Just about every feng shui instruction on optimizing your home office will encourage you to remove clutter. But just how do you tackle this project? Here are some simple steps to start with.

Paper Piles
One of the worst issues in my own home office is piles of paper. They can stack up very quickly! I have set up a filing cabinet immediately next to my desk. That way when bills or other paperwork comes in I can instantly put it where it belongs. Not only does it help to keep my desk clean, but it also means if I need to find something that it's all organized and together.

Scan Receipts
I bought a receipt scanner a few years back and I am thankful eternally that I did. No more piles of receipts or papers. I put them into a bin and then once a quarter or so I sit watching TV with the scanner on my lap. The receipts go into it one after another, fairly mindless, and get organized instantly. It is quick, easy, and permanent. Then all the receipts get shredded and recycled!

Shelves
For books, CDs, DVDs, and other items, set up shelves that store those items out of the way. And give serious thought to what you really need to have in your office. Yes, you thought it was a good idea to get that four volume set on how to do X. But do you really refer to it? If not, find somewhere else to store it - and it the months roll on without you ever touching them, donate them to a library. The web can provide pretty much anything you need nowadays.

Five Minutes a Day
Clutter can stack up quickly. Once it does, it can seem a nightmare to undo the problem, so you put it off week after week. Instead, give yourself just five minutes to do a corner of the room. Five minutes can make a big difference. Every day spend just five minutes doing a decluttering run - it adds up quickly.

The Value of Clean
Many people feel their clutter is great - they know how to find things in the piles. And certainly that is true. But the brain space you're using up tracking those piles could be much better used on other creative tasks. Don't wear your brain down with trying to track piles of paper. That's while files and binders are for. Free your brain up for the more valuable uses.

Also, piles of paper collect dust, which aren't good for your health. The cleaner your office is, the healthier you will be!