Organising your desk

Since doing my home office makeover last summer I have had to make a few changes here and there. Originally, I had expected Jules to take office space elsewhere last summer but that was delayed for a year so he needed to take half of the desk space in our home office. I had intended to use half of the double desk for my computer and half for making/photo-taking. Therefore, I have had to change the way I work over the last few months.

My main aim when it comes to organising my desk is to keep the surface as flexible as possible as I can’t use one side for my computer and one side for making. The priority is definitely not about making it look pretty – function, function, function! My work means that sometimes I need to sit at my computer for hours responding to emails, photo-editing, compiling blog posts but at other times I need a completely clear surface for crafting, pattern cutting, photo-taking and I never really know which it will be as it depends on light and deadlines. Therefore, I want to share some of my tips for keeping a desk space organised, tidy and flexible.

Tip one: Manage cables

I have an amazing new Samsung curved monitor, that links up to my laptop, for those times that I spend all day photo-editing, writing blog posts or perusing Pinterest (!). When I gave up my day job and started blogging full time I didn’t realise how much time I would spend at my computer and this monitor makes that so much easier – more on that next week.  I had to find a way to make it easy to move my computer to keep my half of the desk as flexible as possible so I have a wireless keypad and mouse to reduce the number of cables.

I cut out two notches, where the two desks meet, to allow the cables from my monitor and Jules’s computer to feed straight down under the desk and there is a basket attached to the underside of the desk to catch the cables and lead them to the power supply. This means there are no ugly cables draped across the desk and this also makes it easier to move off the table top without cables draped everywhere.

Tip two: Clipboard for paperwork

I always have a big to-do list and pieces of paper/receipts/documents that I need to deal with. The last thing I want is to have them lying all over the desk but I also don’t want to put them away in a filing box because I know I will forget about them. Therefore, the easiest way I have found of organising them whilst keeping them visible is using a clip board. I know I need to deal with everything that is attached to the board, I have my to-do list for each day or week at the top and yet everything is contained and easy to move, if need be.

Tip three: Metal baskets

Another way to make my desk space organised and flexible is I use metal baskets. I don’t want piles of bits and pieces all over the desk as these are so difficult to move so everything goes in a basket that be picked up and moved with no effort.

Tip four: Trays for little bits

For the little bits that I am using or may need I keep them in these lovely Hay Design trays. Again, I can pick these up and move them so easily and it keeps the desk neat and tidy.

I hope some of these tips are useful if you’ve been struggling to keep on top of a messy desk.

Katy x

*This post was written in collaboration with Samsung.

P.S. I have picked out some products from my shop that may help (or just look good on your desk!)…