How to Organize Your Small Desk to Work Perfectly & Look Beautiful

If your desk sometimes looks like complete chaos (as mine did), and you want some ideas for how to organize your small desk, you have come to the right place.

That is our mission today, to turn our desk into a happy place we can be proud of!

The goal here is to make your desk organized and inviting.

I set out to do this with my own desk, and I want to share my process with you. Let’s break it down into small steps and take it one step at a time.

This could take you an hour, or it could take months. It took me months to get my desk as decluttered as I want it to be and stay that way. The organizing part went much quicker, once I figured out exactly what I needed.

Now all I have left is to file the papers from the drawer I’d stuffed with papers. It is one of those tasks that will probably only take me fifteen minutes. I just need to make myself do it. Filing is not my favorite.

In this video, I’m showing you how I finally got it all organized and looking nice. This is my full desk makeover.

Yes, it took me a year to truly get my desk the way that I want it. But that’s crazy. It is possible you could do this in no time, if you know what you want, order what you need for your space, and commit to keeping the desk tidy.

Or if you need to take your dear sweet time like I did because you’re a busy mom whose priority is not always your desk, that’s okay too.

I will say all of the deadlines, bills, and scheduling stuff gets done much better if my desk is in order so I can use it.

If I’m keeping up with my desk and all the administrative duties that come with it, the whole household fares much better.

That’s the thing about running a house full of people. Most of the stuff on my desk has nothing to do with my writing job. Instead, it’s full of kids’ school stuff, tax documents, and mail I’m supposed to deal with.

It’s amazing what a difference it makes if you can stay caught up on administratively.

Now onto the video:

Feel free to organize your desk along with me as you watch the video. It really can be fun.

My kids say my idea of fun is confused at this point in my life, but I still say organizing is fun!!

Step 1: Declutter your entire desk, in short bursts

Bleh. It is the least fun part of this process, and I spent all of last year, off and on, working on this step.

Don’t worry. This can take as long or short as you need it to take. I wrote about decluttering your desk here and clearing out your whole home office area here.

It does not have to be perfect, but it has to be decluttered enough that you can see your desk. Put things in piles that need to be filed together. File your piles, and then try to never let piles of filing accumulate again.

Easier said than done, right?

Throw out or shred or give away what you can, and then we are clear to move on to our next steps.

If you do not have drawer space for your pens and scissors, I am a firm believer in a good ol’ fashioned pen cup. I only keep what I actually use in the cup. It holds plenty.

Step 2: Identify what you need to keep easily accessible, right at your fingertips

What items do you access daily or weekly at your desk? What are the things you need to see in order to remember to take care of them?

The only thing that helps me stay on top of the stacks of papers is to keep the most accessed files right in my desk. If it is easy to file, then I’m much more likely to actually do it.

I took the files I use the most and let them live in the little file box inside my desk.

The rest of the files (which I only use once a month or less) can go into another filing area. If your home only has a small space for you to work with, it is okay to store the things you do not use as much in an area that is not technically even your home office.

All of my other files, which I do not use regularly, as well as my extra office supplies, and even the printer, live down in the basement, in the kids’ playroom.

The actual home office area where you work is prime real estate. If your work space is small, prioritize only the most essential items to get to stay in that place.

Step 3: Identify what tools you need to keep your desk organized.

For starters, you probably need some sort of “inbox”, a place for pens, a drawer organizer, a place for files, a calendar, and an uncluttered work space.

Also, you might want a “to file” bin. I do not have one because I can’t handle it. I will literally put everything in it and never get around to the filing.

You might also benefit from a cord clip. I have a massive amount of cords because Verizon deposited a ridiculously lengthy, bulky set of cords for our internet, right in my desk area. A simple hair clip will help tame and minimize the unsightly cords if they are not too rigid or tangled.

Think about what color scheme you want for your inbox and files, or whatever containers you use on your desk.

Having a color coordinated, beautiful place to work is a gift you can give yourself that will keep on giving.

My desk is in the family living room, so it was extra important to me for it to look nice. I decided to go with pink.

Step 4: This is the fun part. Go shopping for your organizing tools.

Once you know what you need you can shop!! Everyone’s needs are different, but here are a few organizing tools that worked for me with this desk.

(All Amazon links are affiliate links, so I do earn ad money when you order through those)

I ordered this inbox from Amazon, that also has a drawer for my post-it notes.

This file box also came from Amazon.

My little rectangle drawer organizer came from Target.

Dollar Tree also sells containers. I haven’t used them yet, but it’s definitely worth checking out.

You can find computer covers like this one for a Macbook on Amazon too.

Flat desktop calendar

Step 5: Pull it all together.

When it came down to it, this was the easiest part. I took what I bought and put it all to use.

The saddest part was discovering that for an entire year and a half I shoved every paper or notebook I did not want to deal with into that large bottom drawer of the desk.

This meant I had to spend all of last night sorting through the papers from that desk. Now I still have to finish filing it all.

Have you noticed a theme here? I truly dislike filing.

Step five is so fun though because once I had it all cleaned off, sorted, and organized, the results are so rewarding!! My desk looks and feels fabulous, and I know exactly where to find everything!!

I absolutely love the pink color scheme I went with. Every time I look at my clean desk with all the pink, it makes me feel happy inside.

I also love that I have kept the plant alive for a whole month! This is big for me.

Before & After Photos:

When I started this process, about a year ago, this desk looked like the photo above. Ghastly, isn’t it?

By the time I get everything exactly how I want it, it will definitely be time to move again.

And now finally, the After Photos:

Even the inside of the bottom drawer, which was a waste land, looks so nice and calm.

I put the large candle, which smells heavenly, in the drawer to keep the notebooks from sliding down.

I hope this gives you some ideas for organizing your own home office space or desk.

An organized space is a gift that keeps giving and giving. It’s like a hug for yourself. Plus, it’s so much harder to miss deadlines if you are keeping up with your desk and not drowning in stacks.

Don’t get me wrong. I still find this hard. Yesterday, I got my desk completely cleaned off, like in these pictures. Then last night my husband piled everything he did not know what to do with on my desk. So now I have to deal with it all today, and yes, it is overwhelming.

However, at least everything on the desk is new, and hopefully I know where to put all of these things. It’s just a matter of actually doing it.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you feel inspired and have some fun organizing your desk too!

Follow me on YouTube for more organizing and decluttering fun.