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Get Organized: DIY Hacks to Curb Office Clutter

by on Feb 1, 2018

The festive season is usually a busy one, and if you’re anything like me, this leads to a serious build-up of mess around by the end of December. Which isn’t great when you’re trying to get back to work in the new year. All those bits and pieces left lying around can clutter up your head space as well as your office space, affecting your productivity!       

DIY hacks to curb office clutter

The good news is that it’s really easy to organize your desk and get the year off to a fresh start with a few quick and simple office hacks that won’t break the bank. Want to know more? Read on below! 

DIY hacks to curb office clutter


Office Hack 1: Make some upcycled drawer dividers

If there’s one thing that drives me crazy, it’s drawers packed to the brim with random items in no particular order. It’s impossible to find anything! (in case you can’t tell, there are many such drawers in my house).

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - drawer storage

For an easy fix that works a charm and looks good to boot, collect some old cardboard boxes (cereal boxes work well) and cut the bottoms off so each box is just under drawer height.

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - drawer storage

Cover them in adhesive vinyl or contact paper to hide any ugly packaging and hey presto – you’ve got yourself some nifty drawer dividers!

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - drawer storage

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - drawer storage

Office Hack 2: Turn old tins into instant desk storage

If you’ve got a penchant for pretty stationery like me, you may have found yourself with pens and pencils aplenty and nothing to house them in. Sound familiar?

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - pen caddy

A simple and cost-effective way to increase your storage is to reuse old tins. They make great pen holders – simply clean them, remove the labels and give them a quick coat of spray paint to help them blend in with the rest of your office decor.

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - pen caddy

If you’re feeling extra crafty, try using some hot glue to stick a few tins together and make yourself a handy caddy that’ll hold scissors, pencils and anything else that might be cluttering up your desk!

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - pen caddy

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - pen caddy

Office Hack 3: Fix ribbon tangles with jars

There’s nothing worse than reaching into your ribbon drawer and pulling out a mess of tangles when you’re trying to wrap a gift in a hurry.

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - ribbon storage

To stop your ribbons from getting in a knot, separate them and store each one in a jar. Drill a hole in the lid and feed the loose end through for easy access. 

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - ribbon storage

You can keep the jars in a drawer or put them out on display – after all, ribbon is so pretty and all that color will make your jars a bit of a feature!

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - ribbon storage

Office Hack 4: Control cables with toilet rolls

Messy cords got you down? Find an old box that’s tall enough to hold upright toilet rolls. The toilet rolls will help to separate those cables and avoid nasty tangles.

You can hunt for a pretty gift box at your local newsagent, or use any old box and cover it with contact paper or vinyl so that it matches your office decor.

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - cord storage

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - cord storage

Once you’ve found a suitable, stick your toilet rolls together with some craft glue before inserting them inside.

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - cord storage

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - cord storageUse a bit of glue to affix the toilet roll bundle to your box. You can fill the whole box with toilet rolls or leave a gap at the sides like I did to hold larger cords and plugs. 

Lastly, insert your cables for tangle-free storage.

DIY hacks to curb office clutter - cord storage

DIY hacks to curb office clutterThese are just a few of many hacks to de-clutter and organize your office space. They all involve reusing materials that are easy to find around the home, which is great for your hip pocket and also the environment! 

Check out these 4 DIY ways to clear off your desk and curb office clutter.
Share these organization tips on Pinterest!

Have you got a handy tip for getting your desk in order? Share it with us in the comments below!

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4 Comments

  1. Gwen

    For cable storage, I used the wee 3M hooks on the back of a long cabinet door, in my case the pantry door, since I work from home. You never notice they are there, are all sorted when you need one, and with the 3M things, you can remove them at any time if you have a rental or are afraid of commitments.

    To be fair, there are two cables that I use often and those I leave hanging over my chair back. They get used multiple times a day, so I don’t feel bad….although I bet I could use another 3M thingie to attach them out of sight under my desk/table. Hmm…

    While I love your idea of the toilet rolls and the pretty box, the idea for me is the fewer amounts of stuff on the desk is best and there are some that I just plain don’t need often or are extras/backups.

  2. christina

    Hi what brand of contact paper did you use? Also, what is the roll name? I have been looking all over for a beautiful print like this, and I can’t find it!