Dried-Out Pens, Markers, and Office Supplies
Nothing stalls your productivity quite like reaching for a pen to write down an important phone number, only to discover the ink has completely dried out. Desk drawers easily accumulate dozens of dead pens, capless markers, and broken rubber bands.
We often toss a dead pen back into the cup out of sheer habit, setting ourselves up for the exact same frustration the very next day. Professional organizers tackle office clutter by immediately throwing away supplies that fail to perform their basic function. Organizing is not just about buying fancy bins; it is largely about removing the items that actively work against your daily goals.
You can execute this specific organizing task in less than ten minutes. Grab a blank piece of scratch paper and empty your entire pen cup or desk drawer onto your workspace. Test every single pen, highlighter, and marker.
If a pen skips, requires you to scribble aggressively to get the ink flowing, or feels uncomfortable in your hand, throw it directly into the trash bag. Keep only the high-quality writing instruments that work perfectly on the first try. Streamlining your office supplies eliminates daily micro-frustrations and keeps your workspace looking sharp and professional.
Yes I have done all these things 6 months ago, and I’ve got to do it again, electronics and chargers strings that have frayed. I’ve just thrown away ink pens I’ve had for a year or more, my new ones don’t last 2 months. I buy in bulk bc I get use to that style. Then they change and then the news bleed. I don’t like certain things to change. If it works don’t change it.
Don’t throw away canvas, or other types of, bags. Reuse them when you go shopping so you don’t get plastic bags!
Very helpful. I’m starting with the cabinet under my bathroom sink because that annoys me the most then on to the linen closet.
Thank you for providing me with a very helpful guide to declutter in an organized manner.
Great information. Great advice.
Great ideas. Useful. Common Sense. Thank you
Be careful about medical bills. My insurer tried to retroactively deny a claim for surgery eighteen months after the fact. I had to use my old records to prove that my claim was valid. I would keep them for five years to be safe. Because the insurance racket in America is so corrupt, I might even consider keeping them in perpetuity.
EXCELLENT column full of very helpful advice for those of us who are guilty of the save-everything-mode because some day we may need it!
Are there any guides or books that I can purchase to give me something in writing showing a list of things that I should keep or throw out.?
Hilarious. I must be a professional organizer because I am in the middle of similar madness!
Excellent advice thank you