If you’re a student, you may want to keep a stack of index cards or a calculator on your desk. It’s okay to keep a paper organizer on your desk if you’re using it every day. If you aren’t though, you’re better off storing all of that paper somewhere else. [2] X Expert Source Taya Wright, NAPO, RESAProfessional Home Stager & Organizer Expert Interview. 2 April 2020. Choosing whether to keep something like a tape dispenser on top of your desk depends on how much space you have and how often you use it. There are no hard rules here, so just do whatever makes sense to you.
A little bit of clutter isn’t intrinsically bad—a lot of people kind of feel uncomfortable with too much empty space. Just make sure that your desk is purposeful. A home office should feel like a workspace, not a play space or storage area.
If you’re right-handed, put all of this stuff on the left if you can and vice versa. This way, you can free up the right side of your desk so you can work on something without turning your chair or moving things around.
For example, you may put your pens, pencils, and highlighters in one drawer, paper supplies in another, and tools (like your calculator, stapler, and tape dispenser) in a third drawer. If you have a lot of art supplies or something, divide your drawers to keep different supplies separated. You could put all of your brushes in one drawer, your paint tubes in another drawer, and miscellaneous tools (like erasers or palette knives) in a third drawer.
If you’re going to leave something unrelated to work on your desk, limit yourself to just one photo or desk toy.
If you love your sticky notes and you have a Windows computer, there’s a sticky note widget you can enable/install to keep your notes on your desktop.
There are cable clips you can buy to hold loose wires on the edge of your desk when you aren’t using them. These are a great option if you have a bunch of chargers and USB ports you regularly use but you can’t keep them plugged in all the time. A wireless keyboard and mouse are a great way to keep your desk space neat and wire-free if this is a big priority for you!
Set a reminder in your phone or on your desktop to reorganize your desk. This way it won’t slip your mind.
A lot of people like it when the desk faces the door. If you just tuck your desk against a wall, you may feel a little claustrophobic. The room will also feel a lot smaller since you’re going to be staring a wall just behind your computer or work space.
If you don’t have a window in your office, consider facing the door and leave it open. This way, you’ll at least get some natural light bleeding in from the hall or room next door.
Feel free to throw some paintings or photos on the walls. Just try to minimize the amount of stuff you can see while you’re sitting at your desk. It doesn’t matter if the walls behind you are a little busy, though.
Unless you’re a day trader or journalist following breaking news while you work, keep the TV out of your office.
If you have a really wide closet that you aren’t using, this can be a great place for your desk. You could even close the door to hide the office if you have guests over! If you’d like, you can hang a curtain or set up room dividers to separate your office from the rest of your home. When choosing a desk for a non-office work space, try to match it up with the rest of the décor in your home so it doesn’t stand out.
A few shelves above your desk is a great solution if you have a handful of reference books you use regularly when you work from home. You could always install a pegboard or wall organizer instead of a shelf if you need storage for a bunch of different supplies. [16] X Research source
Storage caddies come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so pick one that has enough compartments for your storage needs and matches your room’s décor.
Another way to do it is to label each folder with a keyword and then arrange them alphabetically. This is a great option if you don’t want to color-code everything. If you can, try to find a filing cabinet that’s the same height as your desk. This way, you can set it next to your desk and basically extend your work surface. The top of a filing cabinet is often the perfect size for a printer if you have one.
Desks come in all types and sizes. Executive desks have tons of storage space and lots of drawers. These are a good all-around option. You can get a minimalist desk with no drawers at all if you like a cleaner look. The writing desk is a good option if you only need a surface for your laptop. [21] X Research source
If you can, avoid buying an office chair online. Buy your chair in a store where you can sit down in it and test how it feels. Different people prefer different things in an office chair, so don’t assume you’ll love something with glowing reviews from an online shop!
You don’t have to use a task or table lamp if you don’t want to. If you like overhead lighting and your desk is in front of a window, you really don’t need one. You can set up 1-2 standing lamps in the corners of your room to make it brighter without putting a lamp on your desk.
Your computer screen should be roughly 20 inches (51 cm) from your eyes. If it’s farther than that, you’ll have to squint to read the screen. If it’s too close, you’ll end up with eye strain. If you’re using a laptop, there are laptop stands you can buy to raise the position of your screen. You may want to connect a secondary keyboard and mouse to the laptop so you can keep your wrists straight, though. You could get some blue light glasses to reduce the amount of strain your eyes experience if you spend more than 2-3 hours a day at your computer.
