Organize With Color: How Visual Organization Helps You Stay on Track

Color can be an effective organizing tool to help you save time and increase productivity. An organized space can make a big difference in your productivity and performance, and sorting items based on color can create an efficient and cohesive environment.

Colors are easy to identify and can be faster to recognize and associate meaning with than text. This article discusses ways to use color to help you get organized.

Where Color-Coding Can Be the Most Beneficial

From color-coded calendars and to-do lists to color-coded books and planners, using color can create an office space that helps you feel in control.

You can add a color strategy to your filing system to keep all your important documents organized, and you can sort them with sticky notes by using different colors based on importance or purpose. Labels and writing tools can be used to color-code your planner, calendar, and to-do list to help spur productivity and stay on top of deadlines.

Color-coding can also be useful for getting organized around the house. Consider sorting your wardrobe based on color to make it easier to piece an outfit together and try to do the same with your cookware and utensils.

It’s amazing how a bookshelf can transform from cluttered to neat and aesthetically pleasing by organizing the books according to color. Not only does it look well-kept, but it also makes it easier to find items.

You can be creative and use fun colors to create an organizational system that works for you. 

How to Create a Hierarchy With Color Codes

You can create a filing system with different colored folders and dividers for each category. Keep it simple with only a few main categories and create subcategories using the same color code. 

This system is most effective if it makes sense to you. Green might make you think of financial documents, while you might associate red with medical files. It could seem like a tedious task at first, but a color-coded system can help you find important documents much faster and save time in the long run.

A colorful, easy-to-use setup can make paper filing more fun and make it more likely that you’ll keep up with it.

Color-Coding Can Still Match Your Environment

Color-coding doesn’t mean you have to use bright rainbow hues or neon colors. Numerous options are available to match your office decor, including neutrals and pastels.

If you like the idea of a vibrant and colorful workspace, rainbow folders can be a great option. If you’re looking for something less attention-grabbing, pastel folders are one option. Jewel tones can also work great if you like deep colors but want a more subtle look. There are colored file folders available for any workspace.

Different colors can evoke different feelings and emotions. Blue is a soothing color that can help calm the mind and reduce anxiety. Red can stimulate the mind and help you feel energized, while yellow is associated with happiness. Using this information to your advantage can help you use the right colors for the right situations.

How to Use Color Organization at Work

The secret to a well-kept work area is having the right tools to make it functional and attractive. Colored writing utensils, folders, binders, labels, sticky notes, and calendars are just some examples of office items that can add a splash of color to your work environment.

Investing in the right items can go a long way in getting your workspace in order and ending clutter.

Colored Writing Utensils

Colored writing utensils can help you color-code your notes. Colored highlighters, dry-erase markers, pens, and markers can help you with your color-coded system. Using different colored pens to write down information can also help you learn and recall information more easily.

Color-Coded Folders

Color-coded folders can be useful to keep documents organized and easy to find. It can also help prevent documents from piling up into an uncontrollable stack of paper that clutters your workspace.

Searching for misplaced documents can lead to feelings of frustration and can be an instant motivation killer. A color-coded filing system can work great for fast and accurate filing and retrieval.

Color-Coded Binders

Another effective way to organize documents is to use color-coded three-ring binders. Color options range from black and white to blue, red, green and purple. Each color can represent a different category, making it easy to store and retrieve documents, and preventing your documents from getting misplaced. The different categories can include time frames or date ranges, topics, or themes.

Binder dividers are available to categorize each binder further into subcategories.

Color-Coded Binder Accessories

Dividers and Tabs can help keep your documents organized inside your binder by dividing them into more manageable sections. This can help you locate pages quickly and easily.

Choose a divider color for each category and file your documents accordingly. Color options for dividers range from bright rainbow to more neutral tones. Another effective way to keep your binders organized is to use sticky tabs to color-code the different categories.

Pouches work great to organize small items, such as cards, pencils, and travel items. Binder pockets are ideal for bigger items you want to store inside a binder without punching holes in them. Place them inside the binder pocket with holes to insert into the binder.

Countless accessory options are available to prevent a paper pileup and keep your binders organized.

Color-Coded Labels

Color-coded labels can be another easy and effective way to organize your workspace. You can categorize and label documents or files so that they’re easier to find later.

With many color options available, labels can make color-coding a simple task. If you want to get more detailed with your labels, consider investing in a label maker to create and customize your own.

Colored Sticky Notes

Sticky notes are a staple in many office environments and are useful for color-coding. There are plenty of color options available, and you can choose between translucent, lined, and different-sized sticky notes..

Color-coded sticky notes can help you organize your thoughts by leaving reminders on different colored sticky notes, based on topic or category. 

Colored Storage Bins

Colored storage bins can be another effective way to color-code. Some options available include red, purple, blue, green, black, and white. Some bins also come with lids to help keep your items safe and dust-free.

Calendars

No workspace is complete without a calendar. An easy and effective way of staying on top of your schedule is to color-code your appointments. Consider using colored pencils, colored gel pens, Crayola markers, and Post-it notes to categorize your appointments by color.

A simple example is to do it according to importance, where you use a red pen for essential appointments and a green one for optional or less significant ones.

Planners

A planner can help you plan out your days and stay on top of your to-do lists. If your schedule is hectic, it can feel cluttered and unorganized.

A great way to prevent this is to use colored pens and sticky notes to organize appointments by color in your planner, just like your calendar. This can help you highlight important due dates and sort your schedule based on priority.

Stay Colorfully Organized and Productive

Color-coding your workspace is a simple task that can make a big impact. Clutter and procrastination go hand in hand and can affect your productivity at work.

A simple way to combat this is to find an organization system that helps you keep your work area clutter-free and in order. Organizing with color can be an effective and practical way to do this. Experiment and try different ways of color-coding your workspace to find what works best for you.

About the Author

Anica Snyman is a part-time freelance writer and a full-time digital marketer. She has a passion for writing and comes from a family of writers.

All content provided herein is for educational purposes only. It is provided “as is,” and neither the author nor Office Depot warrants the accuracy of the information provided, nor do they assume any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein.