Want to take a peek into my incredible, newly organized home office, complete with a DIY computer desk that I didn’t have to drill or nail or screw together? I know what you are thinking… how can you DIY anything without a drill or screwdriver.

Well, I figured out a way to create an extra-long (like I am talking seats 3 people) office desk that took me all of 10 minutes to set up. Okay, if you take into account all the unwrapping of the tops and the bottoms, it took closer to 20.

So how did I do this, you may be asking. Well, it started with creating a plan, that I shared here. Once the plan was created, I installed all the parts that you can read about here. Now watch this video and learn my magic for putting it all together!

This post was sponsored by The Container Store. All thoughts, opinions, and ideas are my own. Some links may contain affiliates. For more, see my disclaimer.

Desk With File Cabinets

First, to create the extra-long desk, get 3 white Melamine desktops along with 4 three-drawer locking filing cabinets. The file cabinets will act at the base of the desk, with the desktop sitting on top of each filing cabinet.

To recreate this desk, space the file cabinets out so the desktops fit on top. The middle two file cabinets will hold two desktops, both tops being half on the file cabinet. To ensure that it is secure, push the desktop up to the wall and the file cabinets up to the front of the desktop.

The desk will be long enough to fit three desk spaces in between each of the filing cabinets! This makes amazing space for you to spread out, or create a workstation for your family!

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Organizing Desk Drawers

Once you have your DIY computer desk space set up, then it’s time to create organizational systems on both the counter and in the drawers.

To figure out where to place things, I suggest sorting items based on how frequently you use them. Items you use multiple times a day, keep on the counter. Items that are used occasionally, store in drawers. For my desk, I kept the pens and notepads on the counter and the office supplies in the drawers. I used drawer dividers to keep everything within the cabinets organized.

Once you have sorted your items into frequent use and occasional use, keep the frequently used items on your desktop and put the occasionally used items in the drawers.

I always store paper clips, binder clips, extra tape, and staples in drawer organizers. To find the perfect organizer for your drawers, group all your supplies, and then measure. This will help you find organizers that will actually keep your things organized because you know how wide and long an organizer needs to be.

It ends up being a game of Tetris to figure out how to make multiple organizers fit into the drawer. If you don’t need to fill the entire drawer with organizers, you can secure them to the drawer using 3M adhesives. Simply stick the adhesive to the bottom of the organizer and the drawer. The organizer won’t go anywhere and it will be easy to remove!

Create a filing system that will help you with keeping your paper clutter to a minimum. Give each category its own folder. Things like taxes should have their own folder for each year. Receipts can be stored in a file based on the month, which helps when you are looking for a receipt to return or exchange an item. Some categories I have created for clients include medical, school, business, workshops, taxes, and bills.

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Using Counter Space

Now that you have all of this desk space on your DIY computer desk, think about what you are going to keep on that space to reduce the clutter. The things you use frequently like pens, pencils, and notepads should stay on the counter. Nice pens actually should be stored lying down. This helps the tips stay pointed and the ink will last longer. I love using drawers on desks to create space for things like pens and pencils.

Paper can be stored in a desk organizer. Things like envelopes, stamps, and notepads can be stored in the drawers of your DIY computer desk. Keep them within arms reach, but they don’t need to stay on your desktop.

Hate Filing Cabinets?

Are filing cabinets not your thing? Try using magazine holders or filing boxes on your counter space to store paper. This will eliminate paper piles on your desk. Give each magazine holder a category, like medical or coupons, the same way you would with a filing cabinet. Then store all the papers that fit into that category in that holder and keep them on your desk for easy filing. When the holder gets full, you can empty the contents to recycle what isn’t needed any longer. Use your DIY computer desk cabinets for storage. Keep those papers and other items in the larger drawers. I like storing books and binders. Then they don’t take up room on your counter.

On my desk, I used magazine holders to hold projects I am currently working on. This helps keep things right at my fingertips but limits the paper clutter that can pile up on my desk.

Creating a Command Center for your DIY Computer Desk

Finally, create a command central for your new desk. I get asked what to do about all the “other paper” that seems to pile up on my desk a lot. Well, I recommend creating a command center or project board to keep track of all these items. I created my own, but you can easily create a command center using Poppin wall mounting items. On the command center, you can track projects, events, and other important tasks. Using wall space in a home office can help limit clutter on the desktop as well!

I love using a calendar to help keep track of important dates. I hang it near my project board. Then I create a space for writing notes or holding Post-Its with project ideas. Also, use a pocket file near the garage door of our house to store documents that always need to be accessible. Things like contact information for school, project checklists, and catalogs. The garage door is our family’s main entrance to the house, so I want to have a dumping space to collect artwork and hold documents that have to go to school.

Acrylic Boards

My acrylic project boards can be recreated with my project planner. I used acrylic boards along with vinyl to create these.

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When setting up a home office, make sure you create ample desk space. Think about creating a long desk using Melamine desktops and Bisley file cabinets. Store items that are frequently used on your desk, while items that are occasionally used can be stored in drawers. Use drawer organizers to keep the drawers tidy. Store frequently used items in counter organizers that fit all the items you want to keep out. Paper can be stored in files or in magazine holders on your desk. This helps reduce excess paper clutter in your desk space. Finally, create a command center or project board to streamline your projects and limit desk clutter.