Does your desk look like a robber rifled through it just before a hurricane hit the room? Organize it so that it gets under control and stays that way.

Step 1: Remove everything

Take everything—except big items like computer equipment—off and out of your desk.

Step 2: Clean it

Wipe the desk down with a wet cloth.

Step 3: Toss it

Toss everything that is useless or outdated. Pitch pens that don’t work. You only need to keep credit card receipts until your statements arrive—and keep only the statements you’ll need for your taxes. Same for bills, invoices, and pay stubs. Shred or rip up anything that has personal data.

Step 4: Bundle business cards

Take all the business cards you’ve collected and put a rubber band around them—after noting the information you need in your address book.

Step 5: Decide on a system

Start a filing system based on whatever works for you, even if it’s just dropping papers into an accordion file by the month.

Step 6: Group like items

Put similar items, like paper clips and rubber bands, in small boxes or containers. Pens, pencils, and the like can go in a mug or pen holder.

Step 7: Take 10 minutes

Take ten minutes at the end of every day to clean off the top of your desk.