How can I organize my desk?

Question

I really need some help organizing my desk. I have a bulletin board and 2 small shelves, too. There are 2 big drawers and 4 small drawers on the desk. I really need some organizing tips before school starts!

Answer 1

Good thinking.

First clear it of clutter. You don't want anything distracting. Just put up a few items in your fav color or decor style but not a lot of images that will get you daydreaming, like pics of your fav bands, your boyfriend, or your family or vacation photos.

Keep only a small amount of things on the surface of the desk. A pretty container, such as a tin, glass, or basket can hold pens, pencils, highlighters, sharpies, etc. If you need colored pencils, markers, etc (more like art supplies) keep them in a different container. Keep a few smaller items, like paperclips, pushpins, etc in another container that is easy to reach in with your hand, if it is rounded on the bottom, you can scoop into it smoothly to get what you want. Most people also really rely on post-it notes too. Keep a couple different sizes handy, the tiny ones make good bookmarks if you put them in upside down where the sticky part is on the page and the plain part is sticking out, and you can note on the paper what chapter it is, or what is important on that page.

You can eliminate things like dictionaries and other reference books by bookmarking an online reference websites on your computer. If you need a paper file of your phone numbers and addresses, try a rolodex.

Store your extra school supplies out of the way such as a deep drawer of your desk, or in a box in your closet. You don't need to replace such things very often so they don't need to be super handy. But do buy a whole year's worth of stuff, or as much as you can, now while sales are really good.

Desk is a logical place, if you have room, to set up a charging station for things like your portable game player, mp3 player, and cell phone...as long as they aren't distracting while you are trying to study.

You also want a clock on or near the desk so you know what time it is, when it is time to give up and go to bed...etc. If it is an alarm clock or has a stopwatch feature, you can set it for certain intervals and give yourself breaks, which is very productive.

You neeeeed excellent task lighting. A good height of lamp is one that shines lower than your face, in other words, when you are sitting in a normal posture at your desk, you should not be able to look directly at the light bulb. Set it up on the left side if you are righty, on the right side if you are lefty, so that the light shines on your paper, not over your hand, casting shadows on your paper.

You could set up a filing system, and a calender system to keep track of assignments and copies of projects that are turned in. Group them by subject and keep them alllllll year, in case something gets lost. This might include paper copies or discs with computer files of your work. Then you have a backup system to protect yourself, as well as a way to track your progress and your grades. This doesn't need to be super handy, you can file away stuff every week or so. Set up an inbox (stuff to file) and outbox (stuff to turn in) and working files (current assignments) for your homework, including a place for forms that parents need to sign.

If you have extra curricular activities that require desk work, such as yearbook or newspaper, set up extra files for stuff you are working on there.

When you are studying, put all but the current subject away, out of sight, with only the items you need in front of you. So when it's time to do your algebra homework, all your science is put away.

Keep your work surface cleared off, a good goal is a clean desk every night when you go to bed. This is a good habit for when you have a professional job someday. A clean desk every night means a fresh start every morning.

You also want a wastebasket very close to your desk. A tiny (coffee can size or smaller) pretty one can sit right on the desk to help you keep litter off the desk. Dump it regularly.

Have a great school year!

Answer 2

Clean it

Answer 3

A messy desk is a sign of creativity and imagination. This is the excuse I gave myself for the mountain of papers, knickknacks, and San Pellegrino bottles normally piled on my desk at work. Truth is, I’m just lazy. When I started wasting more and more time looking for lost items instead of being a brilliant creative person, I knew I had to do something. I got my desk organized, and have been miraculously keeping it clean for the past three months.

Here’s how:

1. Use a system to manage paper

Most of the clutter on my desk is paper. In a recent post, I wrote about a system for organizing files on the computer. The same system can be modified to work with physical files:

Setup: A place for everything

First, you’ll need a few items:

Inbox

This is a standard stackable letter tray. Put documents that don’t yet have a place in here. This may be items like memos, print-outs, and random things placed on your desk by random people.

Incubate box

On top of your Inbox tray, stack another letter tray to put items that are “on hold”. These are items you aren’t yet ready to do or complete in here. They may be articles you’re thinking of reading, sketches for potential projects, and information about events you might attend.

Action & Tickler file

For this, Merlin Mann of 43 Folders recommends an A-Z accordion file. Put papers requiring an action that takes more than 2 minutes in here. This may be items such as forms to fill out and documents to proofread. You can also use a tickler file to supplement this. Check out Merlin’s tutorial for more details.

Current projects rack

For this, use a file rack or small file box to hold folders for active projects. Create one folder per project.

Filing cabinet

Put completed projects, general reference items, and anything else you might want to look at again in a filing cabinet. Use simple flat folders organized from A-Z, instead of hanging folders.

Dump boxes (trash can, recycling bin, shredder)

I avoided throwing away paper because I didn’t have access to a trash can, felt guilty about tossing recyclable paper, or was afraid of throwing away confidential materials. Having a trash can, recycling bin, and shredder for each of these situations eliminates these hesitancies.

Usage: Process, Organize, Review

You’re now all set and ready to clean your desk. The steps below are adapted from David Allen’s GTD system:

Process

Put all papers on your desk in your Inbox tray. If it doesn’t fit, just put it next to it for now. Go through each file one by one. Ask yourself: can I act on this file? If yes:

Do it

If it takes less than two minutes, just do it.

Delegate it

If you’re not the right person to do it, then send it to someone who can.

Defer it

If it takes more than two minutes to do, but it in your Action or Tickler file. Or if it’s project-related, put it in your current projects file rack.

Organize

If the file has no action for you to do, you can:

Trash it, recycle it, or shred it, if you don’t need it.

Put it in the Incubate tray if you’re not ready to deal with it.

Archive in your filing cabinet for later.

Review

The most important part of the system is setting up reviews for you to process your Inbox and organize your files:

Daily

Process your Inbox as often as you like throughout the day, but do it at least twice a day: once around noon and again at day’s end. You must empty it at the end of the day, so that your inbox is nice and fresh in the morning.

Weekly

At the end of the week, move completed projects into your filing cabinet. Go through your Incubate tray and decide if you’re ready to act on any of the files, following the steps you would to process your Inbox. Take items in your recycling bin to the main recycling bin in the office.

Monthly

At the end of the month, go through your filing cabinet and prune any files you don’t think you’ll ever need again.

2. Banish Post-it notes

Stop using Post-its to remind yourself of important information. They’re just to easy to lose and they’re ugly when plastered all over your monitor. Instead, keep a little notebook on your desk to write down reminder notes. Better yet, use GTD tools such as the hipster PDA and kGTD to keep track of what you need to do.

3. Trash those printouts

After printing a file and completing the action associated with it, throw it away. You already have a copy of it on your computer, so you don’t keep it lying around on your desk.

4. Keep blank file folders and a label maker at your desk

The reason while you don’t file is because it’s so tedious to find folders and label them. With a stack of blank folders and label maker within reach, you have no excuse.

5. Ritualize your reviews

Schedule time in iCal or other calendaring program to clean your desk at the end of each day. After two or three weeks, the habit will stick.

6. Throw away pens

Why do you need so many pens? Throw them all out except for two or three. If it doesn’t have a cap, toss it.

7. Say no to schwag

Yes, it’s hard to resist the ugly free c**p at conferences and internal office events, but avoid taking them just because they’re free. This includes all those cheap pens, stickers, free magazines, brochures, postcards, and anything else that will likely end up littered on your desk. If you need a reminder of a particular vendor, take your PDA or notebook with you and write the company’s name and URL down.

8. Take your books home

Take home any books you don’t use on a regular basis for work. You’ll have more space to work, and if you have to leave your job for any reason (heaven forbid), you’ll have fewer heavy items to pack.

9. Eat away from your desk

Eating at your desk encourages trash like paper bags, cups, and utensils to stick around your desk. I’ve been guilty of this and have the crumbs in my keyboard to prove it. To prevent this, eat somewhere else. Preferably, out of the office. Doing this also allows you a mental break from work where you can enjoy your meal without phone or computer interruptions.

10. Limit photo frames on your desk

Pictures of loved ones remind us of what’s important in our lives. More than three on your desk, however, is a distraction. Instead, use Flickr to store photos which you can view in a slideshow during a break.

Answer 4

I'm saying it as simple as it could be.

1.Take out everything off your table. Even your computer. Wipe your table with water and a cloth.

2.First deal with the big stuff. Keep the top big drawer full of papers and files. Use the bottom for folders, books and reports.

3.For the small drawers put in stuff like notepads, reminders and at least 3 pens. And stationary.

4.Now for the top of the desk. Lay out where you want to put your items. Put the computer up first and then the little objects around it.

5. Remember do not keep it too decorative. Just 1 frame will do. Keep a little tin for the scissors staplers refills and stuff.

Tips:

1.Keep a bin beside or under the desk.

2.Put up a calendar just incase you forget to look in your drawer and for the most important reminders.

3. REMEMBER not too decorative!! =)