13 Under-Desk Storage Ideas to Tidy Up Your Office

Keep your desktop clutter-free by using the area below to store your supplies.

Whether you work from home, operate on a hybrid schedule, or just need a space at home to pay bills, having an organized office is crucial. This is especially true for those who don't have a designated home office but have set up shop in their bedroom or created a cozy cloffice instead. In small spaces, every inch matters, so maximizing the area you do have is a smart way to prevent clutter.

Sure, desktop organizers and floating shelves can help you sort your office supplies. But there’s another (often overlooked) area you should be taking advantage of. No matter what kind of desk you use, there are numerous ways to utilize the storage space beneath it. Check out the following under-desk storage ideas to keep your work items organized and out of the way.

Related: Small Office Design Ideas for Every Kind of Work-from-Home Setup

File Cabinet or Bench

Hopefully you’ve become as paperless as possible by now, because physical papers often pile up faster than we can keep up. Still, there will always be some paperwork that needs to be kept, if only temporarily. Find a small-scale cabinet or bench on wheels that can roll (and fit) under the desk to organize your files, preventing them from cluttering up the desktop.

Sliding Tray

If your desk doesn’t come with its own set of drawers, or there’s any flat space underneath the surface, consider tacking on an organizing tray that will glide in and out as needed. These are designed specifically for desks and come in a variety of styles and finishes. Some require drilling into the bottom of the desk, others simply stick to it. They’re generally shallow so use them to store small supplies you want to have at your fingertips such as extra pens, highlighters, and some sticky pads.

Related: 8 Tips for Organizing Desk Drawers for a More Efficient Workspace

Under-Shelf Basket

Generally used to organize kitchen cabinets, an under shelf basket can slide onto the desk table and horizontally hold notebooks and a planner. They don’t have individual compartments like an under desk tray does, so avoid tossing tiny things into them as they might be hard to keep contained.

Rolling Cart

This idea may only work for particularly tall areas, such as a standing desk. Stash a tiered cart full of office supplies underneath your desk for easy access. Use organizers, such as containers or caddies, within the shelves to keep items sorted into categories. This works especially well for desks that don't have built-in drawers.

Hanging Cubby

For even more storage space, consider an open cubby that functions similarly to an under-shelf basket. These slide onto the front of the desk and often include a padded top that you can use to place your phone or favorite pen. Books and binders can line up vertically or, if you’re heading into the office, tuck your purse and lunchbox into it.

Dual-Sided Bin

All home offices should have a wastebasket so you can conveniently discard items without having to traipse to another room. If yours doesn’t currently have one, consider adding one with two compartments—much like a divided hamper. Instead of darks and lights, one side can hold trash while the other can serve as a spot to store paper that needs to be shredded. When you’re ready to dump the contents out or get to shredding, simply grab it from underneath the desk and get to work.

Related: The 14 Best Desks to Maximize Your Home Office Space

Cube Organizer

A popular playroom storage solution to tackle toys, you can also use a small cube unit for office organization—especially if you have a wide space under your desk. Take careful measurements to ensure it will fit the height, depth, and width of the area. Add on matching, labeled cube bins and hide away things like bulky electronics or backstock office supplies.

Stackable Bins

Similar to the using a cube organizer, stacking open front bins uses the height under a desk to its capacity. However, this is a more lightweight method and you can customize your system as you see fit. Use each container to store a different category of work supplies and add a label to the front to easily identify what’s inside.

Drawer Unit on Wheels

Alternatively, a metal drawer unit on wheels can also be added under a high desk. Unlike having to pull an entire cart in and out whenever you need something, you can simply open the desired drawer. As always, organize your work items by type and clip a label onto each drawer for immediate identification.

File Box

If you have a limited amount of paperwork to store, an aesthetic wooden or acrylic file box can corral things like documents and receipts. Unlike a bulky file cabinet (which can be useful if you're dealing with a lot of paperwork), a file box can be easily slipped under the desk without taking up much leg room.

Cable Box

An array of cables and chargers from the computer and other devices often create a jumbled mess underneath a desk. Thankfully, a slew of storage box options have come on the market to hide cords and power strips. Use one to make the space under your desk less unsightly and tack on cable labels to easily identify their sources.

Related: How to Organize Power Cords

Printer Stand

If you have the space and don’t use it often, stow a printer stand under your desk. Not only can it hold the printer itself, many styles are designed to organize supplies as well such as excess paper and ink cartridges. This keeps the printer off of your desk and clears up valuable space.

Related: Ideas for a Functional Home Office in Any Room of Your Home

Related: Turn a Basic Cart into a Mobile Office with These Storage Hacks

Foot Stool with Storage

Proper posture is imperative, especially if you’re sitting at your desk most of the day. Elevating your feet can be one way to stay more aligned and comfortable. Try finding a footstool that fits your height that also has room for storage within. Even if it only holds a folded blanket for the times when your office feels chilly, it's a functional way to keep clutter at bay.

Related: 21 Ways to Use a Storage Bench for All Your Organization Needs

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