8 Tricks for Keeping a Neat Desk
Tags: Productivity, Remote Working, Organization, Tips, Technology

Is your desk a mess? You might be surprised at how much more productive you are if you follow our simple tips for cleaning up the clutter.

By Jill Duffy

Ask any highly organized person what they need to get work done, and they’ll invariably say, “I need a tidy space.” Keeping your physical work space neat is important to helping us focus and work productively. Clutter can be very distracting. Our environment greatly influences our behavior, mood, and state of mind, so if you want to feel ready to tackle the day, you need to keep your desk area organized.

Now that so many more of us are working from home than ever, there’s even more need to keep your home work space functional. Of course, funds and resources may be tight in these days of salary reductions and furloughs. We’ve limited our suggestions accordingly. All of them are simple to implement, and most of them cost very little or nothing at all. You’re likely to have at least some of the supplies you need on hand, and the rest can be found easily online or at most office supply or hardware stores.

If the tips in this article seem up your alley, you might also want to read up on 10 ways to improve your home office, as well as everything you need to set up an ergonomic home office.

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. When you get a piece of paper, digitize it immediately, or at least within a week of receiving it, and then file, shred, or recycle it. Many very good mobile scanning apps are free, so you can turn paper into digital documents with your phone.

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 with your keyboard, a trackpad, or other small devices and items. Be sure to put the soft side of the Velcro on the device or item because it won’t scratch your desk. Don’t use this trick if you have a varnished desk, as it could ruin the finish.

3. Keep a Microfiber Cloth on Hand (Preferably XL)

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 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, and they make your workspace tidy, fast. Use them to keep charging cables bundled neatly, or to reign in excess cord length dangling behind your computer. If you buy extra long cord wraps, you can secure your wires around the leg of a desk to keep them firmly in place. PCMag has more tips on organizing cords and cables, not only in your workspace, but also around your home and office.

5. Upcycle Containers to Store Odds and Ends

You know those tins and decorative boxes you get with random gifts, or packaging that you keep because you think it’ll be useful someday? Today’s the day. Use boxes and containers to store odds and ends, like paper clips, charging cables, or whatever accumulates on your desk. Stackable boxes or containers make it even tidier. If you have larger items, try a shoebox instead. If you want to add a pop of color and design to your space, cover the shoebox in hefty gift wrap or self-stick wallpaper.

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 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 and death certificates and wills. Label chargers and never argue again about whose phone charger is the one with the frayed end. To buy a good label maker, you can spend as little or as much as you want, but we like the inexpensive Brother P Touch Cube (about $50) for modest labeling needs. It’s also tiny enough to tuck into a drawer when not in use.

7. Hang or Guide Wires With Command Hooks

Command hooks help you keep your cords and cables organized by not letting them hang all around your workspace. They work wonders around home entertainment systems, too. You can stick these little hooks around the back of your desk or against the wall to guide the cords out of the way. Command hooks have a sticky backing that peels off easily when you pull down on the tab to remove them. They’re better than nail-in coaxial cable clips if you don’t want to hammer holes into your walls or furniture.

8. Use Drawers, Cabinets, and Bookshelves

People leave stuff on their desks when they can’t or don’t want to throw it away. If you want to have a neat desk space, you must find a permanent place for these items. All too often, the space we need is right under our noses; we’re simply not using it. If your desk has cabinets or drawers, are they full? If you organized all the stuff that’s cluttering your workspace neatly or put it into stackable boxes, would you be able to fit it all into your desk drawers, cabinets, or even neatly on a bookshelf nearby?

Again, shoeboxes are a great help for storing and organizing odd items, and they’re prettier looking if you encase them in gift wrap, self-stick wallpaper, a coat of paint, or whatever you have on hand. Of course, you might need to take a little time first to clear out the unneeded, unwanted, or obsolete stuff that tends to fill up unexamined drawers, cabinets, and shelves!