaned food containers, print paper boxes, or shoe boxes too.

3) Get your stuff in their respective containers and label them, even if it’s as simple as “Stationery” and “Files containing Reports”.

4) Put what you use most often within reach of where you sit. Items you seldom use can be put away.

5) Set “Clearing Dates” when you will look through the gathering clutter and discard unnecessary junk - perhaps on the 1st of every even month, every three weeks, or once every six months. It depends on you, really, and how messy your workspace gets.

6) Use binder clips to organise the mass of wires snaking all over your workspace. (http://www.instructables.com/id/Intro-49/) You can use them for a host of other things too – just Google “binder clip life hack”.

7) Every day, before you leave, reset everything so you come to a clean workspace the next day.