I am a brand ambassador with The Container Store and this blog was written in partnership with their team.
These days more than ever a home office or desk is so critical to most of our everyday lives and the difference between an organized vs. cluttered space can make a huge difference. For those that live in apartments or simply a smaller space without the luxury of a dedicated home office, a desk space often has to play multiple roles. This month I partnered with The Container Store to organize a built-in desk space in an apartment for a client via a virtual organizing session.
Prior to the refresh, this space served as a dumping ground for keys, mail, purse, packages, you name it. We needed to still allow the desk to serve this purpose as the apartment doesn’t have a formal entryway but also create more function for the space to be used as an actual desk.
Four Steps to Creating an Organized Desktop
For the client’s space, we created four key areas on the desk to maximize function and organization. These general areas can be translated to any desktop organization project and tweaked to fit your specific needs.
1. Paper Management: Even with so much done digitally these days, there is always still paper to deal with and paper can so easily get out of control. For this desk, we utilized a desktop file and crisp white file folders to allow a space for these papers with a clean look. Don’t forget, paper management isn’t just reserved for work – you can use this same file system to keep track of homeschool assignments or bills that need to be paid.
2. Double Duty: Just about every home office space needs to do double duty so make sure you are thinking of the functionality of the space for more than just working hours. For this built-in desk that meant utilizing this acrylic desktop mail center to not only allow for storage of things like scissors and pens but also a spot for mail and keys that would previously have been strewn on the desk. For your home office space, double duty might mean having a drawer or bin of coloring items for your kiddos when they need a spot for homeschool or perhaps a desktop calendar or bulletin board to serve as the family’s command center.
3. Something To Make You Smile: Add something to your desk that makes you smile. Perhaps your favorite coffee mug, a plant or a sweet framed photo.
4. Tuck Away Space: For this desk we needed a way to tuck away notes at the end of the day. We utilized this desktop drawer to give a space to put a notepad or anything in the works at the end of the day so it is waiting for the next work day. Ending the day with a clear workspace will help give your brain the cue to switch to home life especially if your desk is in the middle of your living space.
Bonus Tip: Focusing on one line of organization products will streamline the visual aesthetic of the space, rather than a mix and match look. We chose the clear acrylic items but other lines like this Grey Stockholm Collection are just as stunning. The Container Store has hundreds of organization products to help maximize your home office space.
While so many of us are working from home, it’s important to keep your space tidy. These few changes to the desk space allowed it to not only all of the functions needed in the space but keeping it streamlined and tidy .
Products for An Organized Desktop
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.
Just found your website. We’re on the tail-end of a home renovation – the last room is mine and it will function as a workout space, an office space, and a relaxing space. It’s large – 20×15 – and I’m working hard on the organizational planning ahead of time. Hoping to finally slay the paper monster since the relaxing space and office space are shared.