Two type of office exists in the world, those who use archive storage effectively, and those who don't. These two offices can be identified by a simple glance. Either they are sleek, and minimalist with space to work, think and breathe, or they are junk-filled fire hazards. Which office type does yours fall into?

If your office uses archive storage well then you probably don't even think about what happens to the files and invoices. Maybe your colleagues are passionate recyclers who know the difference between things that should be kept and what should be disposed of. These are holy offices, if the cleanliness and godliness saying is true. But more than that, an uncluttered office is far more pleasurable to work in, you will not have a feeling of claustrophobia every time you sit down at your desk, you will be able to see your colleague sitting across from you. Although if they are very annoying you might want to maintain a wall of files and books between you. This tactic might be difficult if you do work in a minimalist office. If you wall off one person then they might become suspicious. If you wall off them all then they will think that you are weird.

An office that has not got to grips with archive storage is a jungle, with imposing towers of books, boxes, files and overstuffed magazine racks. Now, the hoarding comes down to laziness, fear or understaffing. Laziness is the person who either thinks or says: "it is not my job to sort out this mess". Fear is the worker who doesn't know the difference between important documents and junk, but understaffing is the hardest problem to overcome.

However, lack of time is not an insurmountable obstacle. All that is needed is a commitment to using archive storage and scheduling a day or two for your whole team to pitch in and sort the office out. Archive storage does not have to mean an off site facility. You can invest in some large shelves or cupboards. If you have room for stacks of clutter you have room for storage. It comes in all shapes and sizes to fit in any nook or cranny and can reach the roof if need be, but you will probably want to get a stepladder. Then when a filing system is in place, and everyone knows where everything is, and where things should go, the whole office will run better.

Part of the improvement after implementing archive storage will come from the physical rearrangement and the order. People will move around the office freely to find what they need. But perhaps the most important part of the improvement is the psychological change. With a clean and professional looking workspace, your staff will feel fresher and more alert. This is not mumbo jumbo, it is merely a truth of human nature. With a clear and open office, there will also be fewer hidden areas in which staff stop to gossip, and they will feel more self conscious about messing around. Finally, your offices will give a more professional impression to visitors and clients.