A lot of desks do not have any drawers, but you still have a lot of work materials that you want to keep organized. There are a number of solutions to organize a desk without drawers, that can be very beneficial by reducing the clutter around your work space.
Before we look at some of the things you can do to organize a desk without drawers and the work area, let’s look at the benefits of doing so.
Why is Organization Important?
Organization is more important than a lot of people think. Sure, some people are better at organizing than others.
Some people do not even care, but it may be beneficial anyways. These are some of the reasons that organization is important for your life and work habits.
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Improved Focus
Research shows that staying organized can help to improve focus. This is likely because having clutter around us can be distracting.
We may be trying to do one task on the computer, but then get distracted by paperwork, our phone, the coffee machine, or any other things around the desk or work area.
With improved focus, comes improved quality of work. Our cognitive abilities depend on our ability to concentrate on the task at hand.
For this reason, organizing may not only mean to find a way to rid yourself of physical clutter, even if you do not have drawers, but it may also mean to clean up your digital space and computer’s desktop.
Reduced Stress
When we have clutter around our work area, we are more likely to feel stressed and overwhelmed. This can also impact your mood and energy levels.
While organizing a desk without drawers may not be the thing you want to do when you feel your stress levels begin to rise, it could be highly beneficial.
Increased Productivity
When we have an unorganized desk, we may have to search and shuffle through papers and items just to find the thing we want.
This can save you time and increase productivity. When you get in the zone, it can be frustrating to have to search high and low to find the thing you need. Instead, stay in the workflow by keeping things organized and handy.
Better Relationships
Finally, having an organized desk shows professionalism and care. It can portray a persona that allows you to build better relationships with coworkers and bosses.
This can be great to progress your career. It can also allow you to feel accomplished.
Tips for Organizing Your Desk
While drawers and alternatives to drawers are highly beneficial, before we get to some of the things that you can use to better organize your work space, let’s look at some tips that can help out.
1. First only keep the things that you need on a daily basis
The first step to organize a desk without drawers, things like your most urgent paperwork, computer, and keyboard should be the only things on top of the desk.
This allows you to be free from distraction and clutter.
The things that you use regularly, but not daily, should all be the most easily acceptable items that are not on top of the desk.
If you do not have drawers, you can use one of the other alternative methods mentioned in this article to keep them close.
2. Group similar items or things
Items that you constantly need together. You can also keep things labeled for their purposes. Label different folders of similar materials or even keep it in your briefcase if you have one.
Some people like to use color coated things for days of the week or for each quarter of the year. Just make sure that you do it in a way that works for you.
3. You may like to keep personal items on your desk as well
Pictures of your spouse, children, and pets can put you in a positive mood, which, in turn, can boost productivity. But you do not want too much.
Try to keep it minimalist and positive while allowing you to stay organized.
4. Nothing should be placed in such a way that you have to reach over to get It
Everything should be easily within grasp. From personal experience, it can be extremely frustrating to have to reach over a coffee mug or fax machine to get to the things that I need often.
5. Try to utilize all of the space that you have available.
A lot of people neglect using their vertical space.
6. You can also try to find a desk that uses the space in the room better.
A corner desk or l-shaped desk can be great for this and allow you to keep more stuff like filing cabinets or tables in other locations around the office.
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7. One of the most important things is to clean up the area after each workday.
If you are not very organized, you can start with doing it once per week at the end of the day on Fridays.
This allows you to come to a new, clean, organized work area on Monday. This can be suitable for productivity and positivity.
How to Organize A Desk Without Drawers?
There are a lot of different things that you can do to organize a desk without drawers and most of them are easy and affordable.
Let’s check them out!
1. Monitor Stands
Monitor stands, like No products found., can allow you to use more desktop space because you can place materials underneath the monitor.
Some people use them to store their keyboard underneath the monitor stand when they are not using it.
You can even take it a step further and mount your monitor on the wall, if you like, so get yourself a monitor stand and enjoy a little extra space!
You can also use the space for a digital clock, paperwork, or other materials. If you do not feel like buying one, they are pretty easy to build out of wood.
2. Organizers
Organizers come in all different shapes, sizes, and styles. No products found. can be used for paperwork, files, and other materials.
This can keep them separated and easy to access when you need them. This can also be beneficial when you need to put different things together.
No products found. will come with drawers, different levels, cubbies, or even cabinets. They can fit onto your desk and allow you to organize your materials like paperwork, paperclips, staplers, scissors, pens, and more.
This also allows you to utilize some vertical space above your desk without mixing different files or paper together.
3. Keyboard Tray
A keyboard takes up a lot of space on top of your desk, but you can buy a keyboard tray to attach. This can allow you to type more ergonomically as well. It saves the space in front of your monitor.
This can help you keep more materials directly in front of you, which can boost productivity as well.
Furthermore, you do not even have to use it for a keyboard. You can use it to store anything you want!
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4. Cabinet
You can even add a cabinet to your desk to give yourself tons of extra space. or even put things away so they do not add to the clutter or distract the mind.
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You can even buy an under desk filing cabinet that is mobile on caster wheels. This gives you drawers when the desk that you have or want does not have them as one of the features.
5. Cable Management
Most people have a lot of electrical devices around their desks. These can cause clutter and disorganization. They can also be tripping hazards.
There are tons of cable management solutions. You can zip tie the cables that you never unplug together so that they do not get tangled and pulled around.
You can also get a power strip or a desktop port to keep every cord going in the direction away from you and your working materials.
Alternately, you can get Velcro binders or double-sided Velcro tape for quick organization that gives you easy access to separate those cables when you need to!
This can be a great step towards reducing the clutter on and below your desk.
6. Don't forget a trash bin
A tall, sleep, a preferably foot-pump-opened trash bin will help to stop waste clutter before it can get out of hand.
An immaculate workspace really helps to keep your focus where it needs to be – on your work – and with a foot pedal, you can toss any trash immediately and get on with your busy day.
7. Side Table
Another option is to keep a side table next to the desk to keep extra materials. These are especially good options for people who have a printer, fax machine, or other large device taking up a lot of the space on their desktop.
Just make sure that you also combine this idea with cable management so that the plugs from the side table do not add clutter to your work area.
8. Shelving and Hanging options
While you don’t have old-style drawers on your desk, there is still more than enough space to be had.
Just take advantage of the wall and the space above you! Installing shelving in the wall is easy to do and can give you more space than you would have had with those drawers in the first place.
Furthermore, you can suspend a hanging bar that gives you a modular option for making whatever space you like.
Simply pick out a few options online or from your local office supply that you can suspend from the bar or take down as-needed.
That way you can have the storage when you absolutely require it and still enjoy the cool minimalism morale-boost when you don’t!
Final Thoughts To Organize A Desk Without Drawers
You may not be able to expand your work area or get a larger desk and many desks do not have any drawers. Good thing there are other options that utilize the space that you have available.
You may find that you feel better and increase your productivity as soon as you organize your work area. It may be best to try more than one of the solutions in this article to fully organize your desk.
Last update on 2022-12-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
