Is there a way to organize your desk that best fits your personality?
If you're anything like us, you love organization. We love to-do lists, productivity apps, organizational hacks, anti-boredom hacks, and everything around simplifying (and yes, beautifying) our lives.
We spend a lot of time at our work desks—or our home office desks. Whether you work remotely, in a cubicle, or in an open office, you're going to spend at least 40 hours a week staring at it. So, we decided to overhaul our desks to give them a little life, to spark a little joy and positive energy, and to help boost our productivity and creativity.
From organizing papers to adding little monitor extensions or in-your-face to-dos, we thought of it all (we think.) Here's a guide on how to organize your desk, office, or cubicle—and be the envy of all of your coworkers.
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DIY Desk Organization: 4 Desk Style Inspirations to Try
If you prefer to look at some images or take inspiration from a specific type of design, we've outlined four desk design style inspirations. Which one appeals most to your work style?
The Feng Shui Desk
Left: Emily Henderson, Right: Emmy de Leon
Feng Shui is the Chinese art or practice of creating harmonious surroundings that enhance the balance of yin and yang, as in arranging furniture or determining the build of a house. Feng shui aims to create harmony between you and your environment. It's said that having the proper feng shui layout could increase one's prosperity, good luck, fortune, and even wisdom.
According to feng shui principles, the best desk placement is the commanding position of the room. The commanding position is the space farthest from the door. Ideally, your desk should not be in a direct line of sight from the door, but you should still be able to see your door. Since your desk symbolizes your career and purpose in life, it's important to place your desk in the correct space.
When considering desk materials and color, consider the five elements of feng shui: earth, metal, water, wood, and fire. Anjie Cho, a certified feng shui consultant, recommends the following in regard to feng shui colors:
- Brown, earthy tones represent the earth element for stability and grounding.
- White, gray, and metallics represent the metal element for efficiency and clarity.
- Black represents the water element for networking and flow.
- Green and blue represent the wood element for growth and activity.
- Red represents the fire element for inspiration and fame.
If you are laying out a feng shui office or feng shui home office, Cho also recommends a desk big enough for your work, with rectangular, "L-shaped," and kidney-shaped desks being the best shapes.
By the way, avoid glass desks as these can represent fragility, instability, and the idea of things falling through at work.
The Maximalist Work Desk
[photo credit] Left: @pmqfortwo Right: @floraamalie
Maximalism is design's response to minimalism. It's about the maximal use of decorations, colors, patterns, and more to decorate your surroundings. A maximalist approach to desk design can be a great way to inspire abundance and create a creative work environment.
Having a desk filled with your favorite colors, objects, and patterns will boost productivity because your work environment will energize and motivate you. Since your desk is your area of work and focus, be sure not to go too overboard. You don't want to have elements that will distract you from your work.
Try picking a color theme or limiting the number of items on your actual desk. Or, go bold with bigger pieces of furniture and keep the clutter of smaller to a minimum. We recommend incorporating some indoor plants. Green office spaces have been known to boost productivity.
The Minimalist Work Desk
[photo credit] Left: @maisyleigh Right: Photo by Roger Davies
On the flip side, we have the minimalist work desk approach. Minimalism is all about having only the essentials. A minimalist desk can provide focus and clarity and gives you more physical space to do your work.
A minimalist work desk is especially great if you're working within a small space. We recommend trying a multi-purpose desk that can fold or implementing floating wall shelves. Monitor risers with drawers can also give you more space and keep clutter away.
Keeping everything in one color palette will also create a sense of minimalism. It gives your brain a more zen and less-stimulating environment. Speaking of zen, we recommend incorporating some soft light into your work area.
A minimalist desk lamp can provide a nice glow, especially if you tend to do more work in the evening.
The Aesthetic Work Desk
[photo credit] Left: @estherhfung Right: @jennamatintupa
What is an *aesthetic* style? An aesthetic style is described as pleasing to look at. It tends to prioritize look over function, but that doesn't always have to be the case!
An aesthetic work desk appeals to all five senses. It's investing in a statement desk that is functional yet artistic. It's having the proper lighting and incorporating desk objects like oil diffusers, and candles.
It's about upgrading your tech to have a tactile clicky-clacky keyboard and mouse or ensuring that your computer accessories make no noise at all.
In order to achieve the aesthetic look, select a texture, pattern, or color palette. Match your desktop wallpaper to your desk mat. Include art on your desk that reminds you of your favorite movie. Set up a space that matches your personality and makes you smile!
Organizing Your Papers + Pens
In this digital age, how do we still get buried in paper?
Like it or not, some things just need to be printed, drawn, or written in ink. Here at Career Contessa, we are definitely guilty of using paper to draw out some of our plans, but we promise we are responsible!
While we have done a great deal to eliminate most of our paper use, we still do have those few essentials. Let's organize them.
- 4-Piece Desk Accessories Set: With this simple set, you can organize pretty much everything. It comes in a variety of colors, but we love the rose gold. The best part? This set will match the stapler you're inevitably going to have to have.
- All-in-One Organizer (also in Rose Gold): Not feeling the 4-piece set? This organizer combines it all. Organize your paper, pens, and other incidentals with this rose gold wire organizer.
- Flat File Organizer: If you're only looking to organize a few papers, this is the perfect solution.
- Modern Acrylic Organizer: Maybe rose gold isn't your thing. This acrylic desktop organizer can hold your pens, paperclips, postcards, and lip gloss—all the small things that need a home.
- Wire Pencil Holder: If you are on the rose gold train, here is a wire pen and pencil holder to match all of your other accessories.
- Minimalist Desktop Storage Organizer: If you're looking for something a bit more minimal this organizer (which comes in 5 different colors) will do the trick.
De-Clutter Your Desktop
When I look at my desktop right now, I see a notebook, a lip gloss, a pen, and some post-its that have lost their stickiness and are scattered all over. This baby needs an overhaul. Rather than sticking everything in a drawer (guilty), we found a few desktop organizational items for storage and organization.
- Wooden Desktop Organizer: Is it not a dream to have a mini bookshelf on your desk? If this appeals to you, check out this small, easily-installable desk bookshelf.
- Magnetic Board: Solve all of your clutter problems with a magnetic board. Use cute magnets (they're below on the list) to hang pictures, reminders, and other important items.
- Hidden Drawer: Try these hidden under-the-desk attachable drawers if you're working with a small space.
- Cute Magnets: If you're buying a magnetic board, you need some cute magnets. We found some jewel magnets, days of the week magnets, starry sky magnets, and word magnets (remember magnetic poetry?). Then we realized we were falling into a deep magnet hole and had to stop.
Inspiration for Your Desk (And for Your Brain)
Yes, we're talking about books. Keep a few inspirational books on your desk from your favorite writers, businesswomen, and inspirational leaders. We have a few recommendations.
- Lead from the Outside by Stacey Abrams: Yes, we are putting this on every book list until the end of time, because we think she is one of the most (if not the most) inspirational figures living.
- Power Moves by Lauren McGoodwin: Power Moves is written with you in mind, to help you navigate your career on your terms. It doesn't hurt that it'll look great on your desk, too :)
- Dare to Lead by Brené Brown: When you're looking for a five-minute break from your work to inspire some serious motivation to make a change, pick up Dare to Lead—then try to put it down.
- Even more books: We love creating book round-ups of books we have enjoyed, books that we have read over and over, and books that have literally changed our lives. Check out some of our favorite leadership books, finance books, and our favorite books of all-time.
Okay, maybe you don't need a tape dispenser or a stapler, but we found some really pretty ones. Be the office hero next time someone needs a piece of tape or a bunch of papers stapled together.
- This Rose Gold Stapler + Tape Dispenser: They're a beautiful enough duo that you are convinced you need a stapler and a tape dispenser—or is that just us?
- The Successful Woman Planner: There's something about the power of suggestion. This planner literally says "Successful Woman" on the cover. Get this planner + get after it.
- Color Pens: These Stabilo Fineliner pens are amazing—and they come in every color. If you're really serious about color-coding all of your to-do lists, you might need to invest in a 40-pack of pens.
Remind Yourself
Sometimes, the best reminders can't be digital chirps coming from your phone. If you're like us, you benefit more from a physical Post-it than from a digital calendar reminder.
- Acrylic Monitor Message Board: It's difficult to explain what this is (so click it!) but it's a great way for someone with lots of to-dos to keep track. We imagine this is a great tool for a graphic designer or a coder—someone who is always looking closely at her monitor.
- You Got This Neon Sign: This one serves as a motivational reminder as well as some pretty light decor.
- Tearable Daily Calendar: If you love the satisfaction of ripping off a to-do list when it's complete try this Bliss Collections daily planner.
Notebooks
So, you've filled up your seventh notebook and you've only been on the job for three months? No big deal. As fun as it is to say goodbye to a notebook, it's important to keep them. You never know when you will need a note you scribbled in months ago. We added some new notebooks to continue your list-making, note-taking, and (let's be honest) your best 3:00 pm doodles.
We could put together a guide of hundreds of notebooks, but here are (just) a few of our favorites.
- Mead Marble Notebook: If it ain't broke! These notebooks are cheap, indestructible, and a good familiar friend from grade school.
- Moleskine Notebook: Maybe you graduated from Mead notebooks (never forget your roots!) onto Moleskines. These sleek notebooks come lined, unlined, gridded, or dotted. Choose your favorite.
- Muji Notebooks: No, we are not profiling notebooks that start with the letter "M," yet here we are. These thin Muji notebooks can slip in your laptop case with your laptop. They are dependable and affordable.
- XYTMY Colorful Notebooks: These leather notebooks come in packs of four. If you like surprises, you will love these—the four colors are a surprise!
- This Soothing and "Very 2020-2021" Notebook: This is a funny-haha notebook reminding you to breathe and power through.
Hide Those Ugly, Ugly Cables
Cables are an eyesore—there's no two ways about it. Until our world goes completely wireless (when will that finally happen?) we are attached to cables to give us much-needed electricity. Here are a few items to help you de-tangle, organize, and hide your ugly wires and cables.
- Cable Clips: The first rule of organizing cables is separating them from their cable friends. Use cable clips to guide your cable on a straight path from the power cord to the device. Never scramble to reach your arm behind your desk to fish out your phone charger again.
- Cable Management Box: Once you have detangled your cables and wires, consider feeding them through a cable management box to ensure that they never re-tangle again! Victory!
- Power Cord Storage Box: Look how pretty this one is. Not only does it power your electronics, it serves as a desk shelf, too.
- Magnetic Cable Manager: If you're looking to corral your phone charger, this little magnetic pillow is the perfect solution.
Plants, Doo-dads, and Other Fun Desk Accessories
Not everything has to be completely functional, right?
We are huge advocates for plants at work. However, if you don't want to turn your desk into a watery jungle, an adorable little succulent can do the job. If you have a picture of your favorite niece (we all have a favorite) or your significant other, frame it and reserve bragging rights for any passers-by. Here are a few desk items to zhuzh up your workday, every day of the week.
Bonus: If you're a little extra at work, these are the perfect supplies, accessories, and appliances to make your workspace the envy of everyone. If you're working from home, well, you might have to post your "deskscape" to Instagram to be the envy of all your coworkers.
Lamps + Lighting
- Wood Desk Lamp: We love this little Pixar-looking lamp. Best part? It comes in the signature Career Contessa blue ;)
- The "Everything" Lamp: This LED lamp can charge your phone, change colors, tell you the time, hold your pens, and wash your laundry. One of these things isn't true, but the rest are!
- Battery-Operated LED String Lights: Okay, maybe you don't need this, but who wouldn't love to be basking in a warm twinkling light when engaging in some early morning or late evening work?
- Croissant Lamp: Speaking of lights you don't need. Croissant lamp.
Plants + Other Delights
- Artificial Potted Succulent: We have to note that real plants are always preferable. Did you know that plants improve employee cognition at work? If you have a black thumb, consider an artificial succulent in a cute pineapple planter to start.
- Desktop Calendar: We know, we know—your phone will tell you the date. Sometimes it's nice to have a cute little calendar on your desk.
- Felt Message Board: Do you like to provide delightful quotes to your coworkers? Or, do you need a way to gently tell your family to back off while you're working from home? This felt board is the perfect way to communicate whatever message you want.
- Personal Air-Purifying Fan: Our health is more important than anything else. Try an air-purifying fan for your desk to breathe in the freshest air.
- Mugs, Mugs, Mugs: Just like with magnets, we got ourselves into a little bit of a mug hole. We found a travel mug, a sunshine mug, and a dependable Yeti mug (which also comes in Career Contessa blue). Also, working moms, we know you haven't had a hot cup of coffee or tea in...forever, so this mug is for you—whenever you get to it. Find your mug of choice—and don't let anyone else touch it!
- Desk Timer: If you're a Pomodoro person or are very intentional with your focus work time give this small desk interval desk timer a try.
If you implement any of these desk makeovers, please DM us your photos on Instagram!
*We want to let you know that some of these links are affiliate links. That means when you purchase some of the items we listed, Career Contessa could earn a small commission at no cost to you. We only recommend items we know and love. Thank you for supporting the brands that help support Career Contessa.
