A well-organised desk is key to a productive work environment. Whether you’re interested in decluttering or implementing new storage solutions, you’re in the right place.
In this article, we will provide you with a rundown of 24 tips to organise your desk.
1. Remove Unnecessary Supplies
One of the first steps to organising your desk should involve decluttering it. Dispose of unnecessary items like outdated documents, keeping only the essentials.
Items used less frequently should be stored in drawers or cabinets to leave the surface clear for work. This not only frees up the workspace but also reduces distractions, allowing you to focus better on tasks.
2. Clean Your Desk Daily
We recommend wiping it with alcohol wipes daily. This is an excellent way to prevent dust from accumulating.
Remember to regularly clean your keyboard and monitor using a gentle cleaning solution, as these get dirty quickly. These specialised solutions are formulated to remove fingerprints and grime without damaging the surfaces.
Maintaining a clean desk is necessary when organising your workspace, as it creates a clear space for storing the rest of your belongings.
3. Designate Spaces for Everything
You may be interested in designating specific areas of your desk to different items as it makes work more efficient and orderly. You will spend less time looking for pens, paper, and other necessities, allowing you to stay focused on your tasks.
This can also help you to keep track of office supplies and re-order when necessary.
4. Sort Items By Importance
Once you have chosen specific spots for your essentials, we recommend sorting documents and notes on your desk for ongoing tasks based on their importance.
This will help you maintain an organised workspace and clearly understand what needs to be done first so you don’t overlook important responsibilities.
5. Group Similar Items Together
Similar items like pens, pencils, and other stationery should be stored together to organise your workspace further. This reduces the risk of losing items and allows for a smoother, more efficient workflow.
6. Invest in a Desk Organiser
Desk organisers are excellent for storing these similar items together, improving the aesthetics of your workstation. They come with easily accessible compartments and trays for sorting supplies, allowing you to arrange pens, paper clips, sticky notes, and other essentials together.
These organisers help you maintain order and achieve a more streamlined appearance by reducing the number of belongings on your desk.
7. Use Drawer Dividers
Drawer dividers can also be used to compartmentalise these small items and personal accessories. Many are adjustable and can be customised to fit different drawers, allowing you to find a layout that suits your needs.
These tools make it easier to designate specific spots for items and keep your desk organised, saving time spent searching for office supplies.
8. Scan Your Documents
To save even more space, older documents, such as training manuals, should be scanned and stored digitally on cloud services or external hard drives.
This ensures that folders in your filing cabinets are up-to-date and relevant to the work you are currently dealing with. It also removes significant paper clutter and allows you to access important documents from any location.
9. Invest in a Clamp-On Lamp
Switching from a desk light to a clamp-on lamp can also free up valuable space.
These lamps can be attached to the side of your desk, a shelf, or a monitor. They are often smaller than standard lights and are easier to move around depending on how you want to organise your workspace.
10. Get a Digital Calendar
By opting for a digital calendar, you can track appointments, deadlines, and meetings electronically. This means that you no longer need to make space for a calendar on your desk or wall, allowing you to use that space for more important belongings.
Many even offer colour-coded entries and reminders, ensuring you never miss an important date.
11. Create a Charging Station
Another great tip to organise your desk is to designate a specific area for charging devices. This can make it easier to neatly arrange chargers and cables into one place, preventing them from making a mess. Multi-port chargers should be used to keep it ordered and tidy.
12. Add a Pull-Out Shelf for Your Printer
Similarly, having a dedicated pull-out shelf for your printer allows you to access and store it easily without taking up space on your desk. It ensures it is always within reach and is an excellent compromise between functionality and aesthetics.
By adding a pull-out shelf, you ensure that your workspace is clutter-free and visually appealing.
13. Implement Cable Management
Using a suitable cable management system is another great way to reduce the space and mess caused by free cables.
Cable sleeves, clips, and under-desk trays can all conceal cables, improving the look of your workstation and making it easier to clean and maintain an organised workspace.
14. Use a Monitor Stand
A monitor stand raises the monitor off your desk. This practical addition can create space underneath the monitor to store notebooks, files, and other office supplies.
By implementing an additional storage area, you make your workspace less messy and can work more comfortably.
15. Install a Keyboard Tray
If you’re also looking to reduce the space your keyboard takes up, we recommend installing a keyboard tray.
These trays allow you to slide your keyboard in and out of the way when necessary, making it easier to switch between using your desktop and other activities.
Bonus Tips
We have added a few bonus tips on organising your workspace using free space in the office. These tips can help you save space on your desk by adding features such as shelves and cabinets.
If you’re in a serviced office, ensure you check with the provider to see if you can add fixtures to the walls. Some providers will even do it for you.
16. Add Shelves
A bonus tip for organising your desk is to add shelves nearby. Using vertical space by storing items like books on wall-mounted organisers can save a significant amount of space and reduce the number of things lying around.
This is great as it lets you keep essential items within reach and makes the workspace more visually appealing.
17. Add Filing Cabinets
Adding filing cabinets to store folders, documents, and notes can significantly improve the aesthetics of your desk.
They provide a structured system for categorising files. Not only does this save space but setting it up helps you filter and eliminate unwanted documents.
18. Maximise Space Under the Desk
If you’re interested in maximising the space under your desk, we recommend using it as extra storage space.
Items you don’t frequently access, such as storage bins, file boxes, or additional supplies, can be stored here, freeing up desk space. This ensures you keep only the essentials within easy reach to maintain an organised workspace.
19. Label Everything
Labelling documents, folders, and drawers is another excellent way to create an organised and efficient workspace.
Clear labels make finding supplies and files easier and reduce the likelihood of losing essential items. They also make your workstation professional and tidy, reducing time spent filtering through all your belongings.
20. Implement a Cart Beside Your Desk
If you’ve run out of space on your shelves or drawers, we recommend adding a mobile cart beside your desk to store other frequently used items.
This can prevent items from piling up, keeping your workspace organised. It also acts as a mobile storage system you can bring with you to breakout areas or meeting rooms.
21. Set Up a Bulletin Board/Whiteboard
A bulletin board makes organising notes, to-do lists, and reminders much easier. They can also be used to pin project timelines to help you visualise your responsibilities and priorities for the day/week.
Whiteboards are excellent for brainstorming and can reduce the amount of scrap paper used to note down ideas.
Both tools help declutter your workspace and help you manage tasks efficiently.
22. Use Magnetic Strips
Magnetic strips are a great solution for hanging items like scissors, staplers, and markers. They help keep supplies neatly organised and easily accessible, ensuring that essential items are always within reach. Their versatility means they can be installed on drawers and other surfaces.
23. Designate Stands and Displays for Decoration
Using stands or display shelves to showcase photos, awards, and other decorative items can keep your desk relevant to work and reduce distractions. They allow you to personalise your workspace without it becoming messy and cluttered.
24. Add a Wall Outlet Shelf
If you’re interested in further maximising space, speakers or other gadgets should be stored on wall outlet shelves.
This layout provides a convenient space to organise your devices while keeping them off your desk. It also ensures that your devices are always charged and ready to use.
Maintaining an organised desk can be challenging, as items tend to accumulate, leading to a cluttered work environment. Whether you decide to use a monitor stand or invest in a clamp-on lamp, you significantly increase the amount of space available on your desk.
By following these 24 tips, you can convert your workspace into a tidy, professional area, enhancing your ability to manage tasks efficiently.
