I Showed a Pro Organizer My Messy Desk, and She Fixed It With a Single Product

My desk has always been a problem area in my apartment. It’s mostly due to the fact that it doubles as a vanity, with eye shadow palettes sitting right next to notebooks. There’s no room in my apartment for more furniture, and before you ask, my bathroom has zero countertop space left for makeup. So, my cluttered desk sticks out like a sore thumb whenever the rest of my space is clean and tidy.

As you can imagine, it also makes for a complicated work-from-home setup. Sometimes, my desk is so chaotic that I decide to just work from my couch instead — which is awful for my back. I recently decided that it was far past time I did something about the situation, but I was a bit unsure of where to start. I ended up reaching out to Jean Prominski, certified professional organizer and founder of Seattle Sparkle, for guidance. 

“Is there anything that can get tossed or re-homed elsewhere?” is the first question Prominski asked me. It’d been a while since I’d given my desk a major decluttering treatment, so I started by making some cuts. The makeup I rarely touch was the first to go, moving underneath the bathroom sink. I shoved my notebooks onto my bookshelf. Several documents in my file holder were tossed, and it looked way neater afterward.

I also decided that my desk’s tiny drawers needed some attention, too. I organized them each by category: one for stationery and office supplies, one for envelopes and stamps, and another for items I don’t want to lose track of, like my passport and checkbook. 

At first, Prominski suggested getting a small cart or set or drawers to put next to my desk — because the area underneath my desk is out of the question. A carry-on suitcase currently resides there and has nowhere else to go. (These are the unfortunate realities of small space living.)

“If there is any way you could get about 15 inches next to the desk for drawers (under the desk will be too cramped), you could put something like these drawers, which will give you so much more space,” she told me. “I’m sure we can find something more narrow, but those drawers are my favorite.”

In the end, though, her other product recommendation ended up solving every problem I had. I’ve lived in a studio long enough to know that going vertical is always a good idea when you need more storage, but as a renter, I’m hesitant to drill shelves into the wall. Prominski had the perfect no-drill solution: a desk bookshelf, aka a desk hutch.

I can’t believe I never thought of it! After telling Prominski that I wanted a light-colored and wooden (rather than metal) hutch that would match my apartment’s aesthetic, she put this Amazon option on my radar. “You may even want to try mocking it up with cardboard or something simple to get a feel for how intrusive they will be,” she advised.

Luckily, the dimensions lined up almost perfectly with my 40-inch wide IKEA desk, as did the natural finish. Building it was far less complicated than I anticipated — and I’m the least handy person I know — and I’ve been so impressed with the hutch’s sturdiness ever since I placed it on top of my desk. It hasn’t once wobbled!

Most importantly, the shelves provide more than enough space for my makeup, clearing the surface for my laptop. It’s also given room for more books, which is ideal since my bookshelf is nearly overflowing. Considering that many alternatives on Amazon appear to cost over $50, this high-quality hutch is a steal. Now that my desk is finally in order, my entire studio looks like it got a makeover — and that’s priceless.

Buy: Nromant Desktop Bookshelf, $39.99