5 ways to organise your desk space

Arranging your desk is the first step to higher organisation and productivity levels at work. A practical but creative and personalised desk area makes you feel more relaxed and willing to get more done each day. But what about those small spaces with minimal storage? From desk tidies to hiding your hard drives, these top tips will set you on your way to a more functional desk space no matter the size.

1. Prioritise your daily necessities

The first step to desk organisation is sorting your most-used to your least essential items. Put away or hide files that you don’t use daily, but keep to hand the items that you do need, like pens, pencils, your diary and any important documents. This way you will not find yourself rummaging across your desktop to find exactly what you need, ultimately completing tasks quickly and efficiently. If you find yourself not using something for a whole week, throw it away! If there is no use for something, do not leave it out on display.

2. Use a desk organiser

Desk tidies come in various shapes and sizes and can hold all sorts of items from paperclips to mobile phones. Some desk organisers have multiple sections and drawers to store the maximum amount of stationery; this way you are using a smaller space for the ultimate storage solution. If you don’t have the room, use small desk organisers like pen pots and trays to group together like for like items for convenient and easy access.

3. Hide items behind your monitor or under your desk

If you have a computer, hide big items like hard drives or extension leads behind the screen. Wires that are used for your computer screen, monitor and telephone should be clipped together or fed through a hole in or behind your desk to avoid tangles and trips. This makes your desktop look less cluttered which is a necessity for desk organisation. Using the space under your desk for storage boxes or technical equipment is also a great way to organise your desk space.

4. Work your way up

If your desk is particularly small, think vertically. Utilise desktop drawers that have multiple sections by stacking items on top of them to build up your space. Another way to revitalise your small space is by purchasing vertical paper storage as it uses up less of your desktop. Alternatively, if you can use shelf or wall space, optimise it as much as you can. Pin up important documents to a notice board on the wall or stack your files on shelf space to provide a more spacious feel and room to personalise your desktop.

5) Clean before you leave

Tidying up your desk at the end of each workday is a great way to keep the smallest of spaces organised. Bin any rubbish, put pens and paperclips back in the desk tidy and reorganise your important documents to end your day properly, and start afresh tomorrow. This way you can organise your items by importance each day depending on the tasks you have to complete.

Why should we care about our desk space?

Believe it or not, organising your desk space is not just a way to please your boss. With less clutter on your desk, you will be able to focus more on what is on your computer screen than what is surrounding you. You will feel calmer without distractions as you will have more room to start new projects or look at yesterday’s tasks with a fresh mind. Too many post-it notes, files and folders could you make you feel unaccomplished and stressed, so throwing or filing away the work you have previously completed allows you to focus on the next day rather than contemplate the past. If you are more of an “out of sight, out of mind” person, adopt a specific desk tidy for all to-do lists and random reminders, so you can still make quick and messy notes, but not leave them to completely dominate your desk space.

Get the office involved

If you think that organising your small and messy desk space could really lift your productivity levels, why not inform your colleagues about these top tips? The more organised and tidy desks there are in the workplace, the more reputable you will look, and the more productive you will be!