Get your desk together with these easy steps!

Lily Cichanowicz Lily Cichanowicz
Jardins, Pereira Reade Interiores Pereira Reade Interiores Study/office
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Most of us can attest to procrastinating on work tasks at least a few times. There are many reasons why we do this, but have you ever considered that maybe the state of our workspace is one of them? Sitting down and getting some work done can be tough enough without having to sift through a messy desk. Even more troublesome than this, is that a disorganised desk can often cause important paperwork to get lost—never a good thing. 

When your desk is neat and tidy, it can help reinvigorate your work ethic, increase concentration, and even cut out some of the stress related to completing administrative tasks. There are plenty of organisation gurus and guidebooks out there who are all too ready to overcomplicate things with a well-meaning array of tips and tricks. We’re here to assert that getting your home desk together is as simple as following these 6 easy steps. Let’s begin!

A bulletin board/pin board

For those blaringly important notes and documents, stowing them away in a folder just won’t do. When you need to keep a reminder, we suggest implementing the help of a bulletin board or pin board. Situate the board at eye level near a computer screen as we can see in this example in order to keep it in plain sight. 

You can use thumbtacks or reusable adhesive to stick the notes on the board. This way they are out of the way yet still in full view. You can even hang small items like keys on the board for safekeeping.

Hanging wall pockets

When it comes to home office productivity, it’s crucial that the desktop is void of excess. As you begin to pour over the day’s tasks you’ll want the items on the desk to directly correspond to whatever it is that you’re working on. Finding another place to keep papers related to other subjects can help to facilitate digression from your main priorities. Still, there is often a reason why that stack of other papers and supplies ended up on your desk in the first place. 

Clearing the desk of excess doesn’t mean you have to banish the items altogether. Instead, simply find another place in the vicinity to house them. One of our favourite ways to do this is with the help of hanging wall pockets for those smaller items like day planners, address books, phones, tablets, keys, and the like. Adhering a stylish storage station like this one by Silva Design to your wall will free up some essential space on the desk without causing any inconvenience.

Desktop calendar

One item that can stay on the desk without getting in the way is a desktop calendar. Some of these even come with adhesive on the bottom to help secure it in place. Plus, it can be nice to have a thin stack of papers beneath the one you are writing on, because a bit of cushion helps the pen to work better. Not to mention, that keeping a calendar handy will help you to keep track of things and help you to cut down the stress related to doing so. As things come up you can simply jot a note down on the relevant days in your calendar. 

There are plenty of different desktop calendar designs out there to fit your preferences, but you can also DIY. Find a template in your word processing computer program or online and use it as a base for incorporating pictures of your loved ones and friends. Seeing their faces while you work will help boost feelings of wellbeing.

Boost your organisation potential with binders

Now it’s time to discuss that looming stack of paperwork that’s probably sitting on your desk as you are reading this. It can be a lot to process when various important documents are constantly coming your way. You know you need to hang onto them, but the pile gradually keeps on growing. The result is that you have to spend precious time sifting and searching for the right paper. Even worse, they are vulnerable to all sorts of factors when they sit unprotected on the desk. They could fall on the floor and get shuffled. Even worse, they are susceptible to coffee spills! 

We highly recommend taking the time to come up with a proper filing system for these items. Binders work especially well for loftier sets of paperwork, but be sure to keep a hole-puncher on hand. Alternatively, labelled paper trays or an accordion folder can help you sort those documents that you need around on a more immediate basis.

Under the desk storage system

As you may have gathered thus far, we are pretty adamant about maintaining a neat workspace that is clear of clutter. Of course, we also acknowledge that there are some necessary items in the office or study that need a place of their own. Luckily, many desks come with space to store such items beneath them. You can use conventional desk drawers for many things, but it’s a good idea to add a drawer insert to help compartmentalise the various small items you keep there. 

Alternatively, you may want to consider removing the drawers to allow for more space for housing books and papers in the drawer sockets. You can also opt for a rolling file cabinet like the one that fits perfectly beneath this rustic style desk. Finally, good old-fashioned shelves are quite useful for stowing a multitude of different items. In addition to using a bookcase with shelves or installing a set of floating shelves to the wall, see if you can find a desk with a shelf beneath like this one.

Simple desk organisers

Try to keep the number of necessary desk implements to a minimum, but naturally some things will have to stay. For those things that need to stay handy, it’s a good idea to invest in some basic desk organisers. 

For example, a Mason jar or cup is ideal for keeping pens, pencils, markers and scissors in place. Vertical trays or slots will help you to organise envelopes and other stationery materials. You may also want to keep a small dish on the desktop for holding staples, erasers, and other tiny essentials.

Fresh flowers or a plant

Finally, one decorative item we do condone on the desk is a plant or some fresh flowers. The presence of nature in the workplace has been proven to help boost productivity, creativity, and concentration. You can also post images of natural scenery in the office space to help enhance these positive effects.  Plants will give the workspace a more positive vibe and also inspire you to take regular care to keep things tidy. 

If you don’t like the idea of crowding the desk with plants, you can incorporate a small shelf or hanging planter like we can see in this small study area. Be sure to remember to do a bit of research about the needs of your plant. Choose a plant that can thrive in the amount of sunlight present in your home office.

If you found these ideas useful, you might also like this simple guide to home office productivity. Happy decorating! 

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