13 Best Desktop Organizers For Keeping a Tidy Workspace

When your workspace is in order, it’s easier to get down to business. Enter: desktop organizers. Having a place for your essentials (and having every essential in its place) can be the difference between a productive workday and a day of procrastination. If you’re lacking a desk drawer or just like seeing everything in the open, they’re just the thing for storing your home office gear while keeping your work area clutter-free. When scoping out the best of the best, we shunned traditional office furniture (i.e. sterile, bulky, boring-looking objects) in favor of highly functional helpers that put design at the forefront. Ahead, discover the best desktop organizers, including stackable trays, monitor risers with extra storage, pencil cups, style-forward caddies, and more.

For an Artisanal Look

We once called out that Pottery Barn’s Puebla dish set reminds us of the decorative blue and white plate wall we saw in Gwyneth Paltrow’s kitchen, but the collection’s office set brings the same artisanal feel to your desk. A porcelain tray, pencil cup, and a more shallow cup are available to purchase separately, but we would snag the whole set to give your setup a polished feel.

For an Industrial Vibe

Craighill’s brushed steel organizers also make an appearance in our best office accessories roundup, since it has an industrial vibe that’s cooler and more contemporary than any filer organizer we’ve seen at Staples. This one is also purchasable individually or as a set, and if you pick up multiple pieces you can snag a discount.

A Designhead Pick

Modern and minimal, this Fritz Hansen-designed organizer is shaped from a single sheet of steel, wrapped in soft leather for a sculptural look. Situated in your home office, it can prop up your important files and phone with ease, but it’d also be a nice accessory to keep in the kitchen for organized kitchen recipes and grocery lists.

For a Discreet Look

The Vault All-In-One organizer makes sure everything has a place, from keys to important travel documents, with labels for you to designate specific purposes for each compartment. And if even the sight of files is a turn off for you, this one closes completely to resemble a scholarly looking set of books.

For a Pop of Color

This set from Stackers makes the workday more fun by adding some color to the equation. The fluted exterior adds a slight mid-century touch while the stackable design allows you to maximize desk real estate while still keeping all your gear consolidated.

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More AD-Approved Desktop Organizers

For anyone missing this functionality of desk drawers in their work table, Ferm Living’s 2×2 organizer has a pop out feature that keeps your important documents easily accessible. It’s got the same Scandi design vocabulary that runs through the brand’s full collection, but it’s still versatile enough to blend in with wherever your aesthetic leans.

If Socrates and Aristotle had desk accessories, we imagine they probably looked a lot like this beige marble set from Pottery Barn—though you’ll likely find more use from the cell phone holder than they would have. The full Isla set has everything you’ll want to surround yourself with as you write your epics and pose philosophical questions, and they’ll add a nice touch of texture to your tabletop as well.

This organizer-meets-mail basket stores more than meets the eye: It’s got slots for envelopes, a compartment to keep your stationary in order, and smaller holders for pens and other essentials. Crafted with airy rattan, it’s just the thing to bring some coastal vibes to your work area.

There’s the work, and then there’s the stuff that enables you to do the work, like lip balm, gum, hand lotion, stress balls—we could go on. Give these necessities the place of honor they deserve in Blu Dot’s bent wood trays, which can be organized in a variety of ways and come in three soothing color combos.

This office desk organizer was designed specifically “for those items always floating around your desk,” according to Japanese company Yamazaki Home. The two-tier design means that you can hang things, lean them against the back, or keep them in the dish on the lower level.

Maximize your desk space with a monitor riser that features built-in storage compartments. This monitor riser is available in three configurations: one with all drawers, one with a large cubby and small drawer, and one with two drawers and a cubby. The top features a cell phone stand, slots for small items, and even a drink holder.

This low-profile supply organizer is ideal for small spaces. It keeps all your essentials within reach without taking up much desktop real estate and it’s available in lots of subtle colors that are still neutral enough not to be distracting.

For a more industrial look, consider wire mesh organizers. This monitor riser’s built-in drawer and side slots give you extra storage space and would pair quite nicely with some vintage Vitsœ shelving or maybe Vitra’s classic Uten Silo.