10 Ways To Declutter And Reorganize Your Desk For Ultimate Productivity

It’s ridiculously easy to get lost in thought, lose inspiration and fall off the productivity bandwagon when you’re working in a cluttered space. I’ve been crawling all over the web to find a list of desk organisational tips and DIY’s that could solve all your problems!

Here’s the thing, you can create a desk that promotes productivity, creativity and an overall positive vibe without breaking the bank (Woop Woop)!

Think about all the work you can get done without having to feel absolutely miserable. With that being said, check out this fantastic list of tips on how to quickly transform your office desk into a cool, funky and clutter free work haven.

10 Desk Decluttering Tips To Level Up Your Productivity

1. Get Rid Of Everything And Start From Scratch (Yes, Really!)

Sometimes, the best place to start is ground zero. Empty out your desk in preparation for a brand-new layout. Separate essential items into one pile and everything else into a pile for storage or disposal.

Once done, we can start figuring out different work zones and optimal positioning of all those essential items we set aside earlier.

2. Create Work Zones

In general, the average work desk is made up of 2 – 3 work zones. The space directly in front of your seating position is best zoned for writing, pc use and hands on work. The space to your left is great for cute diy items to store stationery and flowers and the space to your right is perfect for files and plans.

I’m right handed so it’s easy for me to switch to the right side of my desk to deal with notemaking and planning. Always structure work items to your dominant hand. Simple, isn’t it?

3. Make Use Of To-Do, Completed And Discard Boxes

If you’re like me and tend to work on lots of paper (even though we’re in the age of tech :p), it’s pretty darn easy to end up with a desk packed with old sheets of paper and magazine cut outs (yup, I still read actual paperback copies of magazines).

I came across this easy DIY tutorial on making cute boxes to store all my documents and it worked out beautifully. It won’t cost you anything if you have old shoe boxes in storage and a bit of paint or material!

Arrange things in your To-do, completed and discard boxes so that you never end up in a state of excessive clutter and chaos.

4. Create Your Very Own Charging Station

Ladies, who says only men can build epic techie gadgets! I hate the sight of cables running all over the place, they’re an eye sore but essential when working with laptops and phones.

I searched the net and found a lovely tutorial of how to make a super pretty charging dock so your desk doesn’t have to look untidy and cluttered with tangled cords running all over the place.

5. Cork Pencil And Pen Holder

Believe it or not, I’m using the casing from one of my smartphone boxes to store all my stationary. The box itself has this old rustic textured design that suits the color of my desk.

But, after seeing this cork pencil and pen holder, I’m thinking of ditching the box and moving onto this. You’ll love how cool it looks next to a pot plant or your night light.

The convenience of not having to dig around a box for the right color pen is enticing enough for me to make the transition. My only concern is if people take advantage of it and grab my pens and pencils whenever they like (grrr!).

6. Led Flameless Candles For Night Time Work Sessions

Frugality is my specialty. I search like a mad person for cheaper alternatives to things I like which is how I found these little flameless led flickering light candles at just $1 each.

They’re battery operated and if you drop a paper cup or any material casing over it, you can create a warm white light environment without cables or the need for excessive space.

7. Sticky Notes

Minimalism goes a long way in holding concentration and creating an almost stress free environment. Sticky notes make a great accessory to any desk and serve as wonderfully attractive reminders of appointments, ideas, notes and deadlines.

A pack of 50 doesn’t cost more than a few bucks and they’re pretty easy to find. You can slap them onto a standing wooden board or straight onto your desk.

Alternately, you can check out this tutorial on how to make a mini booklet for notes using just a sheet of paper.

8. Go Wireless

Yes, let’s ditch that wired keyboard, mouse and speakers for sleek, bluetooth enabled and cost effective devices. Amazon and eBay have a wide selection of wireless input and output devices that aren’t crazy expensive. Sure, they’re from China but most devices are. I picked up a Bluetooth wireless mouse from ebay for about 2 bucks and it works great!

9. Beautify Your Desk With Something Green

Beautiful flowers, lush green plants, an eternal terrarium or a family of cacti, get something green to brighten up and beautify your desk. For me, plants are relaxing.

I can easily go for hours on end working so it helps to break things up a bit with a nice glass vase with freshly picked flowers from my garden.

Aside from cleaning the air, it’s easy on the eyes and detracts from all the chaos that may be ensuing from work. It’s your space, after all. It shouldn’t be all work and no personality. Color it up with some creative greenery!

10. Clothes Pin Daily Organizer

Last, but certainly not least, the clothes pin daily organizer is a space saving and easy way of stringing up your notes and lists with items you can easily find at home.

I took a thick string of wool, stuck each end against the wall using glue stick and attached notes with pegs/clothes pin as seen in the tutorial.