If you spend as much time at your desk as each of us do, then you probably understand the challenge of keeping it organized. In fact, you might have incorporated that into one of your New Year’s resolutions. (Again?)

We so get it. The struggle is real.

That’s why we’re so happy to be working again with our sponsor Staples, because they’ve got literally everything you need to ditch your desk clutter for a more beautiful, organized work space. Yes, they’ve got a hundred zillion items (which is why we always walk out with more than we came in for) that include a stylish and very affordable new Acrylic Accessories collection, along with an Arc System notebook to help you wrangle allllll those papers and appointments.

We’ve also included the items at Staples to help get you started on these projects, should you find the very perfect desk organization inspiration you’ve been looking for here.

So we’re happy to have the opportunity to help get more of you motivated to get organized in the new year by sharing some smart, inspiring, creative ideas to help you free your desk from clutter to make you more focused and productive. And hey, just happier, perhaps.

Create a clipboard wall

We love the idea of creating a wall of clipboards, like this one on Trendenser. It not only helps you fill a big empty wall quite affordably, but it’s a super practical way to easily stash and organize all those papers. It also inspired the staff at Decor8, who shared some great ideas for what to clip in each one. Click over for some unexpected inspiration —  though we love the idea of adding in a couple of inspirational art prints and a printable calendar too. Stock up on card stock for printing!

What we love, aside from the organized, graphic appearance that rows of wooden clipboards inherently provide, is that it’s so easy to change out or recycle items that are no longer needed, just by unclipping them.

To get you started at Staples:
–Recycled wooden clipboards $2.99 each
–Colorful plastic clipboards, $5.99 each
–White letter-sized cardstock, $18.29/250
–To-do list heavyweight paper pack, $7.49

Transform a bar cart into storage space

If you’ve got a small desk, or just need a little more room, move all the clutter off the desk and onto a transformed bar cart, which is exactly what The Every Girl did in her smart post on 3 ways to style a desk. This way, you’ve got much more space to actually work, and your storage is still easily accessible. And because bar carts have wheels, if you don’t like where it is, well, you can just roll it to where it might be more useful for you.

Our suggestion is to digitize as much of your paperwork as possible, eliminating the need for a big file cabinet. Then you display special photos or other trinkets on top that otherwise may have been hidden behind clutter, and beneath, get yourself some pretty storage solutions which becomes part of your decor as well.

To get you started at Staples:
–Tivoli rolling bamboo bar cart, $71.36
–3-shelf black rolling cart, $24.99
–Pretty floral photo storage boxes, $10.49

Mount a pegboard for hanging everything

We’re practically swooning over this pegboard wall by Fabric Paper Glue, which is such a smart solution for getting pretty much everything off your desk — and even out of your drawers!  Granted this particular set-up is specific to you crafty types, but lots of her solutions are relevant to anyone, and it’s easy to see how you could mount shelves, wire baskets, hook, and envelope wall files to hold papers or items you do have deskside.

We would fill little buckets or baskets with pens and pencils, and stack a few attractive envelope wall files down the side to get rid of those paper and magazine stacks. And aren’t those not-too-fake plants at top a nice touch?

To get you started at Staples:
–Pegboard organizer kit $51
–Pegboard wall panel  $47
–Pegboard chrome baskets, $14.99 and up
–Pegboard hook sets, $4.49 and up
–Faux green grass in contemporary wood planter, $28.39

Hang a pipe bar or towel bar

The folks at Mountain Modern Life came up with such clever way to organize your workspace by using pipe. Yes, pipes! You have to see the before and after photos — pretty amazing. Now you will need a few tools for this, as well as some creative configuring of mason jars and wire baskets to use for hanging, but after a couple of hours (maybe less if you’re extra handy), you’ll have a super wall design that happens to be an organizational system too.

You could also substitute a towel bar (there are tons of towel bars at Staples!) or a sturdy bar pull, which would significantly cut down on the labor time and specialty tools required for mounting. We’re all for saving time.

To get you started at Staples:

–Mason jars, $14.99/set of 12
–Wrought-iron wire basket with handles, $62.99
–Metal wire baskets with mesh sides $78.99/2
–Oil rubbed brass towel bar, $50.08
–Stainless pipe bar pull, $34.75

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About our sponsor

You’ll find no shortage of stylish, affordable organizational products at Staples, like their new Acrylic Accessories Collection to help you get your desk organized, and their customizable Arc System notebooks to help you get life organized. With thousands of items at great prices (including Staples’ own budget-conscious brand products) and a 110% price match guarantee, it’s easy to achieve some of the home office spaces you see here, and to make your own workspace a place you look forward to settling into.

(From top left)
Modern floral clothespins | Acrylic blue-edged letter tray | Poppin file cabinets | Staples Stickies in bold colors | Arc Patent Quilted Notebook system | Staples side advance mechanical pencils | Staples Acrylic Purple Edge Pencil Cup | Cynthia Rowley Gold Stapler | Tivoli rolling bamboo bar cart

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Create a photo garland, not just for photos

A photo garland is a lovely way to get the clutter of photos off your desk (sorry, frames), and we found 3 cool DIY photo garland tutorials at Brit + Co that would be fun in a workspace. You can hang one across your desk, in front of a shelf, or right on the wall.

It doesn’t need to be just photos you display, by the way. You can hang everything from business cards to to-do lists, a month-a-page calendar, or pretty much any little pieces of paper that you’ve got covering your desktop. Get fancy like some of the ideas here or just use a few clothespins or metal clips and some twine or pretty ribbon.

To get you started at Staples:

–Modern floral clothespins pack, $11.98/14
–Wooden clothespins, $21.99/200
–Natural jute craft twine spool, $5.69
–Washi tape, $3.49 and up

Clip organizers and pencil cups onto your desk

Here’s a fun DIY organizational tutorial for clip-on organizers also from Brit + Co in which they use metal pencil holders. Now they’re not technically on your desk, giving you some space back on your desktop to get your work done.

While this idea is great for pencils, pencils, scissors and other office supplies, you could also pop a small vase with some blooms to help brighten up your office. And hey, try color coordinating your pencils and pens — and even spray painting the desk accessories or getting them in matching colors. You’d be surprised how organized your desk looks just by having matching accessories.

To get you started at Staples:

–White zigzag metal pencil holders, $2.99
–Colorful side advance mechanical pencils, $9.49/8-pack
–Poppin colorful, coordinated desk accessories, varies

Put up a steel mesh board

We’re amazed at how easy a DIY steel mesh board is to hang and use, like this one from Homesick. Check out all her photos for a ton of inspiration for how to put it together and use it. Just grab yourself some wire gridwall panels in the size you want, paint it or leave it metallic or white, then hang it up.

Next, take all your lists, prints, magazines, and whatever else you have stacked up on your desk and hang it using some sleek metal binder clips. Done! Easy, right?

To get you started at Staples:

–2’x4′ wire gridwall panels, $29.19/3-pack
–Chrome 6’x 2′ gridwall panel, $60.49/3-pack
–Chrome gridwall hooks, $8.59/20
–Silver metal binder clips, $4.59/12

Thank you so much to our sponsor Staples for making it easy and affordable to get organized this new year. Don’t forget that they’ve got a 110% price match to help save you time and money, which is something parents can definitely use more of.