How To Organize Desk Drawers
You’d be surprised how messy most people’s desk drawers are. Because this part of desks is not visible to the public, most people tend to throw in their supplies and only organize them every once in a blue moon. But just because your desk drawers are out of sight doesn’t mean you should leave them messy. Any home office, office space, including the desk drawers, must always be properly organized to make it easier to find your items whenever you want to while increasing your productivity.
Our team at Office Furniture Warehouse has come up with some ideas and tips to help you keep your desk drawers clean, organized, and accessible.
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Pro Tips To Organize Your Desk Drawer
Declutter Your Desk Drawer First
If your desk drawer is in disarray, there’s a high chance you have a lot of unnecessary items in it. So, the first thing you need to do is clear everything from the drawer. This helps you pinpoint the unnecessary items occupying too much space in your drawer with no value to what you are doing.
Separate your valuables from the unnecessary items and get rid of the clutter. The main aim here is to create as much space in your desk drawer as possible. When you have enough space, you can easily arrange the items properly and keep your desk drawer tidy and organized.
Also, a little dusting, vacuuming, and wiping will help keep the inside of your desk drawer clean. If there are some damages, this is the right time to do the repairs.
After this, ask yourself: What do you really need in your desk drawer? If you answer this question for every individual item in your collection, you’ll be ready to start organizing your desk.
Subdivide Your Desk Drawer
Some desk drawers come with a built-in well, storage compartments, and dividers. This makes it easier to arrange your items in groups and to easily locate things in the drawer. However, if your drawer doesn’t have such features, you’ll need to improvise and make your own.
You can purchase a bunch of cheap plastic drawer organizers or storage bins to help you divide your drawer. It will help if you get the bins or dividers in different sizes and shapes since not all your items are of the same shape.
However, you don’t have to buy everything. You only need a little creativity to create your own storage space. For instance, trays and cardboard boxes can also come in handy if you can’t afford or find plastic organizers and storage bins. Also, before ordering the dividers, take some time to measure your drawer to make sure that the dividers fit well in those spaces.
Fill the drawer with the partitions. Here you need to consider maximizing the shape and size of the drawer. Keep rearranging the dividers until you maximize the space.
Start Arranging Your Items
It will be easier to arrange your items in the desk drawer when you have compartmentalized them. Arrange the items based on their use and importance.
Group them in various categories depending on the frequency of use. For instance, if there’s something you regularly use each morning, you must keep it close at the opening of the drawer. It should be among the first things you see when you open your desk drawer. Some of the categories to consider when organizing your desk drawers include;
- Stationeries
- Notebooks
- Electronics
- Papers and files.
Again, you should consider the type of activities you conduct at your desk and the items you use when arranging your desk drawer. The rule of thumb is only to keep the things you use on your desk.
Arranging items in your desk drawer according to function helps you find things quickly and easily without any struggles. It also helps save time, especially if you are working in a busy office.
Organize Your Drawers
If your desk has more than one drawer, then you’ll have enough space to store all your items. Organize your drawers by function. For instance, the things you use more frequently should be stored in the top drawer, while those you don’t use more often should appear in the bottom drawer.
If possible, you can label the drawers according to the items stored in them, for instance, stationeries at the top drawer, notebooks, papers and files in the middle drawer, and all electronics in the bottom drawer.
Tips To Maintain Organized Desk Drawers
Organizing your desk drawers is one thing and maintaining the habit is another. Most of us can only keep an organized drawer for a short period, after which we go back to default settings.
However, it doesn’t cost much to maintain the habit of keeping your drawer clean, organized, and accessible. All you need is a few tips and you’re good to go. Want to keep your desk drawers organized at all times? Here is how.
Leave Some Space
When organizing your desk drawer, you don’t have to fill every space in it. It is good to leave some empty space. You only need to store specific items in your drawers.
Remember, the main goal of organizing your desk drawers is to improve efficiency and productivity. In fact, if you leave some space, it will be easier to find things in your drawer.
Go Paperless
Gone are the days when people used to store a bunch of papers and files in their desk drawers. Documents and files take up too much space and can mess up your storage space.
We are in a digital era where papers aren’t needed anymore. You, too, should learn to store your things online and avoid too much paperwork. You’ll be amazed at how much space you’ll be left with after going paperless.
Put Your Items Back in their Correct Storage Spaces
Getting an item from an organized desk drawer is easy, fast, and effortless. The problem is getting it back to the correct storage space after use. You may be tired after a long day of work, and you decide to throw the pen or charger at any place in the storage space, or you just leave it on top of your desk. Do this a couple of days, and you’ll clutter your desk drawer.
It doesn’t take much effort to return a used item back to where it rightfully belongs. Make this a habit, and your storage space will remain clean, tidy, and accessible forever.
Get Rid of Damaged, Broken, or Expired Items
Why keep a defunct item in your drawer when you can dispose of it to create space for other things? You should always check your drawer regularly for damaged, expired, or broken items. If you find one or two, dispose of them and replace them with functional ones.
Another important tip is to operate a “one in one out” policy. With such a rule, you don’t just buy new things and keep them in the drawer. Instead, you replace a damaged, broken, or expired item with a new and functional one. This helps keep your storage space neat and tidy.
Don’t Use Your Drawer as a Dumping Ground
Are you one of those people that throw almost everything in their desk drawers? You’re doing the wrong thing.
Your drawer is a storage space and not a trash bin. And believe it or not, the way you use this space has some psychological impact on you and can affect how you work. Keep all the trash away from your storage space. If possible, have a small trash bin beside you to dump in all your waste and keep your drawer clean and neat.
Label Your Cables and Wrap up Loose Wires
How many times have you pulled out a cable from your desk drawer only to find out that it is not the one you need?
If you’re caught in such a scenario, you’ll definitely pull out all the cables, one by one, searching for the right one. This will not only waste your time but also mess up your storage space as you are likely not to rearrange the cables well. Also, if you have many loose wires inside your drawer, it will be good to wrap them together.
Talk to Office Furniture Warehouse for Your Office Desk Needs
It doesn’t cost much to organize a desk drawer. All you need is a little investment plus some tips, and you’ll be good to go. We’ve given you the tips you need to be successful and maintain an organized desk. If you want to replace your desk, reach out to us so we can discuss your needs. We have all kinds of office drawers and have great recommendations for all types of offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Importance Of A Desk Drawer?
Desk drawers are ideal for storing supplies, utensils, office supplies, writing materials, personal items, household equipment, and other miscellaneous items. A desk drawer allows easy access to frequently used items, saving time and increasing productivity.
What Are Some Basic Steps To Take When Organizing My Desk Drawer?
Take everything out of your desk drawer and sort through it. Get rid of anything that you no longer need or use. This will free up space and make it easier to organize what’s left. Next, use storage solutions such as drawer dividers, trays, and organizers to keep items separated and easy to find. You can also use small boxes or containers to group similar items together.
Make the most of the space in your drawer by using risers or vertical organizers. Then, group similar items together, such as writing materials, paper, or office supplies. Lastly, Label the areas and storage solutions so you don’t have to spend time searching for an item.
How Do I Determine What To Keep And What To Get Rid Of When Organizing My Desk Drawer?
Sort through everything in your drawer and discard things of zero importance. Keep only the items you use at all times or those essential to your work or daily routine. Get rid of items that are broken, damaged, or no longer in good condition.
Also, if you have numerous items that fulfill the same function, keep one and discard the others. Check for and dispose of expired items, such as food or medicine.
Can You Recommend Any Storage Solutions For My Desk Drawer?
Here are a variety of storage solutions that can help you organize your desk drawer:
- Drawer dividers
- Trays
- Small boxes or containers
- Risers
- Adhesive hooks
- Vertical organizers
How Do I Keep My Desk Drawer Organized On A Daily Basis?
Make a habit of putting things back in their designated place after you use them. It will keep your drawer from becoming cluttered and will make it easier to find what you need when you need it. Always check and keep your drawer organized at the end of each day.
Do Desk Drawers Save Space?
Yes, desk drawers can be an effective way to save space. It creates additional storage space, reduces clutter, and makes the most of the vertical space within a desk.
