Are you a messy desker? Revealing the state of the UK’s work spaces

Are you a home worker who’s dogged by distractions, clutter and chaos? 

It used to be the exception, but home working is now very much the norm. 

Twice as many employers now say staff can stay at home than those who want us always in the office. And that’s without factoring in those homeworkers who’ve turned their hobbies into a home business. 

This hasn’t only changed the way we work, it’s changed the way we live too, with family homes being transformed into workplaces.   

When you work in an office, your desk has to be kept tidy, or else you risk the wrath of the office manager!  

But at home, away from colleagues, your standards can slip.  

We wanted to find out whether home workers are overcome with clutter, and what impact this can have on your productivity.  

So, we surveyed 2,000 home workers to better understand how they organise their work environment. 

Causes of clutter 

We found that four in five (80%) have a permanent desk or dedicated workspace in their home, where they work an average of four days a week. 

Reassuringly, two thirds (67%) say the room where they work is tidy. 

But two in five (38%) confess that their work from home space could be described as ‘organised chaos’, with so much stuff that it can make it hard to find the things they need. 

But what is causing this clutter? 

The top five most common items found on home workers’ desks – aside from a computer – are a notebook (46%), sticky notes (32%), a pen pot (31%), a pair of glasses (23%) and stacks of paper (23%). 

But there are also plenty of items that would certainly raise eyebrows in the average office. In addition to the clutter you’d expect - including empty cups, snack packets, dirty plates, used batteries and old food containers- some of us are also giving desk space to ketchup bottles, cycling helmets, children’s toys and tubes of toothpaste! 

Still, it seems that most home workers are conscientious about cleanliness. 

More than half (55%) tell us that they typically have a tidy up at least once a week. 

However, one in ten (11%) confess that they only clear their desk once a year - at the most! 

And it appears that there are large numbers of home workers who just can’t get motivated to move their mess, even though they know they should.  

While more than half (56%) are happy that their tidying up routine is sufficient, two in five (42%) would like to de-clutter more often. 

So, what’s stopping them? 

Coming clean 

Over a third (36%) say they just don’t have the time, while over a quarter (28%) are simply overwhelmed by the prospect of cleaning up so much clutter. 

But a big chunk of those we surveyed seem resigned to the fact that their desk will always be in disarray. 

A quarter (26%) can’t see the point in cleaning their desk when it will only get cluttered again, while another quarter (26%) say: “So what? No one can see my mess!” 

A further quarter (25%) confess that they just can’t be bothered. 

It’s perhaps surprising that homeworkers aren’t motivated to make their workspace more organised, especially as two thirds (67%) say having a tidy desk has a positive impact on their productivity.

The case for cleanliness  

A clean desk means fewer distractions, so you can concentrate on the task at hand. When everything is in its place and surfaces are clean, you’ll (hopefully) find that you don’t waste time searching for items and you’re less distracted by unnecessary clutter.  

Many with an organised workspace will agree that it enhances productivity and mental clarity, so there must indeed be some truth behind the old saying, ‘a tidy home means a tidy mind’.  

If you find you’re struggling with a chaotic desk, one small step towards decluttering and reorganising could make a big difference! 

Check out the other blogs in our Messy Desks series for more tips and insights on transforming your messy desk into organised comfort, here.