When you’re working from home, the goal should be to “create an environment that’s positive and upbeat,” said Kelly Hoppen, a London-based interior designer.
That isn’t easy, especially during a pandemic. But a good desk organizer can help.
“It’s important for your mind to have a really nice desk to work from, so when you come and sit down, it doesn’t just feel like a mess,” Ms. Hoppen said.
That’s where a desk organizer comes in — soothing frayed nerves by establishing a sense of order, with everything you need right where you need it.
Desk organizers also deliver grab-and-go functionality for people who like to work in different rooms, and they make it easier to do a quick cleanup at the end of the day — which is essential if you’ve commandeered the end of the dining table as your work space.
“In the same way that you would put all your kids’ toys in baskets before having dinner at night,” Ms. Hoppen said, “you have to be respectful of everyone using the space.”
And just possibly, an organized desk may help you do better work, Ms. Hoppen noted: “My desk is neat because I like to be able to see what I’m doing.”
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Can you use multiple containers? Yes, but try to create a visually pleasing group of pieces that are used together, Ms. Hoppen said, “in the same way that you might use a few vases together on a console table.”
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What if you’d rather not spend money right now? Then use objects you already have at home, Ms. Hoppen suggested, like a vase for pencils and a decorative box or tray for paper.
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Are open or closed containers better? “It depends how tidy you are,” Ms. Hoppen said, and how much you have to store.
Elin Toolbox
Powder-coated aluminum storage box with walnut handle by Most Modest
$100 at Design Within Reach: 800-944-2233 or dwr.com
Buckets
Three leather storage containers with tray by Mia Lagerman
$284 at Fritz Hansen: 212-219-3226 or fritzhansen.com
De Stijl Storage Tower
Desktop vessel with swing-out compartments
$45 at MoMA Design Store: 800-851-4509 or store.moma.org
Pocket Organizer
Wall-mounted storage pockets by Simon Legald for Normann Copenhagen
From about $19 each at Danish Design Store: 833-564-8196 or danishdesignstore.com
