Whether you work from home or in an office, having a tidy workspace makes it easier to get work done. Let’s look at some desk organizers and accessories available to help you keep what you need at your fingertips.
What Do You Need?
As with all organizing projects, the first step is identifying what you need in your workspace. Your first instinct might be to say, “I need everything,” but the truth is, you don’t need everything all the time. Focus on what you need frequently.
One way to do this is to put all your office supplies in one box. Each time you need something, take it out of the box and set it on your desk in another container. At the end of the week, whatever is in the desktop box is stuff you should keep close at hand. Store the items in the first box elsewhere.
What Space Is Available?
Once you have determined what to keep, look at the space you have to work with. You might have a large desktop without drawers or a smaller one with one or two drawers. You should also consider what else is in your space, such as a computer or laptop with a monitor, and you will need an area to write or draw. Other things you might need on your desk include a telephone, file folders or paperwork, a water bottle or coffee mug, or a box of tissues.
Set Up Your Space
Put the large essentials (monitor, computer) and create a zone for your writing/drawing area. For this step, I suggest sitting down and doodling on some paper. Note how much space you need for your knees and elbows and make any necessary adjustments. Then, use painter’s tape to make a border around this section so you don’t put any other items in it.
Choosing a Desk Organizer
Now that you have designated space for the larger essentials, it’s time for the fun part – choosing desk organizers. There are hundreds to choose from, so I will select a few that offer different advantages.
One-piece Desk Organizers
One-piece organizers are great because they keep all your office supplies in one area on your desk. The Elisa model from Bed Bath and Beyond is nice because the pen compartment is divided into four sections, making it easier to grab the writing tool you need.
IKEA’s Övning holds pens, scissors, a smartphone, charger and has space for a tablet. The handle on the top makes this one-piece organizer easy to move from the home office to the dining table or wherever you need to work. It’s ideal for students too.
For the stylish and sophisticated, the Baronfig Mosaic desk organizer is sleek and functional. It has compartments for note cards, a notebook, a smartphone, and your favourite pens. Plus, it gives your desk that special touch of class.
Multi-Piece Desk Organizers
The Tjena from IKEA (pictured above) has five different compartments that fit inside each other, allowing you to create various configurations to suit your desk space and work habits. It comes in black or white and is made from 100% recycled paperboard, so you can decorate it (paint, markers, crayons, stickers) to coordinate with your office décor. The Tjena line also has coordinating magazine files and various-sized storage boxes, all at very reasonable prices.
An alternative is the U-brand desk set from Staples. It includes a magazine filer, an inbox tray, and one pen holder, but no containers for smaller items. It’s a great option if you store more paper than paper clips on your desk.
Like the Tjena set, the Advantus set from Bed Bath and Beyond contains five different pieces in the form of plastic baskets. The baskets are not very tall, so you could use them in a desk drawer or on your desk.
The Bostitch Office Konnect Organizer keeps your office supplies in order and charges your laptop and devices. It has four re-configurable pieces that can be used as one unit or separately. It also has a built-in cord/cable management system to keep your workspace tidy.
Monitor Stands that Organize
IKEA’s Elloven monitor stand does double duty because it has a built-in drawer to store frequently used office supplies, such as sticky notes, scissors, paper clips and more. By elevating the monitor, it creates storage space below for stashing your keyboard or notebook. It even has a hole in the back for computer cables to pass through to help keep them tidy.
The Mind Reader monitor stand from Bed Bath and Beyond is constructed of brightly coloured metal mesh. Like the Elloven monitor stand, the Mind Reader has a built-in drawer. But the drawer has an open front, so it is easy to grab papers and files. The side compartments can hold your smartphone, pens, notecards and more. The 3-drawer monitor stand provides even more storage and would be quite helpful if your desk does not have drawers.
Staples has a few different options for monitor stands with built-in storage. They are more robust and have features such as a built-in charging station for other devices and a UV light to sanitize your keyboard.
Creative Desk Organizers
For the DIY types, consider upcycling and repurposing household items into desk organizers – from cereal box letter sorters to pencil holders. If this is “your thing,” you will find lots of ideas out there. You might want to set a time limit, or you could search for hours marvelling at how creative and talented some people are.
Whatever desk organizer you choose, function and form should come first, but colour and style are important, too, if you want to keep a particular aesthetic in your office. You should enjoy working at your desk. If you need help organizing your desk or office, feel free to check out our other office organizing tips or contact the Out of Chaos team through our website. We’d be delighted to help.
