Some quick tips:
1. Line up your books instead of stacking them. It makes going through them and finding what you need a much easier experience.
2. For your documents, invest in some good file dividers! Organize all your files into subcategories, and label them all to death! You’ll appreciate it so much more when you’re not looking through the car insurance papers to find your children’s birth certificates.
3. Put the things you use the most on the side of your dominant hand. That way, when you’re grabbing a pen, you won’t have to reach across your entire body for it.
4. Group similar items together! Sharpies, pens, pencils, and highlighters, while I can appreciate the distinct differences of each, can all be put in the same drawer. Which leads me to my next point…
5. If you have drawers in your desk, get drawer dividers! That way you can subdivide all your writing accoutrements to your heart’s delight, but still get the most bang for your buck in terms of space.
6. Color coding. Enough said.