30 Instant Ways to Upgrade Your Workspace (31 Photos)

Whether you work from home or are trying to cram your life into a tiny cubicle, these clever tips will make working a whole lot easier.







Store small items in a spice rack.

Just be sure to wash it thoroughly first—unless you want your erasers smelling like cumin forever.





Store office supplies in an under-shelf wine rack. (And yes, you can keep actual wine here too.)



Keep papers and pens neat in a custom organizer crafted from old picture frames.



Turn an old picture frame into a stylish dry-erase to-do list.



Make these colorful organizers out of empty tin cans.



Stack them up horizontally to save desk space.



Coat them in chalkboard paint for easy labeling.



Lucky enough to have a spare Slinky lying around? Use it to hold your pens and pencils.



Keep your cords organized with this desk-mounted cable holder.

It costs just $9.99, saving you from the indignity of crawling around on the floor hunting for cords.



Attach a small hook under your desk to keep cables out of the way.



Label your cords with plastic bread tags. Granted, you'll have to eat a lot of bread first, but we all make sacrifices.



Use binder clips to make a makeshift cord holder right on your desk.



Cover a boring filing cabinet with leftover wallpaper. Fabric or craft paper works great, too.



Turn a magazine rack on its side to create a neat paper-sorting shelf.



Wrap your earbuds around a cardboard coffee sleeve to keep them tangle-free—making your mornings just a little brighter.



Mount papers on the wall using clipboards.



Use one as a dedicated to-do list. (Though whoever owns this clearly has zero real responsibilities.)



Give your office chair a makeover. Now, if anyone tries to steal your chair, you'll know instantly.



Craft a compact charging station out of an empty lotion bottle. Nobody will ever guess what it used to be.



Never spill another drink with this desk-edge cup holder. It clamps onto your desk to prevent horrifying soy-latte-meets-MacBook-Pro disasters.



Line the inside panels of your shelves with craft paper to add a pop of color.



Build your own bookshelf using wooden crates. You can scale it up or down depending on your space.



This chic bookshelf was made from IKEA crates secured with binder clips. You can nail or screw it to the wall if you're worried about stability.



24. Pegboards save tons of space. Keep important reminders and favorite photos right at eye level.



Attach wire baskets to your pegboard for paper storage. They're super easy to move around.



This keyboard memo board makes taking notes (with an actual pen in your hand!) effortless and unobtrusive.



Store small items in ice cube trays. You can swap out paperclips and tacks for thread and beads depending on your line of work. Ice trays also make fantastic drawer organizers.



Use a dish drying rack as an instant file organizer.



Spruce up boring folders with iron-on decals. They'll make even filing your tax returns feel calming and pleasant.



A rolling file cabinet makes changing up your workspace quick and easy. Shift it an inch or two every day to slowly drive your annoying coworker insane—or just push it aside whenever you need extra floor space.