Mattress companies like to sell the importance of a good night’s sleep by reasoning that you spend a good one-third of your life sleeping. And it’s true. But what about that other third of your weekday life—the time you spend at the office? Is it possible that even small changes to your workspace can add up to major boosts in productivity—and decreases in stress—over time?

As Natalie Clarkson noted for Virgin.com, simple changes like personalizing your workspace have a demonstrated effect on work-related stress. Think of your command center as the mattress of your working life: the results are worth the investment. Here are some basic steps for de-cluttering that stressful workspace into a personalized patch of productivity that leaves you feeling empowered:

Step One: De-Hoard

The first step isn’t to add anything—not a scented candle, not an air purifier, not a pair of noise-canceling headphones.

Instead, this step is all about what you don’t need.

Author Stephanie Winston of “The Organized Executive” points out that a manager can lose an hour per day simply to “disorder.” Mess, clutter, excessive distractions—these are all enemies of a productive workspace that need to be eliminated. Immediately.

The simplest way to get started is scorched-earth: bring out a garbage bag and throw away everything you don’t need. Chances are, however, you’re still going to need a few of those papers and documents for later. But since we have yet to arrive at organization tips, keep things simple. Make a yes or no decision: keep something or throw it away.

If you need help making individual decisions, try to keep the KonMari method in mind. Do you need the item in your hand? Does it bring you joy, decrease stress, or make you more productive? If you can’t answer yes to any of those questions, you might want to think about tossing it.

Step Two: Get Comfortable

As noted by MarketWatch, a recent study found that in schools lacking air conditioning, every degree in Fahrenheit correlated to a 1% decrease in learning.

It only makes sense. Who wouldn’t want to study or come to work in a comfortable place, removing all physical distractions so the mind is free to focus? These are the little differences in our lives we may not be aware of, but which add up to major changes over the long term. Here are a few suggestions for making your workspace a more comfortable place:

Step Three: Organize

The art of organization can be tricky. On one hand, you want to reduce clutter. On the other hand, you want to add things to your workspace that make it easier to sort through your work documents and devices—without adding to your clutter.

The goal here is not to take a random walk down Office Depot and purchase anything that looks appealing. It’s to come up with specific solutions to the organizational problems you face at your workspace. Here’s what you should do:

Step Four: Personalize

Enough with the work stuff. Let’s talk about you. Specifically, let’s talk about what you can do to make your new high-powered workspace more engaging and welcoming.

The key here is personalization. Put up pictures of people you love. Tack up that inspiring quote that you keep forgetting to bookmark. Slap on a Hodor bobblehead. There’s really no limit here, as long as you stay within the bounds of H.R.: feel free to customize until you feel like this space is yours.

If you really want to be nerdy about it, you can invest in a miniature bulletin board at your local supply store and segment all your personal items there—that way, if you ever need to switch spaces, you won’t have much hassle. But the rule here is to make your workspace somewhere where you like working.

Your workspace shouldn’t feel like a trip to the salt mines. If you want to reduce stress and increase your production, you’ll find the ways to eliminate clutter, organize files, and get a sense of joy and comfort where you sit. Think of your workspace as your own personal garden—and take the time to maintain it every once in a while.