14 Best Cool Desk Accessories for Practicality & Fun (2023)

Desk accessories tend to be utilitarian but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun. Banish the practical beige for cool desk accessories that fit your personality while increasing your productivity.

Here are our top picks for adding cool desk accessories and practicality to your desk.

If you find yourself constantly shuffling papers in your workspace, one of the first desk accessories you’ll want is an organizer. Desk organizers have multiple compartments to hold all the various and sundry papers that will inevitably accumulate on your desk and keep them sorted and tidy.

We love this Beiz Desk Organizer because it is compact and is an easy way to maximize your desk space. Plus the gold adds a warm glow to your desk and has an aesthetically pleasing design. The bottom drawer is divided into three sections to keep all your little items organized. Check out our top picks for best desk organizers to find the perfect one for you.

Desk pads are a great way to instantly upgrade your desktop. Not only do they add visual polish but they have a functional benefit as well. A good desk mat protects your laptop or keyboard as well as the desk surface from scratches and wear. Desk mats also make writing or drawing on paper much smoother and more enjoyable (not to mention softer for resting your elbows on).

This Harber London Leather Desk Mat is made with premium full-grain leather that develops a rich patina as it ages. The wool felt or microfibre backing means you can pick one to match your desk’s texture and it won’t slip while you’re working. Overall this desk pad is so well made, it might outlast your desk.

A pen holder is another one of those utilitarian cool desk accessories that can actually be a lot of fun and give your desk a spark of personality. While a favorite coffee mug can store your pens in a pinch, why not level up with a cute conversational piece that fits your desk decor? Find something colorful and fun to keep your pencils tidy.

Having a small plant on your desk reduces stress, gives you (a small amount) of fresh oxygen, and helps maintain the air humidity levels around your desk. Plus a plant can feel like a work companion in a way inanimate objects never will. Beyond the plant itself, there’s a whole world of house plant potters from the cute and whimsical to sleek and luxurious. Find one that fits the theme of your desk or even rotate them seasonally. How can you resist this cute desktop accessory?

Did you know that not drinking enough water can cause your energy to slump? Rather than reaching for a coffee, keep a water bottle on your desk. It’s safer for spills than having an open glass on your desk plus you can monitor your daily water intake easily. Since the water bottle will spend most of the time safely on your desk, get a stylish glass bottle and avoid the plastic scent and taste of your plastic gym bottle.

Background noise can range from mildly distracting to loud and irritating. Whether there’s construction across the street or just a loud conference call, noise-blocking headphones will help you stay productive and focused. Look for wireless headphones that will help you stay mobile and reduce desk clutter. Modern headphones also come in a range of styles and colors that will augment your other cool desk accessories.

If you use a laptop regularly, a laptop stand is one of the best purchases you can make plus one of the cool desk accessories that can stand out the most. While laptop stands are frequently overlooked, they improve your posture by holding the laptop at an ergonomic angle so you’re not hunched over. And the best part is they’re very affordable.

A desk lamp is a classic desk accessory. Don’t rely solely on overhead lighting. A good desk lamp adds style to your desk while also reducing eye strain. Look for one that gives you good directional light for reading or other detailed desk work. You can find a desk lamp to fit any aesthetic from retro-chic to sleek modern. Lamps can pack a lot of personality so find one you love.

Many of us are juggling more than one electronic device plus chargers plus cables. The desk clutter can get overwhelming. A very practical modern desk accessory is a stand to hold the devices, tame the cords and charge the batteries can make a huge difference. By keeping your devices upright, it takes up less space than laying them on your desk, plus you’ll never have to hunt for your charging cables again.

Sure you can use the free plastic tape dispenser that comes with the tape, but once you’ve experienced a high-quality tape dispenser it’s hard to go back to fumbling with those. A weighted tape dispenser means you can use it easily with one hand and a quality cutting blade means less frustration and easier, more exact cutting. Plus there’s a whole range of creative tape dispensers that will stand out as one of your cool desk accessories.

Staplers are so ubiquitous that we almost forget about them… until we need one and don’t have it. There’s no reason that they can’t be a cute and stylish upgrade to your cool desk accessories. They’re actually pretty sturdy.

Good scissors are a joy to use. They cut easier and are more comfortable to use. Plus good pair of metal scissors will last a lifetime. Look for cast alloy handles and stainless steel blades. Just get them sharpened periodically and you’ll never have to buy a new pair again.

Sure, you can listen to music on your built-in speakers, by why? Most laptops still have poor sound quality, meanwhile, portable speakers have gotten smaller, cheaper and better quality. Most of us don’t want to invest in a full high-fi audio set-up for the office, but a portable speaker on your desk will get you surprisingly far.

Photo frames are one of the classic cool desk accessories. While family photos are the standard, you can also think beyond the basic family photo. If you’re a creative, collaborate with others to share images via digital photo frames. You can also frame landscapes from your vacation or quotes that inspire you.

Stress balls are workplace cliche at this point. But that doesn’t make them any less fun to squish while waiting on a never-ending conference call. Similarly, tactile games like puzzles can refocus your mind away from work and lower your stress levels. Tangrams are a childhood toy that puts the fun in shapes, design, form and patterns.

While sticky notes dispensers may not be exactly essential, they make one of the cutest desktop accessories for your work space. Pick a slightly heavier style that won’t get knocked over easily as you’re wrestling notes out and it can double as a paperweight.