www.avery.com Open in urlscan Pro
2600:9000:2127:3c00:1:1b56:6ec0:93a1 Public Scan

Back to summary

Submitted URL:
https://e.em.avery.com/c2/907:643f0863ce2a95e6320e3f11:ot:641b3ba4c4fa70c725737515:1/7eb86635
Effective URL:
https://www.avery.com/blog/desk-organization-tips/?mcID=907:643f0863ce2a95e6320e3f11:ot:641b3ba4c4fa70c725737515:1&aNu...
Submission: On April 21 via api (April 21st 2023, 10:24:47 pm UTC) from US — Scanned from DE

Form analysis
2 forms found in the DOM

GET https://www.avery.com/blog/

<form role="search" method="get" class="search-form" action="https://www.avery.com/blog/">
  <label>
    <span class="screen-reader-text">Search for:</span>
    <input type="search" class="search-field" placeholder="Search …" value="" name="s">
  </label>
  <button type="submit" class="search-submit"><span class="screen-reader-text">Search</span></button>
</form>

GET https://www.avery.com/blog/

<form role="search" method="get" class="search-form" action="https://www.avery.com/blog/">
  <label>
    <span class="screen-reader-text">Search for:</span>
    <input type="search" class="search-field" placeholder="Search …" value="" name="s">
  </label>
  <button type="submit" class="search-submit"><span class="screen-reader-text">Search</span></button>
</form>

Text Content

Skip to content
Explore avery.com
Shop Products
Menu
search

Search for: Search
Questions? Call Us (800) 462-8379
Mon-Fri 6am – 5pm, Closed Sat and Sun

* Labeling Basicsexpand child menu
* Materials
* Design
* Printing
* Application
* How To
* Small Businessexpand child menu
* Product Labeling
* Branding
* Mailing & Shipping
* Marketing
* Sales & Promotions
* Organization & Administration
* Barcodes & QR Codes
* Customer Spotlights
* Homeexpand child menu
* Organization
* Planners
* Crafts
* Parties & Special Occasionsexpand child menu
* Weddings
* Baby Showers
* Birthdays
* Graduations
* Home Office
* Schoolexpand child menu
* Parents
* Teachers
* Workexpand child menu
* Mailing & Shipping
* Organization
* Meetings
* Events
* Presentations
* Time Management
* Work from Home
* Office Life
* Business Relationships
* Holidaysexpand child menu
* Mother’s Day
* Father’s Day
* Halloween
* Thanksgiving
* Christmas
* Winter Holidays
* New Year’s
* Valentine’s Day
* St. Patrick’s Day
* Easter
* About Us

Search for: Search

7 QUICK & EASY TIPS FOR “HOW DO I ORGANIZE MY DESK?”

BY JOJO MRGICH

JULY 1, 2022

SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

*
*
*

HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR DESK

Desk organization can be overwhelming, but a few simple tips can get you on the
right track. The important thing is to create a system for organizing your desk
that helps you keep it that way long-term.

Here are 7 quick and easy tips to organize your desk (and keep it that way):

1. Create a system to sort and store active paperwork
2. Use portable storage for work that travels or changes hands
3. Archive files, records, and other papers on a regular basis
4. Take advantage of vertical desk organization
5. Don’t forget desk organization for cables and cords
6. Upgrade old, messy, and sloppy-looking supplies
7. Make time in your schedule for routine upkeep

shop Organization Supplies

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO ORGANIZE YOUR DESK?

There are a lot of good reasons to keep your desk neat and tidy. Consider, for
example, making a good impression with coworkers, clients, and senior
management. A well-organized desk also reduces the risk of sensitive information
being compromised. Leaving loose papers and documents on your desk can put
confidential information at risk.

DESK ORGANIZATION INCREASES EFFICIENCY

Additionally, decluttering your desk makes it easier to find the items you need
so that you can work more efficiently. Harvard Business Review makes a case for
cleaning your desk, linking a messy workspace to a lack of focus and increased
stress.

MESSY DESKS ARE A HOTBED OF GERMS

Last, but most definitely not least, clutter makes it difficult to clean your
desk and office supplies. Don’t think you need to be wiping down and
disinfecting your desk regularly? Think again. From a Safety Now article:

“According to Dr. Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona, the average office
worker has over 10 million bacteria living on its [sic] desk—that’s 400 times
more than the average truck stop toilet seat.”

Label desk storage for active paperwork on your desk. Try buying blank removable
labels by the sheet to print your own neat, professional letter tray labels and
clear file folder labels for a clean, modern look.

1) CREATE A SYSTEM TO SORT AND STORE ACTIVE PAPERWORK

Give everything a place to avoid stacks of paper clutter that take over your
workspace. At minimum, you will need desktop storage for incoming, outgoing, and
high-priority paperwork. Additionally, consider giving yourself extra desktop
storage for other active paperwork. For example, items that routinely come
across your desk, such as receipts and expense reports.

One way to instantly create better desk organization is to get yourself a letter
tray and/or desktop file organizer. Both items make excellent use of vertical
space and are ideal for sorting and storing active paperwork. Label where
everything goes so that you can quickly find what you need when working.

You’ll also want to label all your file folders. Neatly labeled folders make it
easy to transition working files to archived file storage when the time comes. A
set amount of space to store working files also forces you to streamline
paperwork before it takes over.

Try creating your own custom file folder labels with our free Avery Design and
Print Online software. All you need is a free Avery account and an internet
connection to use it. There is no need to download or install anything. In fact,
you can even use it on your smart phone.

Watch our video, “How to Make Labels and More: A Quick Guide to Avery Design &
Print Online.”

2) USE PORTABLE STORAGE FOR WORK THAT TRAVELS OR CHANGES HANDS

Desk organization can be even more challenging if you’re not always working at
the same desk. To keep everything neat and organized, take into account
documents and other work items that will travel with you. For example:

* Team documents that get passed around
* Meeting and/or presentation materials
* Work you’ll need while traveling for business
* Paperwork that travels between work and home
* Samples and office supplies used at different locations

If you work from home some of the time or you often travel between various
branches or office locations, then you need to think mobile. It’s so easy to
come home with work or bring work from home and drop it in a pile on your desk.
Instead, consider a rolling cart or bag to store samples, supplies, and other
bulky items you need on the go.

For paperwork and documents, binders and dividers are absolutely essential.
Expanding file pockets are also great for storing and organizing papers that
move around. With everything neatly contained, you don’t end up with random
piles of work cluttering your desk.

Pro Tip: Check out more ways to conquer paper clutter on your desk with our list of top office supplies for organizing paperwork.

Labeled binder clips are great for grouping hanging file folders in your filing
cabinet. Self-adhesive tabs with printable inserts make it easy to index them.

3) ARCHIVE FILES, RECORDS, AND OTHER PAPERS ON A REGULAR BASIS

It’s tempting to just leave the stacks of file folders you pulled from your
filing cabinet piled on your desk. But small stacks soon become towers of
clutter that ruin your desk organization if you don’t have a system for
returning them.

However, when your filing cabinet is organized, it’s easier to put files back in
the right place and avoid folder towers. Firstly, indexing your hanging file
folders is a must. If you can’t see where things go, it’s impossible to stay
organized.

Once your hanging folders are indexed, take it a step further by categorizing
your files. Group them by purpose, time period, department, or whatever
categories make sense for you. You can do this by color-coding your index tabs
or grouping folders together with labeled binder clips.

Pro Tip: Small 2/3" x 1-3/4" blank labels by the sheet are the perfect size for labeling binder clips, and you can order as few as one sheet of labels. Clear film gives you a clean, printed-on look.

Use vertical space to store device cables identified with neat barbell labels.
Replace flimsy paper sticky notes for durable multiuse Ultra Tabs®.

4) TAKE ADVANTAGE OF VERTICAL DESK ORGANIZATION OPTIONS

Vertical space is often overlooked when it comes to desk organization. Instead,
we let everything that doesn’t work go into a drawer or pile up on our desktop.
Clear the clutter by taking advantage of any vertical space you can find.
Cubicle accessories like shelves, hanging file organizers, and hooks are a great
start.

If you don’t have cubicle wall space and/or can’t hang shelves, get creative.
Take some inspiration from garage workbenches. A peg board or a cork board with
push pins can be propped up and used to store small items like device cables.

5) DON’T FORGET DESK ORGANIZATION FOR CABLES AND CORDS

When it comes to device cables, sometimes it seems like the only options are
loose cables piled on your desk or a drawer full of tangled cables. But that
doesn’t have to be the case.

Neatly coiled labels fit better in drawers, and can also be hung on pegboard or
with push pins. Neatly label them with barbell labels so that you waste less
time searching for the right cable.

6) SORT REMAINING DESK ITEMS; REPLACE, REMOVE, OR UPGRADE

After you’ve handled paperwork, supplies that travel between locations, and
cords, it’s time to sort everything else on your desk. First, identify old,
worn-out items that are falling apart. You can’t work efficiently with
substandard tools. Replace or repair them.

Next, assess office supplies and decorative items and ask yourself the hard
questions. How often do you really use that dusty laminating machine? Do your
decorations bring you joy, or have you outgrown them? Transfer any items you
don’t use regularly to drawer storage or remove them from your desk entirely.
Let go of décor that doesn’t make you happy to free up more desk space for items
that brighten your day.

Finally, get rid of eyesores such as outdated, unprofessional, or unappealing
décor. Don’t overlook old notes and reminders, especially paper sticky notes.
Once they’re torn, crumpled, or have lost their “stick” and keep falling off,
it’s time for them to go.

Pro Tip: Upgrade your sticky note game with multiuse 2" x 1-1/2" Ultra Tabs. They're made of durable plastic you can write on, and they're repositionable too. You can remove and re-stick them securely as needed.

Make time to keep your desk clutter free. Upgrade your time management tools
with color-coded mini Ultra Tabs to organize your work planner and color-coding
dots to prioritize task lists.

7) MAKE TIME IN YOUR SCHEDULE FOR ROUTINE UPKEEP

Desk organization is not a static, one-time-only project. However, once you’ve
organized your desk and created a system for where everything goes, it’s easier
to keep it up. That’s not to say that you can “set it and forget it,” though.
Clutter can easily build up when we are simply too busy to pay attention.

The good news is that devoting just five minutes a day to putting items back
where they belong can improve desk organization. If you never seem to have even
five minutes to spare, it might be time to start using your planner to manage
your time better. Not only will you have a better view of your time, but
planners do really help with goals, which we wrote about here.

Simply prioritizing tasks can also help. Keeping all tasks at the forefront of
your mind at all times requires a lot of mental energy. Instead, organize to-do
lists and task lists by priority. That way you’re able to focus on just what
needs to be done immediately, and you can free up a few minutes to keep your
desk organized.

explore planner supplies

BOOST PRODUCTIVITY WITH BETTER DESK ORGANIZATION

In summary, improving your desk organization is a great time investment. First
and foremost, it helps you work more efficiently, stay focused, and make a good
impression. You’ll also find that it’s easier to clean and disinfect your desk
when needed.

First, create a system to sort and store paperwork and set up portable storage
for work that travels. Next, organize hanging file folders so that you can
archive files, records, and other papers on a regular basis.

Then, make sure that you’re taking advantage of any vertical space you can find
to get supplies off your desk. Cables and cords are excellent candidates for
vertical storage and one of the hardest items to keep tidy. After that, sort the
remaining items on your desk. Replace, remove, or upgrade as needed.

And finally, make time in your schedule for routine upkeep. Use prioritized
lists and a work planner to create time in your schedule to maintain your new
clutter-free desk.

What’s your biggest challenge when organizing your desk? Let us know in the
comments, and we’ll do our best to answer any questions. Bookmark this post for
later, or share on Facebook and LinkedIn to help your officemates declutter
their desks too.

Popular Products Recommended for You
Avery® Glossy White Round Labels with Sure Feed™, 2-1/2" Diameter, 90 Labels,
Permanent Adhesive (22830)
$20.26
Custom Rectangle Labels & Stickers
$53.20
2" x 3" Blank Rectangle Labels, Print to the Edge
$4.00
1/2" x 1-3/4" Blank Rectangle Labels
$4.00
Avery® Matte Clear Address Labels, Sure Feed™ Technology, Laser, 1-1/3" x 4",
700 Labels (5662)
$70.70
Avery® Color-Coding Removable Labels, 1/4" Diameter, Assorted Colors,
Non-Printable, 760 Dot Stickers Total (5795)
$7.74
Avery® Matte Clear Address Labels, Sure Feed™ Technology, Laser, 1" x 2-5/8",
1,500 Labels (5660)
$70.70
Avery® Name Badge Inserts, 3" x 4", Print or Write, Laser/Inkjet, 300 Badge
Inserts Total (05392)
$28.84

4 THOUGHTS ON “7 QUICK & EASY TIPS FOR “HOW DO I ORGANIZE MY DESK?””

1. Fay Foster says:
03/07/2022 at 2:35 pm

I LOVE your Ultra Tabs, especially as I can move and reuse them. So glad I
discovered them!

1. Melanie Neff says:
03/08/2022 at 8:50 am

I can’t agree with you more Fay! Avery Ultra Tabs are the best thing ever
and very popular among Avery employees as well. I use them in my
cookbooks, magazines, textbooks, planners, you name it. Ultra Tabs are
everywhere in my house. I even give them as gifts to friends who haven’t
discovered them yet. And all the new designs and colors are amazing. So
happy you like them too. Make sure and follow us on our social media
accounts for even more ideas on how to use Ultra Tabs, like on your vinyl
record collection.

2. Katherine Greene says:
01/24/2022 at 10:14 am

I want that 3-tier black mesh tray! Where did you get it?

1. jeany says:
03/07/2022 at 6:22 am

I believe I ordered mine from quill but, I think they are also available
at staples or possibly Amazon.

Comments are closed.

www.avery.com Open in urlscan Pro 2600:9000:2127:3c00:1:1b56:6ec0:93a1 Public Scan

Form analysis 2 forms found in the DOM

GET https://www.avery.com/blog/

GET https://www.avery.com/blog/

Text Content

www.avery.com Open in urlscan Pro
2600:9000:2127:3c00:1:1b56:6ec0:93a1 Public Scan

Form analysis
2 forms found in the DOM