5 Ways to Keep Your Desk Organized

For those of us who work in an office, keeping a neat and tidy workspace is important and difficult. Although you, as well as us at modernize, know that organization increases efficiency both in and out of the workplace, it can seem almost impossible to maintain a clutter and mess-free desk. Here are five tips to help you keep your desk organized and increase your productivity at work.

Eliminate clutter

This first tip is often much easier said than done. If you want a tidy, efficient workspace, you need to intentionally keep it that way. Try to keep only essentials on your desk surface (computer, phone, calendar, and pen) and utilize storage space above and below your desk for paperwork and files you will need throughout the day. If you can maintain a mostly clear desk space, you can help clear your mind of clutter and focus on the task at hand.

Use the walls

One of the best ways to keep your work surface organized is to store files, paperwork, and important documents above your desk (or behind, as the case may be). Wall-mounted shelving units, corkboards, and even chalkboard walls can help you to store and visualize the work that needs to be done without taking up valuable space on your desk. If wall storage isn’t an option where you work, consider a multi-level desk storage alternative. The next tip explains this kind of storage in more detail.

Invest in a desk organizer

A desk organizer is perfect for people whose work includes lots of paperwork and important documents. Thankfully, there are far more attractive options on the market today than traditional plastic file trays (although these get the job done if you’re limited in buying options).

The best part of desk organizers is that they allow you to have a place for everything: pens and pencils, staplers, paper clips, and sticky notes all have a home on your desk, away from the work surface. This cleverly designed desk has its own built-in shelves to store any number of books, files, accessories, and materials you might need.

Tell the time

Time management is an essential part of the workday. It seems obvious that you will want to have somewhere to keep track of the date and time, but how you do it is up to you. A clock, calendar, calendar block, or computer screensaver—the choices are many. Choosing an attractive timepiece will, in addition to adding a bit of character to your office space, make the passing minutes seem slightly less daunting and help you focus so you don’t waste time.

Color Code

If you want to take your desk organization to the next level, choose color-coded folders, file boxes, and notebooks for various tasks, contracts, and elements of your job. This will help you to find similar documents when you need them rather than wasting time sifting through piles of paperwork.

Color-coded storage not only tidies up your space but also gives your office space some colour (perfect for those of us who don’t have many office decor options).