Leave room for the current task

Choose the working area

Mark out the part of the desk needed for the work in front of you: an open book, a notebook beside a keyboard or a sheet that needs room to turn. Begin with that shape. If storage expands into it during the day, move the storage rather than repeatedly clearing a narrow corner.

Keep frequent objects near

Watch which objects you reach for repeatedly. A pen that is used every hour belongs closer than a box opened once a month. A small tray can give those frequent objects an edge and a home, provided it does not become a second place to search.

Do not arrange everything by category alone. The object used together with another may be easier to keep beside it, even if a catalogue would place them in different groups.

Notice the returning clutter

An object that repeatedly returns to the same inconvenient place is offering useful information. Perhaps its intended home is too far away or requires two hands to open. Change that one return journey before buying more storage.