You spend at least 40 hours each week in your office; between the piles of paper on your desk, the crumbs on the keyboard and the overflowing trash can, it's not wonder you can't find your cell phone or that client file you swear was on the corner of the desk. After spending all day in your office, the last thing you probably want to do is spend more time in there cleaning it, but a clean office is not only good for your health, it also helps improve production. So, where do you start? Here are four tips to help you get started on your way to a cleaner, more organized home office.

Clear the Clutter
One of the biggest culprits of a messy office is the piles of paper on your desk, the shelves and in some situations, the floor. The key to keeping your papers organized is to sort and file as you go along. Set up a filing system that is large enough to accommodate your needs. For example, keep invoices organized in a metal form holder or hanging a three pocket wall file is ideal for separating incoming mail, outgoing mail and miscellaneous files.

Crumb-Free Keyboard
If you are like most people who work from home, your desk is also where you eat lunch, have a snack and always have a cup of coffee or tea nearby. The problem is all of the crumbs fall directly into your keyboard, which ends up under the keys. Over time the crumbs and gunk will cause the keys to stick, but it is an easy fix. Simply use a keyboard cleaning kit to remove all of the dust, crumbs and spilled coffee. The kit includes everything you need to even remove the stuff from under the keyboard keys. While your cleaning the keyboard, don't forget to dust the monitor and disinfect the mouse and the office phone.

Polish the Desk
Clean the desk surface, underneath and the legs with furniture polish wipes. If there are sticky stains, place a damp paper towel over the stain and let it soak for a few minutes, before cleaning with furniture polish. If the desk is made from unsealed wood, use Tung oil to clean the wood. After polishing the desk, dust all shelves, pictures and decorative items in the office.

Walls, Doors & Floor
Use an all-purpose cleaner and a damp cloth to wipe down the walls and the door. Clean both sides of the doorknob with a disinfectant. Use a vacuum to clean a carpeted floor as well as the cobwebs from the corners of the walls. If the floor is wood or tile, sweep with a broom and mop with a cleaner appropriate for the floor materials. Empty and clean out the trash can.

To maintain your clean office, at the end of each day, empty the trash, wipe down the phone and electronics and remove all coffee cups, plates and other lunch accessories from the office. By taking a few minutes at the end of each day to straighten your office, you will be able to start fresh and be more productive the next morning.