23 desk organisation ideas to clear clutter and boost productivity
DIY storage solutions, desk organisers and minimalist ideas to inspire your home office setup, regardless of its size.
If your workspace is overflowing with papers, books, notepads, sticky notes, and other daily work essentials, it’s time to get organised. We’ve collected the best desk organisation ideas from experts. These ideas will inspire you to tackle your clutter and find clever ways to keep things organised while adding a little personality to the space.
While you may not think of your desk clutter as distracting, researchers have found that living and working in cluttered spaces can cause stress and lower productivity. Luckily, there are plenty of creative ways to get your workspace organised with shelves, rolling carts, hooks, and other supplies.
The first step to getting your space organised is decluttering your desk. Things like junk mail and charging cables you don’t use can be tossed in most cases. You may also find you’re hanging onto excess office supplies or papers you don’t really need.
While many of these ideas are best suited to home offices, many of them can be put to use if you’re commuting into an office. You may not be able to paint the walls or switch out your desk, but you can use decorative boxes, bulletin boards, and other items to keep your space organised.
Hide Wires
Not only will shallow cabinets provide additional storage space, they can be used to hide unsightly computer wires. Welcome an instantly cleaner space.
Add a Hutch
Even if it doesn't perfectly match your desk, a hutch is a stylish way to make use of vertical space. Here, Hearth Homes Interiors goes for a narrow, open shelf design so the area still feels spacious.
Double Storage With Upper Cabients
Here, The Layered House adds a three-tier cabinet that blends seamlessly with the design of the desk. There's two open shelves, plus one cabinet so you can tuck away your less aesthetic essentials. Hint: If you can't go custom, a bathroom cabinet is an affordable option.
Paint a Chalkboard Calendar
For a functional backdrop, coat an empty wall with a layer of chalk paint and then divide it until it resembles a calendar. At the start of the month, fill in any important deadlines or events, and then add to it as the weeks pass.
Use Colour to Boost Productivity
Whether it's colour-coordinated bins and binders or a bright wall colour, infuse bright hues into your home office setup. Added bonus: It's an easy way to inspire creativity.
Create a Vision Board
Clear clutter from your desk by turning it into wall decor. Try a metal grid to display photos, artwork or notes — just use small clothespins to hang your favorites.
Hang Wire Organisers
Swap traditional open shelving for steel wire baskets, bins or shelves for a more industrial style. Incorporate colorful decor on the display to tie the room together.
Opt for a Leaning Desk
Ladder desks have built-in open shelving, so you won't have to worry about hanging them yourself. The slim design doesn't take up too much space, making it an ideal choice for smaller rooms.
Create a Hook Board
Build your own hook board, or pick one up at the store. Here, blogger Elsie Larson uses the hooks for headphones, but you can rely on them for anything — scissors, glasses, chargers and so on.
Stick With Symmetry
When there's symmetry, you'll immediately perceive your space as cleaner. Here, Collected Interiors decorated with two simple wall scones. Plus, she balances the decorative pieces on each side of the desk.
Stash Supplies in Decorative Boxes
From piles of paperwork and photos to infrequently used supplies, stay organised with colourful document boxes that double as decor. These look so much sleeker than the loose items on your desk.
Hang Supplies Using Hooks
Consider hanging a metal bar (you can use a basic towel bar) and using S-hooks to keep your essentials nearby. Hang a mug full of pens or pencils, scissors and a spacious metal basket that can be suspended from two hooks.
Transfer Clutter to a Rolling Cart
Shift your desk supplies to a nearby rolling cart, which you can easily move around throughout the day to ensure everything you need stays within reach.
Fill a Wall With Floating Shelves
Chunky furniture overwhelms small spaces, so mount a desk right to the wall and install a tracking system overhead. Attach as many shelves as you need to properly store your craft supplies, books and other office must-haves.
Mount a Desk to the Wall
If you can't reserve an entire room for your office space, simply install a fold-down desk to an empty corner of the wall. Dress up the space just like you would a traditional office with a task lamp, greenery and other productivity boosters.
Relocate Clutter Into the Closest
Just because they're called desk organisers, doesn't mean you need to keep them on your desk. Move supplies and paperwork into the closet, so your desk can stay clean and clear.
Opt for Open Shelving
If all of your favorite office accessories can't logistically fit on your desk, that doesn't mean you shouldn't put them on display. Install open shelving above your desk and you'll have a ton more space to show off your decor.
Prop an Inspiration Board
Instead of letting papers and photographs clutter your workspace, prop a bulletin board against the wall behind your desk. Use thumbtacks to display your ideas in eyesight.
Make a Desk Out of Two Dressers
If you're starting from scratch, take a slab of plywood and connect it to a pair of matching dressers. Unlike standard desks, the deep dresser drawers give you plenty of space to hide craft supplies, school books and tech accessories.
Take Everything Off the Desk
Make sure you have plenty of space to accomplish the task at hand by keeping papers, supplies and other documents tucked away in a shelving unit nearby.
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