There's a popular phrase that goes something like "a messy desk is a sign of genius" — maybe that means I'm just the regular village idiot, but I couldn't disagree more.
If you've landed here, chances are you are like me — obsessed with keeping things organized, a Type A planner that needs to have all upcoming plans mapped out ahead of time, and a total neat freak. It's a blessing and a curse, and sometimes I even feel like Monica Gellar from Friends (that episode where she shows up at the "dirty girl's apartment" — yeah, I felt that).
There's just something therapeutic that comes with turning a mess into a color-coded, organized system. It helps me de-stress, and once I'm doing getting things in order, it feels like I actually have my life together... even if all I did was re-write my to-do list for the day (I swear this works... anyone else?) 😅
Pssst... Here's a few printable planners I thought you might like!
Anyway, today I want to share a few easy desk organization ideas, because at least for me, my desk it like my life's command center. When my workspace is in order, especially at the start of the week, everything else seems to run a bit smoother.
Create a System That Actually Works for You
I don't have a perfect system by any means — in fact, how I keep track up my upcoming tasks and pending deadlines tends to evolve with the season. Some months I find that keeping a nice, clean spreadsheet works best, while other months I resort to writing things down in a notebook, old-school pen to paper style.
I think it's best to try a little bit of everything to see what ends up sticking. Because when it comes to staying organized, ironically, being flexible and going with the flow can help. Here are a few of my favorite desk organization ideas so you can achieve peak productivity and stop wasting time trying to find where you put that one thing that you *swear* was right in front of you a minute ago.
Start the Day By Re-Writing Your To-Do List
Like I said earlier, sometimes just figuring out what needs to get done can be a major help — I literally review and re-write my list almost every day. This gives me the opportunity to reprioritize things, realize what has been lingering in the open to-do's just a few days too long (aka, that one thing I've been procrastinating on all week and just need to get done already), and helps build momentum to dive into things.
Rather than trying to remember everything small things you need to do, just write them down! Imagine not scrambling at the last minute for a birthday gift for your sister-in-law, or running out at 10pm to pick up that darn cupcake mix for the school bake sale... surprise, it’s tomorrow! PS: That's where Tidy Plan can help — these printable planners are here to help!
Declutter Your Desk to Clear Your Mind
When you have a ton of messy paperwork, used coffee cups and that random box of junk on your desk, your brain will subconsciously be distracted from the actual important tasks you need to get done. So before sitting down and diving into your work day, take five minutes and put things in order. Just like re-writing your to-do list, it will help get you into a productive routine — five minutes in, and you've already checked the first thing off your to-do list!
A few more quick desk organization ideas:
Create a “Landing Zone” for Loose Ends
Your kitchen junk drawer knows it all too well... receipts, hair ties, random envelopes — where does all of this junk come from? Instead of letting it all scatter, create a designated spot on your desk where you can toss all of this chaos.
Turn Your Wall into a Second Desk
The wall in your office is real estate gold. By putting up a whiteboard or magnetic strip, you can make the perfect spot for reminders, lists, goals and things you need to reference often.
Build a “Focus Kit” Drawer
Do some trial and error to figure out what helps you get int the zone: maybe noise-canceling headphones, a favorite pen, maybe some mood lighting. When it’s time to get some deep work done, grab all of these items out of the drawer and get to work. This easy ritual will trick your brain into getting into focus mode easily.
"Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is stop multitasking, clear your desk, and focus on one meaningful thing. Organization is simply how you make room for what deserves your best attention."
Reset Your Desk at the End of Each Work Day
This is an especially helpful tip if you work from home: Take five minutes at the end of each day to reorganize the mess you just made. And I don't just mean the crusty bowl still sitting on your desk from lunch — take a few minutes to organize yourself digitally, too.
Taking a quick peek at your calendar for the next day or the week ahead can be a great way to allow your brain to process what should be the next main focus. Stumbling into the morning work day pre-caffeine and without a plan is a recipe for disaster. Each week, there will probably be at least one thing that you forgot about, so getting into this habit of checking the day before will be a life saver!
Oh, and that messy pile of folders, books and Post-It notes? Yeah, clean those up too. I promise, your future self with thank you — especially if you do this every Friday afternoon. Why wouldn't you want to set up future Monday morning you with a burst of clean desk motivation?
Happy organizing! 🗂️
