The Best Pen Holders and Organizers for Students & Professionals

The benefits of writing by hand has been extolled time and time again — better focus and information recall, and the not-insignificant advantage of your notebook never running out of battery. But key to writing by hand is having a reliable pen at the ready. That’s why a pen holder/organizer is such a desktop essential. You can reduce clutter and quickly find your most used pens and other desk essentials. And while you could use a regular old coffee cup, you might want to save those for actually drinking coffee.

While a pen holder is primarily a functional accessory, it can also be a stylish bit of desk decor. There are options to match just about any design taste or color scheme. The right pen holder certainly won’t make you a better writer, but it might just make you more excited to sit down at your desk and start writing. And that can help you improve your writing. Even if you don’t do much longhand writing, a pen holder can be handy for a variety of other small accessories, whether that’s your shaving gear, art supplies or pretty much anything else you can think of. These are some of the best pen holders and pen organizers to buy.

1. YAMAZAKI home Pen Stand

BEST OVERALL

Yamazaki Home is one of our favorite brands for stylish and simple home organizational tools and furniture. This pen organizer is made from steel with a white finish, and it has a small wooden handle that’s ideal for anyone who likes to move their workstation throughout the day. There are two compartments for easy organization.

Buy: Yamazaki Home Pen Holder Organizer $19.37

2. Wit & Delight Concrete Pencil Cup & Bookend

MOST VERSATILE 

This option from Wit & Delight has a unique, geometric shape, and it includes two pencil cups in different shades of blue. They can be placed together to make a single organizer. Since they’re made from heavy concrete, they can be used as a sturdy bookend option.

3. Pretti.Cool Terrazzo Pencil Tray

BEST FOR MINIMALISTS

Maybe you like to keep it simple, and you only have a couple of pens and pencils that you need to keep on hand. In that case, consider this small, space-saving tray from Pretti.Cool, which has a subtle terrazzo pattern. It’s made in the US from a mix of recycled glass, concrete and cork. There’s a divider in the middle, making it good for storing two writing tools. It may not be the most practical desk accessory, but it’ll certainly be one of the best looking.

4. Marie Kondo Shoji Bamboo Pen Organizer

MOST STYLISH

Marie Kondo is the queen of tidying up, and she fittingly launched a collection of organizational accessories with the Container Store. This simple organizer is made from bamboo, a sustainable material that just so happens to look great in your home. There are three compartments, and the open design makes it easy to find what you’re looking for.

5. Poppin Sage Silicone Organizers

MOST COLORFUL

If you’re looking to add a little color to your office or desk, Poppin is the brand for you. They make matching desk accessories in a range of stylish colors, like this sage option. This unique option has silicone nubs that grip items like pens, business cards and other items. Other colors include white, blue and blush.

6. Urban Outfitters Terrazzo 4-Part Organizer

MOST TRENDY

It’s no secret that the slightly kitschy, throwback look of Terrazzo is all the rage, and this organizer is as practical as it is appealing. There are four compartments for easy organization, and there are three different color options available.

7. Mara-Mi Cork Pencil Cup with Tray

BEST MATERIAL

Cork is known for being a durable and sustainable material, and it adds a pleasantly natural appeal to the often sterile feeling of an office or desk space. There’s a cup for storing pens and pencils, and a small tray that can be used for paper clips, erasers and other small items. Since this cup is made from cork, you can add push pins for small notes and reminders.

8. Snow Cooler Pen Holder

MOST CLASSIC

A mesh pen cup is an office staple for a reason — they’re durable, lightweight and it’s easy to see what’s inside the cup. This option includes a set of four cups, and they’re available in a range of different colors. The cups are straight, rather than tapered, leaving more space to add pens and pencils.

Buy: Snow Cooler Pen Holder Organizer $8.99

9. Amazon Basics Plastic Desk Organizer

BEST TRAY 

An alternative to the pen cup is a tray, which allows you to store your pens and pencils horizontally, rather than vertically. This option from Amazon Basics is made from plastic and has a matte black finish. The other organizers on this listing can be purchased together to make a modular desk set.

Buy: AmazonBasics Pen Holder Organizer $5.88

10. NIUBEE Acrylic Pen Holder 4 Compartments

BEST MULTIPURPOSE

If you work with different colored writing implements, then this option from NIUBEE is a good one to get. It’s made from clear acrylic and has four separate compartments, making it easy to find what you’re looking for.

Buy: NIUBEE Pen Holder Organizer $15.99