8 Tips to Keep Your Desk Organized at Work

An organized desk means so much more than just the appearance of a desk space. In fact, a tidy workspace can result in increased productivity, reduced stress levels, and improved creative thinking skills.¹

That said, for some, knowing how to organize an office space and keeping your office desk organized might be a challenge—and if you landed here after searching “how to organize a/yourdesk,” it’s a safe bet that might be true for you too.

Whether your job entails tons of loose paper or you’re just prone to clutter, it can be very easy for your desk to get out of hand. If you’re looking to tidy up, check out these eight tips on how to organize your workspace.

#1 Use a Filing Cabinet

A filing cabinet or file drawer is a must, especially for those who need a bulldozer to push their paperwork when juggling clerical work. While the working world is becoming increasingly digitized, it's still common for professionals to face dozens—or even hundreds—of loose papers every day. This can result in a cluttered mess.

Instead of using your desk as a storage space, sort your documents into a filing cabinet to help out with desk organization. Not only will this keep your desk free of unsightly congestion, but it also ensures that your most important files are readily available and easy to find.

#2 Organize Your Cables

Speaking of increasingly digitized workplaces, it's not uncommon to have multiple monitors, keyboards, printers, and chargers in your desk area. This can result in a tangled mess of wires coming from all different directions. 

The most convenient way to organize your wires is with a cable tray. While many desks now come with them, you can easily install one into your current desk. For unused cables, consider an under-surface storage hook. Sitting beneath the desk surface, these keep your wires untangled, organized, and, most of all, out of the way.

#3 Install a Monitor Arm

It’s becoming commonplace for workers to need at least two monitors to efficiently do their job. More monitors mean easier, more efficient access to the windows you need. Yet more monitors also means more occupied real estate on your desk surface.

A monitor arm solves this problem by lifting your monitors off your work surface. Additionally, as you can control the height of monitor arms, they can result in better back and neck posture.

#4 Go Paperless

Paperwork may be unavoidable for some; however, going digital can drastically improve the working environment for many professionals. Storing your files digitally can not only result in better organization, but also less desk clutter. Having less paper on your desk may also mean not having to organize an office cleanout as often.

#5 Opt For a Floor Lamp

Creating open space on your desk can be especially difficult for those with smaller desks. If you find yourself in this situation, try to find creative solutions to removing typical desktop items. One easily moved office item is desktop lighting. Instead of keeping a lamp atop your desk, clear up space by using an adjacent floor lamp.

#6 Organize With Drawer Dividers

Pens, pencils, paper clips, post-its—the average desk contains a slough of office supplies that can completely overtake a desk area. Even if you keep these items in a drawer, that space can become a dangerous-to-reach-into area of chaos.

The best solution is a drawer divider. This cheap, easy-to-install piece will create designated areas for each of your essentials so that organizing office supplies can become much easier. Say goodbye to rummaging for pens.

#7 Designate Space

Many desks are quite minimalistic, meaning they don’t have drawers, filing cabinets, or other organizing essentials. While these items can be purchased separately, you can also organize your desk by simply designating assigned spaces for different items or tasks. This can look like:

• Keeping your keyboard and monitors on one side of the desk, leaving the other side free for writing or filing.
• Designating a corner for personal items, such as photos or knick-knacks.
• Using desktop organizers for files, pens, and other work essentials.

By giving different areas of your desk purpose, you can keep both your desk and mind clear.

#8 Reduce Clutter

This may seem obvious, but reducing clutter can be more difficult than it seems. To truly streamline your desk, you need to take a harsh look at what you do and don’t need. Start by:

• Throwing out pens and pencils that you don’t use—especially if they’re out of ink
• Getting a trash can so you can immediately throw away waste
• Removing or reorganizing personal items to reclaim space you need for work
• Regularly taking everything off your desk so you can wipe it down
• Removing extra mugs or cups that have accumulated

If you’re pressed for space, make sure you only hang onto the bare necessities—and consider a creative use of pedestals or cabinets to stow the occasionally used items.

Find Your Office Solution

Whether you manage an office or work from home, an organized workplace is essential. Not only can disorganization result in a bad impression, but it can also create stress and inefficiency. But by simply choosing the right office organization furniture and designs, you can drastically improve your performance.

Juniper is here to make that happen. Just send us your floor plan, and we’ll provide a custom, photorealistic rendering of your optimized office space. Set your workplace up for success by teaming up with Juniper today.

Sources: 

1. Innovative Professional Offices. Organizing an Office Space. https://innovativeprofessionaloffices.com/blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-having-an-organized-office-space