10 Best Desk Organization Ideas to Tame the Clutter

Desks are highly functional spaces that each have their own sets of tools. Whether your work involves paperwork and file folders or scissors and pens –

we all end up with a lot of odds and ends on our desks.

Good desk organization ideas can decrease clutter and increase your productivity by creating a compact place for everything and everything in its place.

There are multiple types of desk organizers available so make sure to find one that fits with your specific needs. Here are some things to keep in mind.

What would you store in a desk organizer? If your desk work involves mostly binders, papers, and file folders, you’ll want different cubby holes compared to someone looking to store their pen sets and watercolors. The great news is, if you have it on your desk, there’s probably an organizer for it.

What is your desk aesthetic? While black metal mesh organizers rule the office supply store, there is actually a wide range of materials beyond metals from plastics to cardboard and wood. There’s also a wide range of colors beyond the beige/gray/black office standards. You’re going to be spending a lot of time looking at this so find something that gives you a visual boost.

What’s your budget? While that carefully handcrafted wooden desk organizer on Etsy might be perfect, unfortunately for most of us, budget is always going to be a factor. While plastics can be cheap, make sure you don’t buy something so flimsy that you have to replace it in 6 months. A good quality desk organizer should hold up for years.

If you’re on a tight budget but don’t want to sacrifice quality, check out the Greenco Mesh Desk Organizer. It’s compact and has 4 stand-up compartments, 1 mini compartment for items like sticky notes and a small drawer for other items like paper clips. For most, this is what comes to mind at the mention of desk organization ideas.

Have multiple electronic devices? This is the perfect solution for decluttering your electronics and keeping them charged. This bamboo charging dock has a compact profile that conserves your precious desk space while hiding the charging cables. Slots can also be used for filing or paperwork.

The quirky charm of rose gold has taken the world by storm, why should your desk be exempt? Glam up your boring desk with this super cute 4-piece matched organizer set. Since these are separate pieces you can also arrange them to best maximize your space and come up with your own uniquely designed desk organization ideas.

If your work is time-sensitive, choose a desk organizer that will remind you of the date all day long. This rustic style wooden desk organizer features a perpetual calendar and compartments to sort mail, keep your pens and other odds and ends.

If you’re an artist or an illustrator, chances are your desk is overrun with various markers and pencils. This compact black metal mesh desk organizer has 9 compartments to organize and display your various writing instruments without taking up a lot of space.

Maybe you just like smooth, uncluttered surfaces or maybe you’re like many urban dwellers and your office is actually a corner of your living room or bedroom. Whatever the reason, there’s a lot to be said for the out of sight, out of mind style of desk organizers. This sleek one has 4 shelves for paper or files plus a pull out drawer, but when you’re done with work, it all disappears into its shell.

Without good desk organization ideas or systems, your desk drawers can quickly become junk drawers full of clutter and hard to dig through. Often desk drawer organizers are utilitarian plastic with a fixed layout that never fits quite right. In contrast, these containers are pretty enough to sit on top of your desk and flexible enough you can certainly find a configuration that will work for you and your drawer.

Whether you need reference books at arm’s length or just prefer open shelves, a mini bookcase on your desk can be a great way to keep organized. This adjustable bookcase is built in two pieces so it can cleverly expand, contract, or even go around a corner to fit your needs. Simple and effective.

There’s a lot of reasons to love having a portable desk organizer. If your desk is actually the kitchen table, you have an open seating office or you just work in a variety of spaces, having all your items in a portable desk organizer is the way to go. This organizer features a frame with a handle and three clear containers with hinged lids that close tight. You can also stack multiple organizers together for more storage.

If you’re a craftsperson, jewelry maker, or designer, chances are you have tons of small odds and ends overwhelming your workspace. This cabinet might look more hardware store than chic office but it’ll tame your clutter. It has 32 small drawers and 12 large drawers which can be further divided with plastic inserts for even more compartments. It can also be mounted to the wall so you can clear some space to execute some other desk organization ideas.