When I traded in my big old oak schoolteacher's desk for a drafting table, the thing I missed the most was the drawer space, never mind that the drawers were always so crammed full of stuff that they weren't all that functional. I packed the drawer contents into white IKEA boxes and have yet to really go through and figure out a better place for the things I don't need on a daily basis, but am not ready to get rid of just yet.
More pressing was the need to figure out what to do with the supplies I do use. Complicating matters was the very tight quarters I have to work with: my study is only 1O'-6" wide. The drafting table is 2'-6", the clearance for the desk chair is a good 2'-O', and my easy chair on the opposite wall takes up 5'-6" when fully extended. So that leaves, let's see: 6" to play with. Not a lot of space.
Fortunately I recalled Julia Child's method of organizing her kitchen pots, pans, and tools: inspired by her husband's tidy tool organization in the garage, she asked her husband to fix up a peg-board system on the walls. After deciding on the location of various pots and pans, she outlined their place on the pegboard so she'd wouldn't have to re-invent the wheel of figuring out where something went. Simple, inexpensive, and easy to maintain.
I liked the idea of a pegboard supply board, but the style was a little too rustic for my taste. With a little looking, I found super-cool, modern stainless steel boards at the Container Store. While the model I got has since been discontinued, they still carry other magnetic boards. The array of magnets and accessories available make it easy to customize the boards to suit your needs, and you'd be amazed just how much stuff you can fit on these things. And best of all, it's attractive, practical, low-cost storage that takes up no floor space!
On my boards, magnetized pencil cups hold everything from pens and lead holders to an exacto knife and paintbrushes. Magnetic hooks provide a home for my triangles and scissors; by using two hooks, I discovered I could securely balance my triangular-shaped architect's scale, as well as my favorite flat brush. Two rounded magnetics shaped like push pins use the same principle to hold a fountain pen. Strong magnetic pegs hold a colort chart, various templates, my French curves, ruler, drafting brush, and erasing shield. Three canisters hold things too bulky to otherwise go on the board: a lead sharpener, rubber fingers, and gummy erasers. A bendable rule is supported by the canisters on one end of a board and a magnet on the other end. There's even room for fun: a favorite recent card my sister gave me, a sketch I made of a chair I like, colorful paper umbrellas that act as my version of an "executive toy", and pictures that make me smile.