Practicing Feng Shui can be a great way to maintain a happy balance in your office space. The key elements of water, fire, wood and earth can help you find a calm balance and generate more energy and productivity.

In today’s fifth and final installment of our five-part series on Feng Shui Tips for Your Home Office Space, this week we’re talking about how to organize your workspace.

Part Five: Organize Your Workspace

Tidy up your desk

To reduce the amount of clutter and scattered piles of paper on your desk, find desk accessories that suit your needs. Wire baskets, trays, pencil holders, and small containers can be used on and in your desk to keep supplies in order. Use sustainable products like bamboo and avoid anything that is not good for the environment, like plastics, acrylics and disposable items.

use shelving

If you refer to manuals or books during your workday, place them on a shelf for easy access. When arranging the shelves, place the smallest books on the inside and the tallest books on the outside. This system looks more pleasing to the eye and will keep your books more upright.

Don’t you use book shelves solely for books? It’s fine, but keep it organized and neat. Review the contents of the shelves every six months and remove those items that are no longer relevant. When “removing” such items, consider selling the item on Craigslist, recycling, or posting the item on Freecycle.

have a filing system

If you don’t already have one, consider getting (again, Craigslist and Freecycle) a filing cabinet and some eco-friendly file folders. There’s no better way to keep track of your paperwork, and if you use lots of specifically labeled folders, you’ll find everything you need quickly.

If you want to go one step further, go paperless and scan everything into Evernote and/or Google Drive.

Take control of your cables

Chances are your work desk is covered in cables, especially if you have a desktop computer. Messy cables can be stressful, so make sure you find a way to keep them together and organized. There are many options available, from twist ties to more expensive clip packs.

Advice: Save those bread ties and reuse them. Also, old-fashioned curly phone cords work wonders. Look in your “junk drawers”… you probably have one there. Always make sure to use a surge protector for safety and longevity of the equipment.

Advice: At the end of the workday, turn everything off and unplug the surge protector from the wall. They add up to 30% of your electricity bill.

you are not a library

Unless you’re using them, old manuals, guides, and magazines can quickly become an out-of-control mess. If you want to keep them for some reason, try hiding them from view but in an organized way. Wearing slippers or lockers can be quite effective. Again, spend some time getting organized and scanning the smaller items into Evernote and/or Google Drive.

Avoid food in your office

If you need to grab a snack or meal in your office, be sure to clean it up as quickly as possible. However, as a general rule, if you work from home, it is better to eat in your kitchen. Food creates clutter and trash, both of which you don’t want in your workspace.

Order mail immediately

When you retrieve your daily mail, be sure to sort through it before entering your office. Keep the recycling bin on the way from the mailbox to your office. Be sure to leave personal mail somewhere else and only bring business mail to your office. Have a designated place for it and try to order it at least once a week, but every day is much better. Recycle or archive items you no longer need.

End each day with a cleanse

It is important that you tidy your desk at the end of each day, and you should try to make it part of your daily work routine. This way, you can start each day with an organized office and be ready for whatever the day may bring. This means that every morning will start calm and relaxed, instead of being stressed about walking into a messy room. If you can’t do it every day, be sure to do it on Friday afternoons. This includes your to-do lists, collecting, organizing, and vacuuming. Personally, I do most of this on Thursdays, since Fridays are trash day.

make lists

The act of making a to-do list can help clear your mind and keep you organized. It’s important to keep track of what needs to be done in a day, and lists can prevent you from suddenly feeling overwhelmed or having a panic attack. If necessary, make a new list after lunch, or at the end of the afternoon, for the next morning’s tasks. Try using Asana or Evernote.

Create a “Only work” Area

After all the hard work you’ve put into creating a clutter-free space filled with good energy and Chi, the last thing you want is for clutter to take over and destroy everything. To avoid this, he should not use his work area for anything other than work. His office in his home has been designed for the purpose of work, so no one should be playing on his computer or leaving a mess in the room.

Following these 50 simple Feng Shui tips and best practices will help you create positive energy in your office and organize the movement of this energy. Remember:

• balance the elements
• Focus lights and use colors
• Decorate with Constancy and Plants
• Use sounds and scents
• Organize your space

If you can do these things, then you will have a Feng Shui work environment that will not only be a productive place for you, but also a refuge.