Help, I need to organize my desk/ home office space!

  11 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Oct 24, 2017

    https://www.hometalk.com/categories/organizing/home-office

    • Pat Pat on Oct 25, 2017

      I shared and office for six months with a person who wanted nothing touched in her desk. This became an exercise in discipline for which I am now grateful. It was painful initially; still, so helpful in the long run.

      I found the following helpful:


      1) I imagined my office extended only to a new blotter I placed on the desk. This imagination may seem extreme but it led to other freeing ways to deal with clutter and general.


      2) I was forced to touch a paper once, deal with it and not leave it in a 'to do' pile. Correspondence was read and responded to and filed. Bulletins were put on a bulletin board. The Bulletin Board was organized by when items were due or events were schedules. My usual clutter diminished just with these two disciplines.


      3) At the end of day, a quick glance showed me what items needed to be charted, filed, recycled, shredded, mailed, so the blotter was clear. My 'supplies' like pens, pencils, small stapler, a thingy to take staples out, tissues, snack, clip board, etc. went into a back pack and I was done.

      4) Personally, it helps to hold to a 'office' focus: other than a tasteful picture leave the space bare of clothes, other peoples 'stuff' and fun distractions. Save all else for the den or others areas of the house than when you are in the office you are focused and when you are out you are free of work.


      I hope this was helpful. Peace.

  • Ginny Ginny on Oct 24, 2017
    • Think about how you want desk to function
    • Remove everything
    • Recycle papers you absolutely do not use or want
    • Go to Dollar Tree or Office Depot and purchase stacking file trays for: mail, read, action, etc.
    • Make folders you will use often: paid bills, letters to answer, etc.
    • Buy a desk blotter for writing on
    • Have a trashcan for trash and one for recycling
    • Look at OD, Staples or WalMart for tray that has sections for paper clips, pens and pencils, scissors and more so things are right at hand
    • Looks you need a good desk light that adjusts positions (they are called gooseneck lights or architects lights). Available for round $20 on Amazon
    • I could go on forever, but I think you get the gist of my suggestions
  • Phil Jimenez Phil Jimenez on Oct 25, 2017

    Try cleaning up first it does wonders when you clean.

  • Lah Lah on Oct 25, 2017

    After removing everything, think about how you use the stuff. There are a myraid of storage items you can get at places like. Dollar Tree and Dollar General. Determine what you need to keep and get rid of. Then head to the store (or you may have things at home) for the storage pieces you need to organize the desk/room.

  • Sandra Sandra on Oct 25, 2017

    Looks like you need some storage in the form of file cabinets, drawers etc. I just went through this in my home office that I share with my partner and we took some time to define the needs and then solutions. I steer clear of bulletin boards, they always look messy. I have a notes app on my desktop to enter things I would stick on the board. You need a place to organize mail, try not to handle paper more than 2x. If it's relevant put it in a file i.e. bills to pay or throw it out. We tend to let paper pile up and realize a year later we never needed it. With today's electronic billing, you can always go back and obtain a bill from the past. Ikea has some wonderful organizational items. Good luck and post a photo when you are done!

  • DORLIS DORLIS on Oct 25, 2017

    I organize and then work at my desk and end up right back where I started.

  • Maureen Barringer Maureen Barringer on Oct 26, 2017

    I have the same problem & I am a organized person for the whole house but my desk ?????? but I do know where every thing is even though it is a mess

    I have files -shelves -holding every thing still a mess

  • Ellis Ellis on Oct 27, 2017

    I especially like the colored plastic file folders. I organize them according to category, assigning each a color: red for urgent, green for bills/receipts, pink for social mail like birthday cards to send out, etc.

    • Janey Crisman Janey Crisman on Oct 28, 2017

      My biggest problem with this is that I can never decide which color to use for which catagory. Could you give a girl a hand and elaborate on your choice.

  • Ellis Ellis on Oct 29, 2017

    I use red for bills I have to pay/mail, green for the receipts I get when I charged stuff on my credit card so I could match against the bills, pink for social mail/birthday cards, etc., blue for mail/account statements from my bank, yellow for the stuff that is ready to go to the post office.


    No particular reason for the choices, except the red for bills to pay--don't want any late charges!

  • Corinna Corinna on Nov 04, 2017

    Your desk is the mind of a genius at work. Mine is the same. I'm trying to do better by making a place for everything, and putting stuff away when done. Sometimes I have a harder time finding stuff that's put away instead of it being on my desk.

  • Chas' Crazy Creations Chas' Crazy Creations on Oct 01, 2022

    I have several organizing posts that might help you https://chascrazycreations.com/diys/how-tos/organizing/