This post is courtesy of guest blogger, Lida Bunting.

At the beginning of this year I decided that I wanted to refresh my office space. I was giving myself 2 years to do it, but, once the idea got into my head, I couldn’t shake it.

The idea of decluttering my office had me overwhelmed, so I called a professional organizer to help out, Rosetta Metz of Lettuce Organize. During our first session, we pulled everything non-essential out of my office. The next step was to go through and determine what to keep, what to toss or donate and what to relocate.

Fast forward to May, after months of having my office items scattered throughout the house, along with some fresh paint and new carpet, it was time to bring back Rosetta, my trusted Professional Organizer.

Rosetta systematically went through the various piles of stuff that was stacked in my living room and thoughtfully placed them back in my office. Everything that came into the office had to have a home and a purpose. I wasn’t willing to bring something in to “deal with later”. I wanted my space to be clean, neat and clutter-free. I had a hard rule:  Nothing on my desk other than my computers!

I made some difficult decisions to part with some old habits that weren’t serving me well. I chose exactly what I wanted to have within arms reach, and was critical about anything that I previously had in my office because I “should” and instead chose what I wanted to have in my office because it brought me joy (cue in Marie Kondo).

The result? A perfect and pristine office that feels fresh and new. And, you know what? I feel fresh and new too!

Working in an environment that brings me joy has been a breath of fresh air. I am no longer bothered by messiness or clutter. Previously, I would cringe when I had to plug in an external hard drive… the cables were tangled, the drives were hard to get to and in a container that was too small to house them all. Now, I have my drives lined up with the cords tucked away and all within reach. Simple solutions to simple problems have made a huge impact.

I had heard a statement that if you clear your space, you’ll clear your mind. I guess I believed it, but until I actually put it into practice, I didn’t realize the true impact.

Other benefits that I have noticed include:

• I am more focused. When I sit down to work, I am not distracted.
• I don’t dread going into my office, which means, I get in and get my work done. No more procrastinating!
• I feel free! I can’t really put this into words, but my old office was so dark and depressing. This is light and airy.

According to Google, my creativity, time management, immunity and confidence are also supposed to get better. I’m not so sure about those and think that the true benefits change from person to person. One thing that I do know with 100% certainty is that you can’t go wrong with cleaning out and organizing a messy space. There are only benefits to taking that step. Whether you go at it alone, or hire a professional for some guidance, you’ll end up with a space that is your sanctuary. And, in the end, since we spend so many of our waking hours at our desks, I love that this is a place I want to be.

Bio: Lida Bunting is the owner of Znimka Creations, a boutique Photo Organizing firm that meticulously organizes and curates client’s digital photo collections. Specializing in creating luxurious and artistic coffee table-worthy photo books, Lida’s unmatched attention to detail and dedication to preserving cherished memories have solidified her reputation as a trusted professional in the industry.