As I've noted before, end users working at a desk need a place to store frequently used items such as pens, paper clips and sticky notes—and if the desk doesn't have a pencil drawer, that place may well be the desktop. End users vary in exactly which things they want to keep close at hand, so it's a good thing that designers have created a wide range of desktop organizers.

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The Formwork Collection, designed for Herman Miller by Sam Hecht and Kim Colin, is a modular collection of trays, boxes, a pencil cup and a tissue box. Since different end users have different needs, modular sets where they can pick and choose the pieces they need are always nice. Each piece is made of ABS plastic and has a non-slip silicone base.

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The pieces are also stackable—a nice space-saving feature. Depending on how the pieces are assembled, some of the stored items may be hidden from view. Some end users will like having that option, but it won't work for those who forget about anything that isn't in sight. 

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Tofu, from Pana Objects, is a set of six cubes that fit into a tray. My main concern with this design is that the pen/pencil holder won't fit the wider pens that many end users have. Also, there's no place to stash a pair of scissors, a letter opener, or any other longer/taller items.

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Neon, designed by Bartmann Berlin and Silvia Terhedebrügge (and manufactured by Bartmann Berlin), also has a set of boxes that fit in a tray. In this case, though, the boxes are likely to be positioned outside of the letter tray, so the tray can be used. Having boxes of varying sizes means most desktop items can be stored in them somewhere, but there isn't any particularly good space for small things such as a few paper clips. However, since some of the boxes aren't all that deep—the shortest one is 40 mm tall—that's not a major drawback.

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The Rhodes Desk Organizer by Jayson Home is a design that will work for end users who want a place for pens and pencils, a smartphone, and papers such as business cards, to-do lists and bills. Since its storage spaces are limited to slots of varying widths and a built-in pencil cup, there's no place for little things such as paper clips. However, it's a nice compact design for those who don't need that other type of storage. It's made of polished brass, so it's heavy enough that it's not going to tip over—always a bit of a concern with desk organizers of this shape.

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The W+W Stationery Series, designed for Ideaco by Oliver Franz, provides a combination of slotted storage, a pencil cup, a tray for little items, and a wooden pad which can hold A7 sized paper. It's a multifunctional, compact design for those who don't need a lot of desktop storage.

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There are slots specifically designed for holding the charging cord of an iPhone 4, 5 or 6 (or an iPad Mini) when the cord is not in use. That's a nice touch for specific users right now, but it won't help those who don't use Apple products, and it won't work if Apple changes its connector again in the future. On the other hand, not using those slots isn't going to interfere with the other storage options, so it's not a big issue. 

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ClockWork Studio has a two-piece desk organizer: one low box and one tall box. This type of organizer would work well for end users who want to keep a fair amount of stuff readily accessible. I like that it's in two pieces, allowing more options for placing it on the end user's desktop.

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The Guidecraft desk organizer is designed for end users with lots of desktop space who want to keep files, notebooks and/or notepads along with their other desktop accoutrements. Guidecraft notes that it "accommodates an abundance office supplies," which is actually my concern. Not many end users will need to keep quite so much stuff close at hand; using prime workspace to store extra supplies is usually not the best choice. 

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The Louisette Toolbox from Hartô, designed by Pierre Dubourg, will appeal to end users who prefer to have as much as possible hidden away. It's also useful for those who tend to move between workspaces.

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MyKeyO also keeps things hidden away—in this case, under a bluetooth keyboard and tablet stand/pen holder. The storage space means the keyboard sits higher than other keyboards would, which purchasers say takes some getting used to. (I don't know if it causes any ergonomic issues.) And if the keyboard style isn't to the end user's liking, the storage becomes a moot point. But it's interesting to see designers looking for novel ways to provide desktop storage.