Working World

Yes, there are days and months for these tasks. But there is no official day, week or month for these noteworthy activities. You can observe Clean Out Your Computer Day the second Monday in February or the whole month of January. You can honor Clean Off Your Desk Day on the second Monday of January or, if you missed it, you could do it the third or the fourth. Often these special days or months are launched to help retailers sell their wares, but in the case of “the big three” now upon us, there’s nothing to buy.

Clean Off Your Desk Day is easy enough. Remove any papers you are not working with; file everything else. Don’t forget the in-and-out box. Only items you use frequently stay on the desk. A messy desk is not a sign of a creative mind.

Clean Off Your Computer celebrations, usually the second Monday in January, go well with plain household vinegar. Yes, with this magic potion you can safely clean the monitor, the key board, the mouse and even the box that houses the hard-drive. Just be sure everything is unplugged and that the cloth you use is damp, not wet. If you want to splurge, get some compressed air.

Clean Out Your Computer Day invites you to clean up the contents of your computer. Delete files, organize and update bookmarks and desktops, clean up your email, BACK-UP your files — you know the drill.