Simplify your life with these shelf organizers for your desk

A tidy workspace is a happy workspace.

A tidy workspace is a happy workspace. (Hussam Abd via Unsplash/)

Many of us have recently had to turn our personal desks into full office set-ups. It’s all too easy to let your desk get swallowed up in papers and supplies. Before you know it you’ll be resting your laptop on a stack of envelopes. It’s important to create a space that fosters a sense of calm, especially when the outside world feels chaotic. Sometimes it’s as easy as getting a desktop shelving system that gives you a place to put your paper clips and postcards. Here are four excellent desk shelf organizers that will create space for you no matter your profession.

Your home office doesn’t have to be ugly.

Your home office doesn’t have to be ugly. (Amazon/)

This desktop organizer from Jerry and Maggie is an attractive way to display your supplies. The sleek wood design, which comes in four different shades, will make your home office less of an eyesore. It’s also extremely practical; you can build the five units multiple ways depending on how you want to arrange your things. Don’t be put off by having to put this together- unlike some buildable products this one actually comes with straightforward directions that make set up a cinch. It’s a great size to fit all your desktop essentials, measuring 16 by 15.8 by 6.8 inches. You don’t have to shell out to find a great solution for cleaning up your desk.

Organize your life and clear your mind.

Organize your life and clear your mind. (Amazon/)

If you’re looking for easy access to your papers and folders, this letter tray organizer is a simple vertical solution for your desktop. Maybe your desk doesn’t need to be home to little plants and knick-knacks. The top five trays are big enough to fit your papers comfortably, and they’re angled in such a way that the papers will rest on the back of the shelf instead of slipping onto the floor. The bottom shelf is flat, which makes it a great place to hold various supplies like index cards and highlighters. Measuring 13 x 9 x 15.5′ inches, you won’t have to worry about sprawl because it takes up more vertical than horizontal space. Sometimes, less is more.

Caddys aren’t just for college bathrooms.

Caddys aren’t just for college bathrooms. (Amazon/)

This may be more caddy than shelf, but it does the job when you’re trying to organize small things. You won’t have to get bins to place on shelves; this desktop caddy has an appropriate place for everything. There are five main compartments for all your pens and pencils, but our favorite parts of this caddy are the two smaller compartments that are perfect for paper clips or thumbtacks. There’s even a little drawer that’s perfect for Post-its. The whole thing won’t take up much space (9.6 x 4.7 x 4.3 inches), so the rest of your desk has room to breathe.

Stop straining.

Stop straining. (Amazon/)

Your company lets you take your monitor with you, but somehow on your desk at home you’re now slouching down to read emails. This monitor stand will bring everything up to a comfortable height (5.8 inches), and it also doubles as a shelving unit. The side pockets have space for supplies like scissors, pens, and notecards. The letter tray has room for your loose papers or notebooks. Now that we think about it, this product should also work well if you want to raise up your laptop or printer. It’s versatile and sturdy—we can’t think of anything else we’d need.