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1. A customizable shelving system that'll free up a ton of surface space you didn't realize you had.
Promising review: "I love this shelf. It is as useful and stylish as it is simple. It comes with seven boards, more than enough screws, and even its own screwdriver, which I was a little surprised by. The picture instructions are numbered and super easy to follow; they just show which sized board with the correct number of pre-drilled holes to attach to the other, so as long as you can operate a screwdriver, it's really simple! My favorite feature of this shelf is that it's adjustable in length, angle, shape, etc. The size is also perfect for a table/desktop. The wood is nicely treated, and looks like it would be just as nice if it were painted, too, but it's definitely not necessary." —Jill
Get it from Amazon for $32.99 (available in natural wood and dark gray).
2. A stackable bookend for a design-y way to keep your book collection looking slick.
3. A geometric smartphone stand/dock with a surprising number of compartments to store your odds and ends.
Get it from MinimumDesign on Etsy for $34.19.
Find another creative phone storage solution on Amazon for $14.99 (available in beech and walnut).
4. An acrylic pen holder so you can finally close the investigation into where all your desk pens have disappeared to.
5. Playable art balls, a mod spin on the classic stress ball to keep your hands busy when you hit a lull in the workday.
Promising review: "I spend hours on the phone for my job. I was looking for something that would not steal my attention or concentration, but would give me something to do with my hands. These are great. I love the rainbow colors. My kids who are teenage boys have been playing with them too. Fun for all ages." —Uncommon shopper
Get the rainbow (left) from Uncommon Goods for $30 or wood-toned (right) from Amazon for $29.09.
6. A dimmable desk lamp that'll lighten the mood when you're having a ruff day.
7. A framed photo display for a necessary reminder of the outside world.
Promising review: "I work for my family's business and have this hanging where the customers can see. They all comment on how cute the frame is and it's so nice to have some family photos at work." —Amanda Taylor
Get the collage frame (left) from Amazon for $15.29 or the single frame (right) for $10.49 (available in aged walnut and natural wood).
8. A set of conjoining lily pad coasters that'll protect your desk from coffee rings — and offer hours of entertainment with their various configurations and shadows.
Get it from Coming Soon or MoMA Design Store for $28 (for a set of six).
9. A pack of animal-shaped paper clips to bring some excitement into your filing.
Get it from Amazon for $6.50+ (for 12 pieces; available in seven versions).
10. A tapestry jotter — that's a magnetic, multi-level pad — that'll provide you with some art and order in whatever environment it is you get your work done.
Get it from Of a Kind for $16 (available in green and orange).
11. A Danish no-frills diffuser and humidifier for those punishingly dry winter days in the office.
Promising review: "I love that the lights cast down against the resting surface and not out. The controls are unfussy and easy. The bottom of the well is designed on a slope so the water pools toward the diffuser plate. I like the little legs because they're cute and they keep it elevated above my lazily dusted surfaces. It's anthropomorphically adorable; I want to give it eyes and name it. I've been through two other diffusers in two years — one cheap one and a starter-pack Young Living one. This one seems much better built and designed than either of those." —Miss Fish
Get it from Amazon for $41.59.
12. A 2019 desktop calendar that celebrates women "who make the world go round" — with a new, delightful surprise illustration every day.
Get it from slenhardt76 on Etsy or Coming Soon for $26.
13. A brutalist block sculpture because you prefer your building toys to be niche.
Get it from Amazon for $27.09 (available in six other styles).
14. Or a bubble-wrap calendar for any working professional who is actually just a large baby with a briefcase and loves nothing more than popping a good bubble. (We'll allow it.)
Promising review: "Have you ever woken up and immediately wanted to destroy something? Of course you have. Nary a day goes by that causing a bit of destruction wouldn't make the rest of the day so much easier to handle. I've woken up and smashed alarm clocks with hammers. It got expensive even replacing the cheapest alarm clocks daily. I've broken a few eggs (and enjoyed the ensuing omelettes that came with it). I even crashed my car into some medians on the morning commute, but after three times, my insurance company told me they frown upon such behaviors. Then came this. Every morning I wake up and hold in my rage long enough to amble over to the bubble calendar and start my day off my popping, and utterly destroying, the current day's representative bubble. It has done wonders for my psyche and I no longer have the urge to ruin other household goods or roadside attractions."—SW3K
Get it from Amazon for $24.95.
15. A wooden object that'll give you a hand with adding some personality to your workspace.
Get it from Finnish Design Shop for $25.
16. A steel headphone rack so you always know where your precious cans are.
17. A deep-sea sand art sculpture that's so memorizing you'll probably never get another minute of work in — but surely your boss will understand.
Promising review: "Gave it to my husband as an anniversary gift to keep on his desk at the office. It's a cool, easy way to help him focus and relax, even on the most hectic day!" —D Momma
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $85.
18. A charging station dock and organizer to make all your clunky gadgets look like capital-A Art.
Promising review: "It's simple, good-looking, and compact. What you don't see from the pics on here is the base has the following unexpectedly nicely designed features: 1) microfiber lined to prevent any scratches; 2) elastic loops to contain extra cord length; and 3) magnetic securements to attach it to the top part." —Chris C
Get it from Amazon for $49.99.
19. A vibrantly colored desk set that wrangles all the essentials in one place.
The set includes: letter trays, an accessory tray, a this-and-that tray, a pen cup, and 12 signature ballpoint pens.
Get it from Amazon for $61 (available in orange, aqua, and white).
20. A wavy copper tray to hold all the business cards you've just been storing in some drawer.
Get it from Of a Kind for $28.
21. A wire storage grid that's perfect for hanging up reminders and photos (or displaying small plants if you opt for shelving).
It includes nine clips and hanging hardware.
Promising review: "I always wanted something like this where I could hang my photos and little reminders, so I bought this. I fell in love with it instantly when it arrived. I love how I can put a lot of things on it and it comes with little clips so you don't have to buy extra things to hang your photos." —hana23kim
Get it from Urban Outfitters for $59 (available in black and copper).
Add attachable shelves for $16 each.
22. A very chubby mug for a new way to take your morning fuel.
Get it from Fredericks And Mae for $56.
23. A decorative succulent display to up your desk-plant game.
24. A geometric tape dispenser that you'll stick with for the long haul.
Promising review: "This exceeded my expectations. I was a little worried what the color might look like in person because it's described as "copper" in the title but it's, in fact, a very beautiful rose gold color. Goes perfectly with my new white office desk I got for grad school. I love it!"—Ashley Gagne
Get it from Amazon for $6.79.
25. A non-discreet electronics box to conceal all the cables crowding your workspace.
26. A retro walnut riser that'll create some space underneath your computer.
Promising review: "I really like this stand, which I purchased for my new iMac. It isn't warped at all, no chips or problems with veneer. My audio interface fits perfectly underneath. Nice, clean, modern look and plenty strong. I bought the matching headphone stand and phone stand too. All worked out great." —BbReview
Get it from Amazon for $49.98.
27. A marbled dry-erase board if you're looking for an elegant take on the utilitarian dry-erase board.
Get it from Urban Outfitters for $16.
28. A 3D skull replica to let your coworkers know that you're dead inside.
Get it from Amazon for $33.95 (available in black, brown, white, and zebra).
29. A minimalist storage vessel for stashing your pens and pencils.
Get it from Most Modest for $38 (available in seven colors).
30. A Roy Lichtenstein mousepad if your love for the pop-art movement runs deep.
Get it from Amazon for $15.95.
31. A perpetual calendar to make your workspace look perpetually on-trend.
32. A wacky bud vase with eight tubes, if you really want to lean into your workplace florals.
Get it from Amazon for $29.85 (also available in steel blue/green, cedar green/blue, emerald green/blue, and magenta/pink).
33. A mini personal fan you don't have to worry about making a big scene with.
Promising review: "I have had this fan for over a year and it has performed absolutely flawlessly and has saved me from many warm days. If you have an office that gets warm but you also are required to be in conference calls or do not want to disrupt your coworkers with fan noise, this is the fan for you. I would also suggest it for a home office or a workbench." —J. Wall
Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in six colors).
34. A pair of solid-wood lights for some warm mood lighting.
35. A set of erasers that double as stands for your pens and pencils.
Get it from Areaware for $12 (for a set of three; available in six colors).
36. A swiveling De Stijl storage tower for the art buff looking for a splash of color in their drab space.
Get it from Coming Soon or MoMA Design Store for $38.
37. And a calendar stamp so you can customize your desktop setup to your exact liking.
Get it from StopStitchCraft on Etsy for $50.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.
Want more cool products for your desk? Look no further:
17 Things That'll Make Working At Your Desk Dramatically More Comfortable
26 Things To Put On Your Desk That'll Have Your Coworkers Saying "Damn, They're Cool"
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