19 Simple Ways To Make Your Desk A Happier Place To Be

Keep your lunch in a Thermos and put washi tape on everything.

1. Write your goals or to-do list on the glass of a picture frame in whiteboard marker, so your coworkers know what's keeping you so crazy busy.

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Erasing each goal will be so satisfying. Tape paint chips on a piece of paper, carefully lay the glass over them, then put the frame on, and display at your desk.

2. Stack your computer on a few pretty coffee table books, so you aren't constantly craning your neck.

Emily Shwake

It's much more personal (and cheaper) than buying a laptop stand, but works just as well! When your computer is too low or too far away from your eyes, you're going to crane your neck and strain your eyes. Not good. Your screen should be at eye level and close enough to you that you can stretch your arm out and touch it.

3. Doodle designs in a homemade zen garden when you need to give your eyes a break from the computer.

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To make your zen garden, fill a glass bowl with craft sand and use a few plants or figurines to decorate.

4. Or turn on a teeny heater if they insist on keeping the office as cold as the freezer.

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Chances are, a blanket is just not gonna cut it.

Get this one from Amazon for $20.06.

5. Mark your office supplies with washi tape so you know what every cord is for.

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Plus, once you do this you can lend out your phone charger without worrying that your coworker will "accidentally" keep it and claim it as their own.

6. Keep a snake plant at your desk to improve air quality and get some green on days you miss the outdoors.

Emily Shwake

If you're gonna be locked in a dark building for eight hours, you're gonna need it. Snake plants literally purify the air and they don't need a lot of light to thrive — they're the cockroachs of the plant world, but in a cute way. This lil' beb isn't even a year old and he's already taller than the monitor!

Get the pot from Urban Outfitters for $8+ (available in four sizes).

7. Or tape some fake succulents to your pens to add some greenery that won't die when you go on vacation.

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Okay, so maybe you aren't about the whole keeping things alive thing. If that's the case, fill a planter with rocks and stick the succulent pens right in.

8. Change your desktop image to something inspirational instead of something obscure.

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Apple, please tell me what random mountain that is on all of your computers?! These desktop backgrounds are way more fun.

9. Organize separate projects into expandable file folders so you can easily grab everything you need before a meeting.

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A stack of these is way cuter than having a giant filing cabinet under your desk. Each of these folders holds up to 200 pages.

Get it from Amazon for $8.99.

10. Throw a big scarf over the back of your chair so you can stay warm without looking like you wish you were at home on the couch.

amazon.com, Emily Shwake

Everyone does it, but if you feel a little silly wearing a blanket in the office, a scarf will blend in with your clothing and keep you just as warm.

This one from Amazon ($13.99) is literally the size of a twin bed, but still looks nice around your neck.

11. Clean your desk when you come in on Monday mornings to give every week a fresh start.

Emily Shwake

Desks can be really disgusting, especially if you eat your lunch there.

Cleaning expert and columnist Jolie Kerr recommends using alcohol wipes to clean your computer ($10.99 from Amazon) and a microfiber towel to clean your screen.

12. Scan documents to cut down on the paper clutter piling up around your workspace.

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Scannable will keep your most important documents safe — and will turn business cards or LinkedIn profiles into contacts.

13. Stash a travel-sized stick of deodorant in your drawer for those summer days when you arrive at the office feeling less than fresh.

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We're all a susceptible to getting sweaty after a hot lunch break or walk to work. A few other good things to keep at your desk are Advil, Tums, a Tide stick, tampons (if you use them), and dry shampoo — you'll never be caught off guard by anything.

Get this deodorant, which has over 3,000 reviews, from Amazon for $3.

14. Keep your lunch (hot or cold!) at your desk, so you don't have to put it in the fridge and risk someone stealing it.

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Reviewers claim that hot food stays warm for up to eight hours! If it's cold, the Thermos is basically a mini fridge so you don't need to worry about your lunch being unsafe to eat after sitting out for so long.

Get it from Amazon for $19.99.

15. Plug a humidifier into your USB port to soothe your sinuses during the dry season.

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Ever really needed to cough in a crowded office? It's terrible.

Get this mini humidifier from Amazon for $15.89.

16. Glue decorative paper to clipboards to make a pretty place to organize your important papers.

Photo by Justin Bernhaut. Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living. Copyright © 2008.

All you need to make these memo boards is a few clipboards, scrapbook paper, and decoupage glue.

17. Attach grip clips to cans and loaf pans to hang your pens and plants off of your desk.

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A cluttered desk is overwhelming as hell (trust me, I know) so move some of your stuff off your desk and into these neat little DIYed organizers.

18. Frame postcards to display your favorite paintings at your desk for cheap.

Emily Shwake

Postcards are literally a dollar, so they're the cheapest souvenirs you can get from the museum gift shops. Add a simple frame and you've something beautiful to glance at.

19. Glue some fabric to a piece of cork to make your own mouse pad.

thecraftedlife.com

Mouse pads are usually hideous, so this project is an awesome way to personalize your desk. Spread some decoupage glue all over a sheet of cork, carefully lay the fabric or scrapbook paper across it, and hold until it sticks.