I tried to instigate a “High Use” zone on my desk, but my zones sort of merged into a single pile like an all-consuming gelatinous mass. Part of my problem is that my desk is 1. cheap and 2. tight on space due to some of the additional equipment I need. (That, and some of my tech is old so it takes up more space). But I can see how I’ve got some serious zoning issues — my low-use is in my mid-use and my mid-use is… somewhere.

Another concern is organizing my low-use zone because at tax time I spent WAY too much time looking for something that I had tucked away someplace ’safe’. I think some time spent browsing your blog might bring up some answers for how to deal with that stuff.

@Janice when I fist started writing a long time ago my desk got clutterful too. I had to really get organized. I actually have a fairly insane file cabinet system. It’s good to have some sort of system, because as a writer, you start to feel like everything is useful for something (or I did), like OMG I can’t recycle this clip! But you can. Once you get those bins done, you’ll feel better, and be more productive.

I have used my office mainly for home issues up until about a month ago. I have started an internet business involving blogging, writing articles and eBooks, and setting up a website on home organization and decluttering. The blog is up but the rest is a work in progress. Needless to say, my desk has become cluttered with papers, files, books, etc. I need for research and writing. I have been going through many of the old files that were housed in the bins above the desk to declutter the contents and/or move them to a less prominent place. I need those bins to house my work files now since those are what I use daily.