Organize your work from home setup with these 15 expert tips

Lindsay Tigar • December 5, 2025

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The desk. You spend more time sitting there than you’d care to admit, don’t you? And chances are, it’s a bit of a mess. If you’re like us, sticky notes, pens and notebooks tend to be scattered across the entire surface, and it’s long overdue for a little upgrade.


That may be especially true now that more and more of us have been instructed (or are choosing) to work from home indefinitely as one way to help slow the spread of coronavirus. So what better time than now, really, to get things organized so your desk at home or working space (which may currently be your kitchen table) becomes a space devoted to focus, precision and determination.


To help keep you focused on all your tasks at hand, we offer these decluttering office supplies, all recommended by top organizers who have been there, cleaned that. Their strategies will have you up and working, stat.





Choose a dedicated work space


In some cities, having a one-bedroom is a luxury in itself, so a home office? Fat chance. Even so, chief organizing expert for Mercari, Patty Morrissey, says it’s essential to have a dedicated working space when you’re away from a traditional business environment. How come? This allows us to report for duty — so to speak — and then check out when we’ve finished our day. “When you walk into the room or the nook or sit at your desk you should feel a shift, the space should trigger a response that it’s time to work,” she explains.


 

Ardilla Floating Desk

 

If you’re tight on space, consider this floating desk that’s attached to the wall. Simply unhook when it’s time to dial in for that 9 a.m. conference call, and stow it away when you’re off the clock.



Strategize a drawer system


If you ask Amy Tokos, the president-elect of the National Association of Productivity Organizing Professionals, your home desktop should be considered as prime real estate. Anything that isn’t necessary on a daily basis should be categorized neatly in drawers. That includes school papers, bills, home projects and so on. “Think of the system that works best for your family situation so that you can easily sort/find a home for each person or project,” she says. Whichever way you slice and dice it, finding a way to keep these drawers tidy is key.

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