Desktop ORGANIZERS

Mini modules for your modern workspace

- Chad McClung

Despite our mostly digital 21st century, we still need 20th-century office supplies. Pens, pencils, post-its, and paper clips still require places on our desks. Yes, some of us still use desks. Drawing inspiration from minimalist design, I made these modules to organize my most used supplies, painting in bursts of color for some fun.

Since we’re in a modern world, I included a module that holds a smart device at an angle to easily distract you from your office work. And no workspace is complete without a cup of coffee, so I added a coaster to the set.

These modules are intended to be completely customizable. Make one or two or the whole set. You can mix, match, and move them around as needed throughout the day. But when the workday winds down, all the modules nest together neatly on a base. Let’s organize your desk!

Design inspiration

I started with five identical 1 x 4 x 4" modules, rounded their corners, and rabbeted the bottoms for feet. To keep them together, I routed grooves in the feet that nestle atop 1/4" dowels glued to a % × 4 × 20" tray.

For the pencil holder, I threaded writing utensils through a drill bit size guide for exact diameters. I routed coved grooves to easily access paper or binder clips for the clips corral. A 3½" square opening centered on a face makes the post-its holder. Then, I measured my remaining accessories and organized them for the miscellaneous module. For the gadget keeper, three wide, angled grooves hold most smart devices and a stack of business cards. It also holds the sixth module- the thinner coffee coaster.