They say a messy desk is a sign of creativity (at least the messy people do) but wouldn't some organization be a breath of fresh air? Papers everywhere, not a pen in sight, and Post-Its floating around like a ticker tape parade may make it seem like you're working hard, but when your 2:00 meeting rolls in, your area looks more "pigsty" than professional. Get your items in order, clear your chaos, and you can still be as "creative" as before…just now you'll know where your staple remover is. Here are seven desk top items that add style, sophistication, and storage.
Gold 4 Cup Kiara Desk Organizer with Tray
Gold 4 Cup Via worldmarket.com
Give your desk the royal treatment by keeping your odds and ends neatly stowed away in cups of gold. The Gold 4 Cup Kiara Desk Organizer with Tray adds a high-end touch to your workspace, keeping your things in order while serving up stylish appeal. The golden metal cups are attached to the tray, so everything stays in one area, leaving you plenty of desk space to work. Place your pens, paper clips, thumbtacks, and other items in the gold cups, giving way to a tidy space that shines.
Cost: $22.49 (on sale!)
PBteen Organize It System Homework Caddy
PBteen CaddyVia pbteen.com
While this caddy is catered towards tweens and teens, anyone can make use of this fashionable and functional setup, perfect for office or cubicle use. The PBteen Organize It System Homework Caddy is just as effective for workplace organization, with handy places to keep desk supplies, a calendar for marking appointments, and other areas for notes, reminders, and everyday to-dos. Hang on the wall for convenience and a clearer desk top, and transform your space into something more stylish.
Cost: $9.99 - $34.99 (various size options)
Mind Reader Axel Desk Organizer with Charging Station
Mind Reader Via bedbathandbeyond.com
Keep your space sleek, "juice" up your tech gear, and even tuck your keyboard away with one snazzy on-desk organizer. The Mind Reader Axel Desk Organizer with Charging Station is super for maintaining an organized desk with all the bells and whistles you need for modern convenience. You can even place your coffee mug on top when you need a full desk for papers and projects. Charge your devices, confine your gear, and feel put together when everything has its place.
Cost: $19.99
Lipper 4-Tier Bamboo Desk Organizer
Lipper 4-TierVia bedbathandbeyond.com
Stow away your staples, spreadsheets, and everything in-between inside the Lipper 4-Tier Bamboo Desk Organizer. Use the top shelf for easy reach, the storage shelf for books or files, and the bottom drawers for items you want to keep out of site. The natural bamboo is neutral and classic, the design is simple and sturdy, and you'll feel much better about the state of your desk top when everything is orderly and organized.
Cost: $25.99
White House Marketplace Three Bin Desk Organizer
White House MarketplaceVia thewhitehousemarketplace.com
Rustic and reliable, the White House Marketplace Three Bin Desk Organizer is a "shabby chic" storage piece for a desk that's prone to become untidy. Various compartments of different sizes provide space for the usual desktops items that haven't had a "home" until now. The handle and fixtures add a nice touch when you want something eye-catching as well as organizational.
Cost: $24.49
Offex Supplies Organizer
OffexVia overstock.com
Bold and beautiful with a carousel shape and lots of labeling, the Offex Supplies Organizer will turn your previously disheveled desk into a cleaner corner. This organizer rotates for convenience as you keep the essentials in order yet ready when you need something in a snap. Made of all wood and richly colored in deep brown, this supplies organizer will be the centerpiece of a much cleaner workspace.
Cost: $55.99
Tilt Desktop Storage Bin
Tilt Storage BinVia ldproducts.com
Placed on your desktop or mounted to the wall, the Tilt Desktop Storage Bin is the perfect way to stock supplies nicely and neatly within reach. The clear bins let you peer inside so you know where everything is without rummaging through drawers like you used to do. Fill them up with pens, pencils, tape, note pads, you name it. All of your supplies will be stocked seamlessly.
Cost: $25.39
A clear desk = a clear mind. Get organized!
Every time payday rolls around, I’m on top of the world. Jeff Bezos-level rich - even though I’m anything but. And then somehow the very next day, rent is due.
The cycle continues. The next payday, bills for my apartment. I find myself without a surplus of savings since I just moved and newly-furnished my apartment completely.
Even more terrifying is the looming presence of the holiday season. Halloween’s officially over and before we know it, hello Thanksgiving…and then there’s Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s insane.
I’ve been feeling very British lately. Not in a Union-Jack-obsessed, “Keep Calm and Carry-On” way. I went through that phase in 2012 with everyone else… no thank you. And it’s not even a surge of patriotism catalyzed by the Queen dying — I’m firmly team Diana and team Meghan.
Now that fall is officially here, the holidays will sweep in and I’ll have to contend with the fact that I won’t be spending them with my family in the UK. I went home to London earlier this year, so there’s not much left in my travel budget for another trip across the pond. A few domestic jaunts might be in my future, but the closest I’ll get to England this winter is watching Love Island and Love, Actually.
So in that spirit, I’ve been filling my days with content from my favorite Brits. I’m listening to all the old British rock bands I grew up listening to, patiently awaiting the new Arctic Monkeys album, and rewatching anything with Michaela Coel in it. I even shipped myself an order of British Baked Beans, so you know it’s dire.
I’ve also been watching British YouTubers like Grace Beverley — my favorite. Generally, I only go on YouTube to watch Vogue Beauty Secrets and AD Open Door videos. But I’m so glad I stumbled on Grace. Her content is a mix of London lifestyle (what lured me in), relatable entrepreneurship, and mindful productivity. I’m not a hustle-and-grind-girlboss, but as a creative person in a 9-to-5, I need all the help I can get to stay plugged in. So, the video “how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmed” changed my approach to WFH.
Grace outlines her own productivity method: the to-do table. Instead of making a simple to-do list, she divides her tasks into a table that anyone can follow. As someone who’s survived with to-do lists for years, I recently implemented Grace’s method, and it’s revolutionized my workdays.
how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmedwww.youtube.com
I follow her routine to a tee. Here’s how it works:
Essentially, she divides her daily responsibilities into four categories: quick ticks, tasks, projects, and non-negotiables.
- Quick Ticks: Actions that take less than 5-minutes
- Tasks: To-do’s that take up to 30-minutes. Probably don’t take too much brain energy.
- Projects: Long-term list items. These help guide your priorities, even if you’re not crossing them off in one day.
- Non-negotiables: Pick 3 things each day that you must get done. This is how you’ll truly measure success.
With everything written down and sorted, next address your schedule. Meetings, deadlines, and time blocks — whatever works best for you. Write it down. Then make a pact with yourself to stick to them.
This way of categorization provides a roadmap for prioritizing your day — making you far more productive. Have you ever spent the entire day on small tasks and then suddenly realized you hadn’t moved the needle on any task? Or do you spend way too much time on tasks that aren’t a priority? No more. With your non-negotiables laid out, you know what to laser-focus on and what to dedicate energy towards.
Also, it pays to know your working style. I’m not a morning person. Yet, I have to be up and at ‘em super early. So, first thing in the morning, I march through my Quick Ticks to warm me up. I set a time limit, so I can knock out some easy wins which is totally inspiring. Then I move on to bigger things without lingering on emails or admin. For others, it might be more helpful to tackle the big things with all that early-in-the-day brain power earlier.
Grace has great tips on avoiding overwhelm and burnout. My favorite is taking more intentional breaks rather than scrolling through social media. I call this scrolling “productive” because I’m “coming up with pitches.” Oh, the lies we tell ourselves. It’s more productive in the long run to giving my brain a break with non-screen related stimuli.
Grace’s solution? Set a timer to read a real, an actual book. I’ve never thought of this. It’s a genius way to check off some books on my TBR and kickstart my creativity. After reading a good book, I’m completely inspired to write. So having books near my desk helps me step away from the computer during my lunch break for an actual reset. (And yes, the current books I’m reading are by British authors: Assembly by Natasha Brown, and Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalolu.)
In my pursuit of switching out my WFH set-up and getting my life together, I’ve engineered my workstation for success. With my new WFH essentials and Grace’s productivity technique, I’m revitalized for work — despite the fall blues and my melancholy about the pending holidays.
Here are the things getting me hyped for work and helping me crush my Grace Beverley-inspired to-do tables — no lists in sight:
Southwest Airlines Sale 2022
Pack your bags — Southwest Airlines is having a major sale! Fares are as low as $59 one-way if you book by October 3rd.
This end-of-summer super sale is a game-changer for your travel plans through the end of the year. Summertime travel gets all the glory. But why not take advantage of your long weekends, holidays, and PTO this fall. You’ll be surprised at how much travel you can fit in. Keep the fall/winter season exciting with domestic trips that give you all the excitement without breaking the bank. All thanks to Southwest.
Here’s the breakdown:
Where can you go?
You’ll find discounted tickets to and from most airports. Sale fares apply to cross country travel, and even Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean! Whether you’re visiting a new city or revisiting your last beach vacation, this sale has fares to make your travel dreams come true.
What do the fares cover?
Southwest Airlines has multiple fare tiers, each with various benefits. Wanna Get Away fares start at $59, while Wanna Get Away Plus fares start at $89. You can also find great deals on Anytime fares, which offer priority boarding and express lanes. Then there’s Business Select tickets for a luxe experience at an affordable price point.
Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member?
You may think these sale fares are too good to be true. Is there a catch? Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member to access them? You’re in luck — anyone can attain these fares for a limited time.
But, insider tip, you should consider signing up for Southwest Rapid Rewards. With a free sign up, you earn points and miles with each trip you take. And with this sale, each dollar you spend on these discounted tix can stretch super far until you eventually earn free travel. The only thing better than a sale is free stuff.
So pack your bags and brace yourself for those chaotic airport lines. Everyone’s hopping on this deal so get on it. Don’t miss out — grab your sale tickets by October 3rd!
I’ve been browsing the Southwest Airlines site, checking out flights and dreaming.