Clutter 
     by Sue Fagin

     In my years working with computer people two things have become 
     evident.  Computer people tend to have very large desks and there 
     is not a square inch of free space on those large desks, because 
     computer people are addicted to electronic gadgets.

     A desk that holds a computer probably also holds one or a 
     combination of, but not limited to: a mouse with mouse pad, a hand 
     scanner with or without scanner guide, a phone, an answering machine, 
     a diskette box and several loose diskettes, a label printer, a pencil
     cup, two stacked in/out baskets, if a teenager is present probably 
     two small speakers and some incarnation of a joystick.  The one 
     thing that is not present is any space at all to use the pencils in 
     the cup.  Well there is a way to eliminate some of the clutter, and 
     the cure is relatively painless.

     First let's start with the diskettes since they are highly 
     perishable.  The loose ones, only out because they are being used, 
     can come off the  desk into a small plastic rack that sticks to the 
     side of the CPU. The gadget is available all sorts of places and runs
     under $5.  The disk box is a little harder, but still solvable.  
     Crutchfield, out of Charlottesville, Va. has a box that holds 50 
     diskettes, fits on the hanging rails in a filing cabinet, and is 
     lockable.  It runs about $16*.

     Now let's deal with the biggest item on that desk the CPU.  No 
     matter how small the footprint, the CPU takes up tons of space on 
     that cluttered desk but it does not have to.  Almost all units will 
     work just as well standing on their sides, so it goes on the floor in
     a mobile computer stand.  These are available all over the place for 
     about $20.  They all look pretty much alike except for a slick 
     little "racing" model from D-Mail in Wappingers Falls, New York 
     which runs $13.  D-Mail is a gadget heaven so it is worth a look in 
     any event.                            

     The monitor can go on a monitor arm, that clamps to the side of the 
     desk and can be pushed up and out of the way when not in use.  Most  
     come with a keyboard rack, which covers two things at once, and run 
     in the $40, $50, $60 range.                 

     If the swivel arm is not to your taste, leave the monitor down and 
     put the keyboard in a drawer.  The drawers come in a desk top 
     version that the monitor sits on top of, or one that mounts under 
     the desk.  They come in all sorts of colors and in metal, wood or
     plastic and go up from $26 for desk tops with under desks running 
     about $10 less. If, like I do, you use a power pad with monitor on 
     top, but still want to get the keyboard off your desk try hanging it 
     on the monitor.  I bought a Keyboard Hanger from Best Buy.  It is a 
     two piece gadget with the rack part sticking on the top of the 
     monitor, and the hook on the back of the keyboard.  It was under $10 
     and I love it.  

     Now let's deal with the little stuff.  That pesky mouse cuddles 
     happily in a mouse holder that sticks to the side of the monitor.  
     They come with or without pencil cups and are available at most 
     computer stores for $5 or less.  I have never seen one for a 
     scanner, but I bet if you look around they do exist.

     Now the phone and answering machine. First we combine by getting a 
     one piece unit, but since that is terribly expensive, we'll assume 
     you already did it.  Then we spend $27 for a phone arm from D-Mail. 
     Actually you might want to get a few of these.  They look like they  
     would work well for your teenager's speakers and that little label  
     printer as well as the phone.  The principal is the same as the 
     monitor arm.  Clamp it on and it can be raised and lowered and
     turned for convenience.

     One final thing to clear off and the desk is yours again.  The 
     in/out basket goes out and in comes the Top Shelf.  Once again 
     making use of the wasted space on top of the monitor.  I got mine 
     for about $11.  I don't know what I did without it.  All my current 
     stuff, like the notes for next month's Help Line, is right at eye 
     level.

     Well we have done it.  We have uncluttered the high tech gadget  
     clutter on your desk using low tech gadgets. The best part is the 
     whole thing has not cost much more than that silly label printer 
     that you have never used because you can't get the software to work.  
     Aren't you proud?     

     * NOTE: Most prices have been rounded to the next dollar and/ or are 
     from Fall/Winter 1992 catalogs.  With some digging you well may be 
     able to do better on these things than I did.  Let me know. I would
     love to hear and will gladly update this list from time to time with 
     readers' input.