Creative Ways to Organize

There’s a lot to be said for having an organized workspace. Whether it’s a home office, a traditional office space, or any place of business, an organized area can positively affect your productivity and efficiency. It may even enhance your mood and disposition.
 

Don’t forget about digital organization, either. Keeping all your work-related folders and documents organized on your computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone, or any other electronic device can be just as important as tidying your physical space.
 

Being organized essentially means that you know where to find something right away when you need it, so you don’t waste too much time searching for it. It means you’ve developed a system or structure and figured out what works best for you, your lifestyle, and your work ethic.
 

There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to business or home office organization ideas. Everyone has their own needs and wants regarding how they like their workspace to be arranged. Some prefer organization in a very traditional sense, with simple shelving, bookcases, and filing cabinets to keep their office supplies, documents, and other necessary tools and accessories in an orderly manner. There are also a lot of fun and creative ways to organize your space, including various do-it-yourself (DIY) projects and things you can create and customize to fit your office’s needs — saving you a little money while you’re at it.


When you utilize organization tips that help you succeed in your work, you may find that your office area turns into a more enjoyable and relaxing space instead of a high-stress environment like many work conditions often are.
 

Let’s explore some creative office organization ideas for your workspace.

Desk Organization Ideas
 

There are many ways to have an organized desk space. Whether you have a big or small space, keeping your desk clutter-free relies heavily on the amount of storage space available both in and around your desk. Some desks already come with built-in drawers, drawer dividers, and shelving, while others require you to purchase additional items to adhere to your desk or arrange around it.
 

You can never have too much storage in your office space, and plastic drawers can be the perfect storage solution to keep all your office supplies organized. Some types of plastic storage drawers and desk organizers are designed to sit on top of your desk, enabling you to easily reach items that you may regularly use like notepads, sticky notes, address labels, and other necessary paperwork for reference.
 

There are also storage drawers with wheels that allow you to position them wherever you see fit and other styles that fit underneath your desk, on a bookshelf, or even inside a closet or cabinet.
 

Plastic storage drawers come in all shapes and sizes, so you can easily arrange them around the room to best suit their purpose. There are also plastic storage bins for larger or heavier items. You can also use these bigger containers to hold files from previous years that you might not need right now but may need to reference in the future.
 

Having multiple drawers and bins available for various items can help declutter the area, as everything in your office can have its own designated spot for safekeeping. If you don’t have a specific place to store things like documents, files, and folders, it can become far too easy to find yourself living among piles and piles of paper clutter.
 

If your desk already comes with drawers, you can opt for drawer organizers that conveniently fit right inside. These organizers often have dividers, so you can divvy up your office tools into each compartment and keep everything separated from each other. You’ll never lose a paper clip in a pile of push pins again.
 

Using drawers might sound like an obvious way to organize a desk space, but there are many creative ways to turn your standard drawers into something customized to your particular preferences.
 

For example, use a Dymo label maker to create labels for your storage drawers, file cabinets, and bins. Label everything — and don’t feel silly about it. This is a very efficient way of organizing your workspace, as it’s an easy way to cut down on time spent looking for items you need. Names of everything will be staring you in the face!
 

Don’t be afraid to have fun with your labels, too. You can give code names to different drawers and type out motivational and inspirational quotes, reminders, and other notes to adhere to your desktop and other visible surfaces. Remember, this is your filing system, and you can make it as kitschy and unique as you’d like.
 

Crafting and DIY Ideas
 

If you’re someone who relishes the idea of bright pops of color and DIY decor, you can make your own signs and labels for various things in your office using colored markers and highlighters. You can create color-coded calendars and spreadsheets, write out your to-do lists, and even create your own presentations and documents.
 

Now, let’s think completely out of the box and consider everyday items around the house that can easily be used as alternatives to traditional storage ideas to hold your office tools. It’s a bonus if these items are decorative and even bring a thematic design to the area. Here are some tips to consider:
 

●      Use mason jars, coffee mugs, or other wide-mouthed cups to hold pencils, pens, and other office tools.
●      Instead of placing your computer monitor directly on your desk, use large, sturdy coffee table books for a stand.
●      Exposed wires and chargers can get tangled and just look messy. Use binder clips to hold them in place on the side of your desk or attach them to another fixture that keeps them together.
●      Shoeboxes can be stacked and used as extra storage.
●      Glue wine corks together to create a large bulletin board to hang on the wall behind your desk for notes, postcards, and important documents.
●      Repurpose an old shutter by removing its hardware and propping it on your desk or mount it to the wall space near your desk and use it as a mail organizer.
●      Utilize kitchen supplies, such as a three-tiered cake stand or cooling rack, for unique shelving.
 

Digital Organizing Ideas
 

So, now that you have your workplace or home office outfitted with plenty of storage drawers, bins, and other organizational hacks, consider getting organized online. It’s safe to say that the majority of people who work at a desk in an office are completing their projects and tasks on a computer or laptop.
 

Just like arranging paperwork and office supplies in and on your desk, consider keeping your digital documents and tools arranged. Thankfully, there are plenty of apps and programs available to help make this a breeze.
 

It’s likely that every time you open your email, you’re bogged down with countless messages from email lists you accidentally subscribed to at some point. Using a tool like Unroll.me allows you to clean up your inbox by separating all those unwanted subscription emails into a different inbox where you can go through each of them or unsubscribe to all of them at once. This frees up your inbox for the important emails that you need to read and respond to in a timely manner.
 

Another thing to consider about your email is having folders for different categories. For instance, if there are multiple email threads about a particular work assignment that you may need to refer back to at any point, it’s ideal to create a folder for that project. You can also use folders to lessen the number of emails in your inbox without deleting them, such as creating a folder for emails that you have read but need to respond to or a folder for emails that you have addressed but need to save the information.
 

If you’re working with team members on various projects, platforms like Trello or Asana can help keep you and your colleagues on track. You can easily send messages, upload files, and create to-do lists that everyone can access within the group’s main board.
 

If you need to set up recurring assignments or tasks or set up appointments, you can check out apps like Calendly or use Microsoft Office.
 

Reap the Benefits of an Organized Space
 

The benefits of working within an organized space are countless. The goals are helping you work more efficiently, improving the quality of your work, remaining timely with deadlines, and overall succeeding in your career goals — and also more organization just might mean less stress.
 

No matter where you find yourself working, maintaining an organized environment should be a top priority. Having the creative freedom to makeover your office space the way you want might be the motivation you need to get your work done. Wherever you’re working, you can reap the benefits of an organized workspace.
 

About the Author

Shaina Wizov is a lifestyle blogger and social media influencer with a background in journalism and media studies.

All content provided herein is for educational purposes only. It is provided “as is” and neither the author nor Office Depot warrant the accuracy of the information provided, nor do they assume any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein.