Look at the contents on a clear surface
Empty one manageable area and group pens, clips, adapters, keys and other small items by their actual function. Check what remains usable and who owns it. Keep unidentified technical parts separate until their purpose is established. A small connector may belong to equipment still in use even if nobody has needed it recently.
Separate daily items from reserves. The pen currently in use needs an accessible home; an unopened pack of replacements does not. Keep project-specific pieces together too, such as the adapters belonging to one presentation kit. They should not disappear into general accessories simply because their colour or size resembles other objects in the drawer.
Size compartments around the action of retrieval
Measure the usable drawer height and check that an insert will clear the top when closed. Compartments that are too small force stacking; oversized ones gather mixed contents again. Try an arrangement with existing containers or cardboard dividers before buying a fixed system. The right layout comes from the objects and how they are removed, not from achieving the greatest possible number of compartments.
Place frequently used items towards the front and occasional reserves further back. Label areas whose contents are not immediately obvious. For similar cables, a device association is more helpful than the general word technology. Leave enough space for returning an object without reorganising the whole compartment each time it is used.
Do not collect unidentified objects indefinitely
Give a small review box a definite checking date. Ask about other people's accessories rather than keeping them forever or discarding them without agreement. Once an item is identified, move it to its intended home. The exception area then remains a temporary aid rather than a permanent substitute for decisions.
After a few days, see which compartments are actually used. If an object repeatedly remains on the desktop, its home may be too far away or crowded by unrelated things. Adjust the access directly. A simple system with a few understandable groups is often easier to maintain than fine sorting that requires a fresh decision every time something is returned.
