Desk and office organization tools to improve your small business

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Keeping your desk and office workspace organized can be an uphill battle. Lucky for you, there are a lot of organizational tools to help.

I used to think: I’ll be fine sitting on my couch and completing a few tasks for my graphic design small business. 

I was very wrong.

I would be uncomfortable or get distracted. I would be scatter-brained when it came to notes and paperwork. My laptop would never be steady so I could work on my illustration work.

There were so many reasons I needed to organize my workspace. Thankfully, I found a few tools and office supplies that helped.

Here are a few of my favorite desk and office organization tools that helped me have a more productive workspace.

Office organization tool #1: Desk and desk chair

First things first: get a desk and a chair. 

Finding a desk and chair might seem like an apparent item to have on hand, but many business owners don’t want to use a desk and a chair for their workspace. You might not even have the room at the moment.

That said, having a desk and a chair will help in the long run. A desk and a chair will allow you to have a designated space for you to grow your small business. 

You might see stock photos of business owners using their kitchen table, the living room couch, or even their beds for their office workspace. Working on the sofa is all good in a pinch and can be used when you need a change of scenery, but try to acquire a desk that you can designate as your spot to run your small business.

Office organization tool #2: Calendar

Don’t rely on your phone or computer to store your appointments all the time. 

Calendars are a great way to stay organized in your office workspace. Whether you need additional reminders or reaffirmations for your daily tasks, a hand-written calendar will help you stay on top of your projects, clients, and meetings.

I’m a big supporter of keeping a hand-written calendar in your office workspace because they’re more likely to help you remember than solely keeping an electronic version. 

Having an electronic calendar is an excellent addition to a hand-written calendar, but make sure that everything goes on the hand-written one in your workspace. If your desk is too small, consider hanging one next, in-front, or behind your workspace to keep your desk organized and tidy.

Office organization tool #3: File folders/accordion folder

If you don’t have much room, consider consolidating any file folders you have into one or a few accordion folders to keep an organized workspace.

Keeping track of everything, especially when it comes to finances, is vital and essential for your small business. Keep your folders or an accordion folder within your office workspace. If you don’t have a room, designate a spot on the wall or your desk to house your folders. 

I would highly recommend making a shelf your designated spot if your workspace is overcrowded. This way, your documents are in one place without cluttering your immediate work area.

Determine how and what you need to keep track of to find the right type of filing system for you. Start a schedule to update, add, or edit any expenses that might occur.

Office organization tool #4: External hard drive

I highly suggest keeping an external hard drive with all of your content and projects.

I used to be a nay-sayer when it came to keeping another storage device (I can’t recount how many USB drives I’ve lost over the years), but it’s never a bad idea to keep older projects somewhere safe. This way, you’ll have access to them, but they won’t clutter up your computer. Also, (god-forbid) if you have a malfunction with your computer, you won’t lose everything.

Depending on the size and projects you work with, you can usually get a reasonably priced external hard drive and keep your workspace relatively clean and organized. 

Having an external hard drive will be especially helpful if you work with larger file formats in your small business. Videos and photography can take up a lot of space when you might only have a limited amount of storage space within your Google Drive or internal drive space.

Office organization tool #5: Bookshelf or other storage space

As a self-proclaimed bibliophile, I love my bookshelf.

I accumulate books throughout the year, both for my business and for leisure. My bookshelf gets filled almost to the brink before I decide to take pity on the overflowing shelves and sort through any that I would be willing to donate.

Having a bookshelf isn’t a hard rule when organizing your office workspace. That said, no matter what you are attached to and accumulate, you should have some structure to accommodate and manage it. So, if you’re a calligrapher or a photographer, have some storage space to keep everything organized.

Plus, if you keep up with any of the successful habits for entrepreneurs, your bookshelf should be overflowing in no time.

Office organization tool #6: Drawer/storage organizers

While you might not need a ton of supplies, they will undoubtedly run amok if you don’t put them in a proper place.

You can either put them in your desk drawers or get creative on the top of your desk. Drawer and storage organizers will keep your desk workspace tidy and organized. You might have an assortment of pens or a few paper clips to keep everything together, but they need to stay in one place.

You don’t necessarily need new drawer or storage organizers. By all means, repurpose that old iPhone box or new mug. Use what you have if you need to but find something that will serve as an organizer for your small office supplies.

If you want to get creative, invest in some velcro or a pegboard that you can attach to the wall!

Office organization tool #7: Knick-knacks

Don’t go overboard with your knick-knacks within your office workspace.

That said, maybe limit it to less than five that cover your desk space. If you can hang anything up, I would recommend doing so. You can put a few quotes, photos, or art on the wall to make your workspace your style while still being encouraging. 

If you can double-up on any of the other tools to organize your office workspace, do it! I have an old bowl I made in middle school that my dad had on his desk, and it’s an excellent knick-knack to hold some of my pens, highlighters, and clips. 

You still don’t need to go out and spend a lot of money to create a productive and organized office workspace. You can repurpose some things within your household to make a space for your small business within your home.

These organizational tools are a starting list for organizing your office workspace, both at home and in the workplace.

Still need some help organizing your desk and office workspace? Join my newsletter to find more tips to help you grow a more productive small business.