Tame your desktop clutter in style.
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A tidy desk makes any task go more smoothly, whether it's eight hours of office work or your weekly crafting sesh. A clear desktop also makes the rest of your work-from-home setup look more put together. But we know it's not easy to set up and maintain a workspace that's function first: Keeping all your supplies in easy reach sounds like a good idea, but it can edge into cluttered pretty quickly, leaving only a corner for your laptop or notebook. Desk organization doesn’t require a corporate-looking filing cabinet or a designated home office, though. In fact, there are plenty of ways you can organize your desk without having to buy anything at all.
When you're setting up your desk, it's important to think about what items you need and where you automatically look for them. Take the organization methods that work for you in the rest of your home—labeled bins in your kitchen, color-coding in your closet—and apply those techniques to your desk. (If you have an adjustable standing desk or an especially small desk, you may need to adapt them a little.) No matter what your style is or how often you sit at your desk, an organized space can really boost your productivity. Clear desk, clear mind is a cliché for a reason. Read on for 22 of the best desk organization ideas straight from designers and use them to get up and running without a hitch.
Roxy Owens of Society Social situated this writing desk between two closets in the guest bedroom of our 2023 Whole Home. Overflow supplies can be kept in the closets to avoid overwhelming the drawers. It's a great option in occasional spaces where the desk doubles as a dressing table.
Inspiration boards are great for displaying photos and materials, but you can also use the pushpins to hang small supplies, like scissors. They'll always be in arm's reach without taking up valuable desktop space.
Designer Stephanie Sabbe included a spot specifically for writing down family recipes in House Beautiful's 2021 Whole Home. This quiet nook for coffee and to-dos features a farm-table-style desk with a wide surface for writing and room to lean cookbooks.
In interior designer Jeffrey Alan Marks' home, a small stool placed under the desk holds extra books and planners, which keeps the desk's surface clear and looking neat. A lamp and trinket bowl ensure you'll be ready to handle any task at a moment's notice.
You can use utilitarian Shaker-style peg rails so many different ways, including for desk organization. In this Scandinavian-style office, a pretty wicker basket of desk supplies hangs in clear view. Note how the rail is cut into the wall paneling and painted to match so it feels like an original detail.
A metallic wire grid can serve as a magazine or book rack in addition to a display board, which helps keep the desk surface clear and ready to support your productivity.
If you love the look of a minimalist desk with no built-in storage, place a credenza or other storage cabinet behind it. That way, your desktop can stay clear but everything you need to work will still be nearby. For the office in Bobby Berk's Los Angeles home, creative director Brady Tolbert sourced a midcentury credenza on Craigslist to keep messy papers out of sight.
Desk organizers like pen cups and letter boxes can do wonders, but when you have a lot of them they can become clutter. An easy fix? Neatly arrange them all on a tray, as designer Jennifer Hunter did in her New York office.
Baskets are the easiest way to store practically anything practically anywhere—including your home office. Here, designer Katie Hodges found a shape that fit perfectly into the open shelving to help keep the area clean and aesthetically pleasing.
If you don't have open shelves to work with, consider dedicating some floor space to storage. In this office designed by Lindsey Bond, a woven beach bag stores essentials under the floating desk and can easily be picked up and tucked away when it's not needed.
Save space and enjoy an organized desk by installing wall-mounted shelving. By doing so in his apartment, Tariq Dixon, cofounder of the furniture brand TRNK, turned an unused corner into a writer’s oasis. The shelving offers space to organize and display decor, reading material, and supplies.
Having storage built right into your desk is perhaps the easiest way to keep your workspace clutter-free. Dedicate each drawer to a certain category of supplies, like notebooks or important files. Keep the items on the surface to a minimum, as designer Mark D. Sikes did in this home— and don't forget fresh flowers!
If you're not fond of bulky storage pieces, organize your desk essentials on a console table. In this home office that doubles as a gym, designer Laura Hodges placed a matching console behind a custom desk made by Grothouse. The desk comes apart easily to function as a set of aerobic steps, so keeping the surface clear for a quick transition was crucial.
A rolling cart stationed near your desk can not only hold baskets and file folders, but it's mobile so you can easily move it around. Plus, rolling carts are often budget-friendly (just search for book, library, or utility carts) and come in a variety of colors, from black, white, and tans to primary colors. Copy photographer Victoria Pearson's office setup with a desk that's also on casters (seen here), and you can change your view anytime you want.
This Charleston home office styled by Jill Sharp Weeks proves no desk is complete without at least one catchall bowl or tray. The decorative pieces can hold everything from pushpins to candy.
Nothing keeps clutter hidden and decor on display like built-ins. For the ultimate WFH suite, designer Ariene Bethea used lower drawers and cabinets to conceal unsightly essentials while open bookshelves on top showcase treasured objects and books. Finally, she leaned few additional art pieces against the wall on the desktop to offer major inspiration.
Paperweights are classics for a reason: They're both decorative and functional. Use them to hold down a neat pile of papers and add interest to your desktop. Here, designer Heather Hilliard selected sculptural globes that maintain the calm, neutral color scheme.
The textured memory board in this cloffice (a small office within a converted closet) by Leanne Ford cements the area as a fun creativity zone. Plus, it's a great place to hang snapshots, lists, and important papers you don't want to forget.
Opt for a desk with a hutch to keep all your essentials within reach. This one in designer Sheila Bridges' home isn't too tall, so it provides ample storage without dominating the space.
Instead of keeping office supplies on your desktop, use a folding tray table to display necessities like tape, a stapler, and eyeglasses. That way, you can leave room on your desk for fresh flowers and personal photos that inspire you, as designer Miles Redd did in this blue home office.
Kelly Allen is the current Associate Editor at House Beautiful, where she covers design, pop culture, and travel for digital and the print magazine. She’s been with the team for nearly three years, attending industry events and covering a range of topics. When she’s not watching every new TV show and movie, she’s browsing vintage home stores, admiring hotel interiors, and wandering around New York City. She previously worked for Delish and Cosmopolitan. Follow her on Instagram.
Kate McGregor is House Beautiful’s SEO Editor. She has covered everything from curated decor round-ups and shopping guides, to glimpses into the home lives of inspiring creatives, for publications such as ELLE Decor, Domino, and Architectural Digest’s Clever.
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