How To Organize A Desk Without Drawers {11 Ways}

How to add more space to your work desk even if is small

Do you have a desk without drawers in need of organization?

Organizing a desk is not a difficult task but if the desk has no drawers you need to find organizing solutions that fit well in the available space.

A desktop with office items and the words how to organize a desk without drawers

I’m in the same boat so I have been searching for ways to add storage space to my desk without looking cluttered.

Check the tips below to transform your cluttered and messy desk into a tidy and functional workspace.

How to Organize a Desk Without Drawers

Before diving into solutions and ideas to organize your desk let’s have a look at 3 important rules.

1. Remove non-essential items

Get rid of all the stuff that you don’t need and is cluttering your desk. These could be junk mail, old papers and calendars, excess office supplies, broken office gadgets, cables, and other utensils.

2. Keep it clean

This is a no-brainer but sometimes we are so busy that we put cleaning at the back of the queue. Allocate a few minutes at the end of your working day to give your desk a quick clean and prevent dust accumulation.

3. Prevent clutter

Once you have cleaned and organized your desk make sure that you don’t let things pile up on your work surface. Avoid clutter buildup by eliminating the stuff that doesn’t belong on your desk.

11 Ways to Organize a Desk Without Drawers

Below you will find my favorite ways to organize a desk without drawers to maximize space and boost productivity.

1. Desk organizer with compartments

There are several desk items you can keep in the compartments of a stationary organizer so your desk looks tidy and clutter-free.

Here are a few ideas:

notebooks
documents
iPad
phone
chargers
books
magazines
staplers
envelops
mail
and smaller items like bills, sticky notes, pens, scissors, ink, erasers, paper clips, compasses, staples, etc.

2. Keyboard desk tray

If your desk is small or you simply want to save space consider installing a keyboard tray underneath your desk.

Things to consider when choosing your keyboard desk tray are:

Size: make sure the tray is a good fit for your desk.
Material: chose a durable material like heavy-duty plastic or metal.
Easy to install
Wide enough
Good value

3. Under the desk drawers

Adding drawers underneath the desk is a great idea to increase storage capacity while keeping your desk free of clutter.

If you buy drawers with strong double-sided tape you won’t need to drill holes if you don’t want to.

These concealed drawers come in handy to organize and store small items that you don’t want to be visible on your desk.

4. Wall grid panel or pegboard

This wall grid is perfect to hang above your desk and keep all your office items within reach. It can be used for reminders, and to display pictures or letters.

To add more storage space you can buy separate baskets, shelves, or hooks. All of them are convenient to place small office items like keys, notebooks, letters, pen holders, etc.

5. Expandable bookends

You might think that bookends are just for books but they are versatile and perfect to keep your desk organized when you lack drawers.

This particular model has adjustable panels that can be expanded or contracted to fit the size of the files, keeping them upright and easily accessible.

You can use them to organize and display books, magazines, files, folders, notebooks, journals, mail, cards, DVDs, photo albums, etc.

6. Add storage underneath the desk

If you have enough space under your desk think about getting a storage box, a file cabinet, or a tiered cabinet with drawers.

All of these options are great to store and organize items that you don’t need on your desk and don’t have to access often.

7. Stackable trays

This type of tray is a brilliant choice to use vertical space while saving desk space.

Use as many or as few as you want and stack them on top of each other. It is a good idea to label them so you know what is inside each tray.

8. Magnetic strips

Magnetic strips are a great way to keep any space organized.

When shopping for magnetic tape make sure the backing adhesive is strong enough to adhere to walls and that the magnet is powerful to hold the items you have in mind.

What desk items you can use magnetic strips for? Things like scissors, pins, paper clips, pictures, notes, bills, mail, documents, etc.

9. Add shelves

If you have a lot of books or other items that you need to keep within reach, installing shelves above your desk can be a great solution. Use the shelves to store books, files, office supplies, and other items.

10. Side desk organizer

If your desk has no drawers consider getting a side desk organizer to place office items and documents you need to have within reach.

11. DIY organizer

If you want to create your own project that serves as an organizer a DIY tired tray could be the thing.

Tiered trays are versatile and although I use them mainly for decoration purposes they can also be used to organize your desk.

Use the bottom tray for larger items, the middle tray can be used for decorative things and the top tier for smaller stationery items.

MORE USEFUL ORGANIZATION TIPS

How to Organize a Desk Without Drawers Last Words

Organizing a desk without drawers is not difficult when you follow the tips above. Remember to follow the 3 rules to keep it organized: keep only necessary items on your desk, and develop a habit of cleaning daily and putting things away to prevent clutter.

How to Organize a Desk Without Drawers {11 Ways}