"What do you need to get work done?" Ask that question of any highly organized person, and they'll invariably say, "I need a tidy space." Keeping a neat and clean physical workspace is important to helping us focus and work productively. Our environment influences our behavior, mood, and state of mind. Research shows that being in a good mood boosts our ability to complete tasks with greater accuracy and not to give up on difficult tasks too quickly. So, if you want to feel ready to tackle the day, start with a neat desk.
If you aren't organized by nature, it can be really hard to keep a neat desk, especially if you work from home—or study at home—and don't have much separation between your time off and your productive time. The good news is that it doesn't take much in terms of money or effort to tidy up your workspace. Most of the suggestions below are either low-cost or free if you have a few items to reuse or upcycle. You don't have to spend money on fancy organizers or a new desk. If you have a shoebox that's in fair shape and other household items, you can make your desk a little bit tidier. Anything you might need to buy can be easily found online, at an office supply store, or at a hardware store for a couple of bucks.
1. Digitize Ruthlessly
The number one way to keep a desk clean and clear is to prevent clutter from piling up in the first place. So what piles up on your desk or table? For many people, it's paper. Going paperless isn't as tough as it sounds. When you get a piece of paper, scan it, and make a digital copy immediately—or at least within a week of receiving it—and then file, shred, or recycle it. A few of the best mobile scanning apps are free, so you can turn paper into digital documents with your phone.
Organizing the scanned documents is another process. An easy way to start is to put newly scanned items into a folder either labeled "Inbox" or by date, such as "Year" or "YearMonth." For example, 202204 corresponds to April 2022. If you put scanned documents into an Inbox folder, the idea is you'll deal with them another day. If you put them into a folder labeled with a date, the idea is you'll be able to look for documents that you need based on when you received them or when they were roughly relevant.
2. Use Velcro to Mount Items Not in Use
We picked up this tip from prototype designer Zack Freedman: He put one piece of a strip of Velcro on the back of his Bluetooth keyboard and the other strip on the side of his desk. That way, when he needs to use his soldering iron, the electronics are neatly out of the way. Even if you aren't melting metal, you can still use this trick for a keyboard and other small items. Be sure to put the soft side of the Velcro on the device or item so that it doesn't scratch up your desk when it's attached. And don't use this trick on varnished desks, as it could ruin the finish.
3. Keep a Microfiber Cloth on Hand (Preferably a Big One)
A microfiber cloth is a must-have item on any computer work desk. Use it to remove smudges from your monitor, webcam, phone, and glasses. At the end of the day, drape it over your keyboard or monitor to protect it from dust.
4. Bundle Wires and Cables With Velcro One-Wraps
Musicians, who know all too well the pain of keeping wires and cables organized, swear by Velcro One-Wraps. I do, too. These little multipurpose wonders cost a few dollars for a five-pack in various colors or all black. Use them to keep charging cables bundled neatly or to rein in excess cord length dangling behind your computer. You can buy extra-long cord wraps and secure wires to the leg of a desk to keep them from dangling. One-Wraps make your workspace tidy quickly. In a pinch, rubber bands can be a good substitute, although they degrade after about a year.
5. Upcycle Containers to Store Odds and Ends
You know those tins, decorative boxes, and packaging you keep because you think they’ll be useful someday? Today's the day. Upcycle boxes and containers to store odds and ends such as paper clips, charging cables, or whatever accumulates on your desk. Stackable containers make it even tidier. For larger items, try a shoebox or tissue box with the top cut off. Add a pop of color and design by covering your boxes in gift wrap or self-stick wallpaper.
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6. Label Folders, Chargers, and Other Items
Organized people love label makers. When you label things around your desk, office, and home, it's easier to find what you need quickly, as well as to put it in its place. Label folders or sections of an accordion binder to keep all the papers you can't recycle or shred, such as birth certificates, titles, deeds, and wills. Label chargers, and never argue again about whose phone charger is the one with the frayed end. A good home-use label maker costs as much as you want to spend. For example, the Epson LabelWorks LW-PX300 (which got top marks in our testing) costs $89, but perfectly good models that are smaller or slightly older from companies such as HP and Dynamo cost about $25. You could also buy a sheet of adhesive labels (about $12 to $15 for 100 sheets) and run them through your printer or write on them by hand.
7. Hang or Guide Wires With Command Hooks
Wall hooks and coaxial cable clips keep cords organized by guiding them along baseboards, behind furniture, and up walls. They work wonders not only for desks but also for home entertainment systems. Command brand hooks are great because they have a sticky backing that peels off easily when you pull down on the tab to remove them. Coaxial cable clips work just as well, if not better, but you have to hammer into your walls and furniture to secure them.
8. Use Drawers, Cabinets, and Bookshelves
It always surprises me when the top of someone's desk is a disaster, and yet they have an empty drawer inside that very same desk. People tend to leave stuff on their desks when they can't or don't want to throw it away, or when they are procrastinating dealing with it. If you want a neat desk, however, you have to find a place for miscellaneous items. And the best space could be right under your nose. If your desk has cabinets or drawers, are they full? Could you take everything from your desk, place it into shoeboxes or folders and slide it all into your desk drawers or cabinets? If you have a bookshelf nearby, it might have some free space, too. Make use of all the spaces you already have!
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