12 Tips for an Organized Desk
April 11, 2007 · Print This Article
Thanks for visiting. Please consider joining over 15,000 other readers in subscribing to our RSS feed or following us on Twitter.
Here are twelve quick tips for organizing your desk. These are things that have worked well for me. Most of them are probably applicable to others as well. If you have any suggestions of items to add please add them to the comments.
(Update: If you are interested in seeing my desk, checkout this post for photos.)
- Get rid of pens and pencils you don’t need. – I have one type of pen I like to use, but every month or my pencil holder gets filled up with other random writing instruments. If you aren’t going to use it, don’t feel bad about throwing it out. It is just clutter.
- Have a place for pocket stuff. Your keys, phone, PDA, wallet, bluetooth ear piece, etc. should have a home. My ideal setup is to keep them in a drawer with wires already run for charging the various items. Unfortunately my current desk doesn’t have drawers, so I have set aside a small amount of space under my monitor that isn’t really usable for work anyway. I have all my charging cables right there so I don’t have to hunt for them.
- Proximity based on frequency of use. If you use it every day, it should be closer than something you use only a few times each week. This is common sense, but it is easy to arrange are desk for aesthetics instead of usefulness.
- Move electronics out of sight. Your cable modem, wireless router, firewall, battery backup, etc. shouldn’t be on your desk. Even if you have enough room in introduces visual clutter.
- Easy to access files. Without moving your chair or getting up, you should be able to grab an unused manila folder, label it and put it in your file cabinet. Easy filing is one cornerstone of good organization. The more effort it requires the more difficult it will be to stay organized.
- Scanning documents. This is something I’m experimenting with. I have a scanner and I’ll turn important documents into PDFs and keep them on my computer. I use OCR so the documents are searchable. This is wonderful if you travel a lot because it keeps everything right there with you. The problem is trying to figure out what to scan and what can just be filed. If you are good at guessing what you’ll want to have electronically this can work very well. I haven’t figured out how accurate I am just yet.
- Cleaning supplies. If you clean your desk with Windex and a paper towel, make sure you have some nearby. This will help encourage you to wipe down your work surface which will encourage you to clean it off more often. It is all about making things as easy for yourself as possible.
- Scratch notepad. During the course of the day, you will have telephone numbers, names, addresses, order confirmations, flight numbers, etc. If you can keep these all in one place, you’ll be far more productive if you need to look something up later. I have the bad habit of grabbing a nearby envelope and writing a telephone number on it. By keeping a notebook, specifically for these types of items, I don’t lose nearly as many things. The Franklin Planner method is to keep all of this info in the diary page of the planner which is probably an even better option.
- Organize those wires. It is easy to have half your desk covered with wires for various pieces of electronics. Moving some stuff off your desk can help. Some pieces of velcro wrapped around wires can go a long ways toward cleaning things up. Also make sure that you have wires that are long enough to tuck out of the way. If they are too short you won’t be able to arrange them neatly. Sometimes wireless is an option. With more and more devices supporting bluetooth and WiFi, you may be able to get rid of some wires simply by enabling the wireless settings.
- If you don’t have enough drawers. My current desk is large, but it is a sheet of glass over a metal frame. While it looks really cool, it doesn’t allow much in the way of storage. To compensate, I’ve brought in a dresser for storage. I also use bookshelves with a bunch of boxes with lids to help give me some more drawer like storage. I have a two drawer file cabinet that slides under my desk to help make better use of the space.
- Lighting. Make sure you have enough light on your desk. Maybe it is just me, but a bright work area is easier to keep clean than a dark one.
- Organize as you go. As we discussed the Iron Chef Fable, it is more efficient to stay organized as you work instead of trying to do it all at the end. You should be constantly working on keeping your desk neat. If it gets disorganized in the middle of a big project, take small steps. Clear a 1 foot by 1 foot area before you leave for the day. Make a small effort toward organization may not seem like much, but if you do it everyday, it will keep things headed in the right direction for you.
Originally published on April 12, 2007.
This is most helpful. The need to keep things I need in proximity, such as empty folders, is so simple but still enlightening! I can’t believe I’ve been keeping my empty folders in the closet on the opposite side of the room all this time…
Thanks for these nice tips. The tip to store frequently needed items closer is a good one, as well as to get rid of unused pens etc. I have my empty folders in a box on top of the bookshelf – it might be a good idea to move them closer.
Re: bundling wires.
Be sure to bundle power cables separate from data cables (USB, serial, Ethernet, etc) as the former can introduce interference in the latter, complicating things rather than simplifying.
@Pete – Thanks for your kind comments. I’m glad it was useful to you. I had a similar revelation a few weeks ago when I realized my phone was positioned so I had to stand to answer it. I had been standing to answer the phone for about a month before I finally realized what I was doing and moved the phone.
@Juha – I used to keep a empty folders in the front of my file cabinet (which was within reach of my desk). I’d keep 10 to 15 there ready to go and refill them from my storage closet whenever I ran out. My current desk has a place to keep the entire box within reach.
@Ernie- My current desk layout is such that they aren’t close together and most of my network uses wireless. However, that is an excellent point because interference problems are pretty tricky to troubleshoot–especially when you don’t expect them.
Great article Mark, thanks
I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve linked you on my blogroll over on my site
Kevin
Change your photo. You look like a munter.
I found a small mesh “box” at target that was sized for holding hanging files, and about 6 inches deep. I keep three hanging files in it (action, waiting, reference) and a bunch of manila folders. It stays by my desk as a mini-file cabinet. When a project is no longer active, I roll the 4 feet over to the real file cabinet and file it away. Keeps things at my fingertips and off my desk, like you said
.
Great post. I like the about Scanning your documents, I might use it…
Thanks for the encouragement. I’m still experimenting with scanning documents. I generally use it for things that I may need access to on the road. I have a system that uses OCR and saves the image along with the text as a PDF, that way I can search my hard drive for a word and find it in the PDF document.
I’ve considered getting a sheet feeder scanner and trying to scan almost everything, but I haven’t decided if it is worth it or not.
We are a document scanning company in the UK and we have recognised that people don’t have the time to sit and scan all their own/business paperwork. We have started a new service where we can scan all your bits every month for you and all the pdf’s are available on line for you to do what you want with. I use 4 trays and efile-it and I am completely paperless now. All my notes are made on my palm or pc. This service is only available in the UK at the moment but there may be companies in the US that offer something similar.
@Sharon – Wow that is pretty interesting. I’m in the US so unfortunately I can’t try out your service, but I think it is a very good idea. How fast is your turn around time?
Great post, i made a translation in french of it I hope it isnt a problem.
Have a nice day,
I’m a developer, and for that reason I keep some things like file folders out of reach, actually in a cabinet that I have to walk to. Its not like I’m filing every hour so it forces me out of my chair, which is a good thing. But a pen, notebook and phone must be in reach (ideally without even looking).
These are terrific tips. I have moved to my 4th office in 8 months, and I am learning to keep things ready to pack at a moment’s notice. I now have a “web worker” job, but the desk I am at is not set up very well. I can use these tips to rearrange as best I can. Thanks!
Great article. I found that Staples has an organizer that is on the large size but sits in the corner of my desk – it’s called the Apprentice, and it holds my unused folders, pens, envelopes and even more in a neat, close at hand, but not in my face manner. It works wonders for me.
They seem like such easy tips, and yet so hard to live by. If nothing else, it’s made me realize that a kitchen table with no drawers does not make for an easy-to-organize desk. I need drawers, and lots of them.
I finally spent some money and got a desk with a return and a hutch. I FINALLY have the luxury of excess storage space!
I had to chuckle when you mentioned having enough lighting. I have (8) T-12×48″ tubes lighting up my 10′x13′ office. At first, my wife thought I might be hurting my eyes because it is so bright in here. Now, she comes to sit on the couch to read.
I keep essential reference works on a corner of the desk, the laptop lives on the right-hand return and the main desk has a calendar desk pad for handwriting and a quick check of my schedule for the day.
I also have a large (4′x6′) corkboard to my immediate right.
I can get to my main filing cabinet (4 drawers) in one good push of the chair, but have to get up for supplies or to pick up printed material from my printers / fax machines. When I get sore from sitting, I can lay on the very firm couch for a few minutes and stretch things out.
I know that getting beyond the “cramped / hand-me-down desk in a dimly-lit room” stage has made a big difference in my housekeeping. The place looks nice now … and I tend to keep it that way. Moreover, I am getting a LOT more done these days.
It is time I started throwing everything out. Start Again. Buy a new house for my junk.
This is a very nice summary. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good scanner for someone just beginning to use this? Does the same machine work well for both photos and text documents?
Thank you!
@Barbara – For paper I like the ScanSnaps. They are very reasonably priced for doublesided sheet fed scanners. You’ll get more detail on photos with a flatbed scanner, but for scanning in my grandparent’s boxes of snapshots the ScanSnap works just fine.
If you are doing a lot of photos that need to be very high resolution, I’d consider getting a Canon LIDE. You should be able to find one for around $90 (maybe even less).
One thing that helps me when scanning documents is having a desktop search (I use Windows Desktop Search), so that when I need to find it again quickly, I don’t have to search through all of my documents. I just type in part of the name and it pops up immediately.
Thanks for all the great tips & ideas you give!
To keep my wires organized I use carabiners and velco straps to keep all of my wires organized.
Instead of throwing out the writing utensils, gather them up on a weekly basis and donate them to one of your favorite local 5013C’s or to a school. Less trash buildup and gets the clutter off your desk.
I agree with Angela. Churches, schools, service groups can almost always use pens to hang around. Or give them to a budding entrepreneur!
*Regarding the scanning of documents, I was told by several organized friends that it doesn’t matter if you guess wrong on whether you’ll need the hard copy again. Your sanity is worth more than the cost of printing a sheet of paper or two!
I find I rarely have to print things again – but I look at the PDFs I made all the time.
I can vouch for scanning documents. Everything is scanned with OCR and if not a legal document, shredded. I’m using an HP scanner with a 50 sheet feeder, and Adobe Acrobat 9.
Use google desktop with PDF-searching enabled,and never lose a bank statement again.
great article but it didnt help me none!!!
Thankyou, these tips really helped me get organized!
Before, I had everything just piled on my desk because I didn’t have a filing system near by, but, with your advice, I bought a small filing cabinet that fits right under my desk. So, when I need to file a paper, I won’t just leave it on my desk to file it “later,” (which means when I have time to get up out of my chair, causing more work for me later, which is exactly the WRONG thing to do).
Also, your right on target about the wires on your desk: They are just visual clutter because they make your desk look messy due to their unruliness.
Thanks again for posting this!
I am a pediatrician. Where you position you desk makes a difference. I have a corner office. My desk faces a wall. My door is to my right so I can keep an eye on traffic and yet not be forced to make eye contact with everybody (which happens when you’re
facing the door). I have a cork board (3×5 feet) to my left to put stuff I need answers to immediately. Yes I can look up my calender on my workstation, but sometimes paper is stll best. Finally, I have my phone attached to the wall to my left. I answer the phone always with my left hand and can pick up the phone without stopping what I’m doing. Getting the phone off your desk saves real estate for something else. How many times have you seen your colleague get a phone call. and they have to find it, unbury it (which causes another pile of clutter), untangle the cord, knock something over, etc. I don’t spend enough time in the phone to use an ear piece. My nurses obviously do so they all use ear pieces. Their phones are also on their walls, not on the desk. just a few thoughts.
Very good article. I definitely think enough storage is important. The scanning of documents is a good idea, but im curious as to how much time it takes to scan everything you want.
I take alot of notes, and i use paper for this initially, and then at the end of the day I re-type them into an electronic form.
Along with easy access, it also provides for backup of your work. I have invested in storage specifically for backing up my stuff. I really hate to loose it all because of a bad PC crash.
@Kim – Initially scanning everything in took awhile, but I had my assistant do it. Now I just put anything that needs scanned into a drawer and she scans it all in every few weeks. Also you need to have some type of really good backup method if you are putting all of your documents into a digital format. I use Time Machine, a disk image, and occasionally dump things out to a DVD and put them into a bank safety deposit box.
Thanks for the tips! My desk is a complete mess right now and I needed these tips. I think I’ll tackle one drawer at a time.
I’ve been scanning for about 1.5 years now. EVERYTHING goes in there. 100% digital. Recycling goes up, paper storage goes down, searching speed increases, archival of important stuff increases onto SD cards (I keep my biz files on 2 GB cards, around my place in various locations). Of course on a Mac, the combination of Spotlight and Launchbar makes this super easy to search. Fujitsu Scansnap is a brilliant machine, at any speed. Just wish it scanned to text, as that could seriously open up some huge bidness.
I cut my textbooks (3 degrees in biochemistry and MBA) and recipe books to go through the scanner and OCR. All my loose MBA notes are in there as well. Literally 100’s of pounds of paper, all back in the system now, and in my puter. Talk about emptying the house. LESS IS MORE. Good for environment too. Got me thinking everybody should post urls to grab manuals for hardware (bought anywhere), etc. Also I shred all sensitive papers, keep a Rubbermaid 50 litre bin under my desk for recycling. Out every 2 weeks. Does my club soda cans, other paper, packaging, etc.
Modem, power bar, router, another hub, all into a pegboard using wire, held on bottomside of other desk, so I can access and view lights. Printer and scanner on a two-level small side-table bought on Craigslist, that I shoved casters into, to move table around. Also make big use of plastic storage bins for everything, stacked in closet. Craigslist is cool cool for inexpensive desks to drill through and modify to your needs. Cheap monitor mounts at Ikea, to get VESA mountable monitors off desk, onto Home Depot steel angle iron that is pre-drilled, attached via bolts, to rolling file box that has casters.
Most important: Multi-port video cards get my Mac Pro with 2 19″, 1 24″, 1 30″ monitors. All 1 desktop. Real Estate = Productivity, which is the biggest boost I have ever known. I write software, need real estate. Mac Pro can handle 8 24″ monitors apparently. Gotta love it.
Cheers
Actually, it’s quite useful to use Notepad or similar for quick notes instead of a notebook. I try not to use anything analog.
This comes in handy a lot, I’m glad you shared this with us. My desk has never looked better!
Great basic list – about all one needs. I happen to use multi-colored pens, so scratch #1 for me.
#12 – imagine if everyone did that for everything they do – work, house, garage, cooking, bathroom counter, etc!
BTW, I found this site from a tweet from the zen habits guy. Thanks Leo!
#6: Why not adopt the rule “If it’s worth keeping, scan it.”
#8. Scratch Notepad
I have spent the last couple of years reducing (to zero) post-it notes and other disposable (losable) places to write things down. My Moleskine goes with me everywhere, and is always available to note random things down.
The number of times a phone number ended up on a missing post-it note because “I wouldn’t need it again” started to become a distraction that I now avoid.
One of the greatest feelings is to have a clean workstation or desk. The minute I became a minimalist a few years back, a burden of trash and uselessness was lifted.
Great advice…Thanks…
Dave
As a professional organizer for small business, I have to say – your tips are great!
Utilizing your space and resources actually boosts the bottom line of any company. The time you don’t spend looking for something, or going to get something that isn’t easily accessible adds to productivity and that results in a stronger profit margin at the end of the day.
Being organized also makes you feel good, and that attitude is seen by customers and clients for repeat business…
For #8 – I don’t use a scratch pad – it’s too easy to throw things out by accident. I use a bound composition notebook. On the side edge in sharpie – I’ve written Phone Log – and the date range. It takes me about 2 years to fill one up but I keep it forever. Periodically, I have my assistant input the people into my list database and contacts.
@Debra – Great idea. I think that is part of the usage pattern behind the Franklin planners–you keep everything forever.
I enjoying seeing other peoples’ work habits, and environments. For me a computer is really all I need, and a scanner. Since everything I do is digital, i enjoy having everything, and i mean everything, on my computer.
Great items. I too like the scanned document suggestion the best. We print far too much paper unnecessarily and hold onto stuff we could scan. Thanks!