Six years ago, Orbitkey, known at the time mainly for their clever (and sometimes nerdy) key organizers, made a leap out of pockets and onto desktops.
The Nest launched as a double-duty desk and travel organizer with wireless charging and document/card storage in the securable lid so that you could take it on the road with you (assuming you’re a maximalist packer).
Now in its second generation, the Nest is still one of the company’s most popular products. Not that it doesn’t have its drawbacks. As a multitasker, its capacity is limited by the fact that it needs to be transportable. Plus, with wireless charging and high-end materials, it commands a premium price. It starts to bump up against the “do I really need this?” rationalization, especially when what most of us are looking for is a way to wrangle the cruft that accumulates on our desks.
That’s why I’m thrilled to see Orbitkey is bringing their organizational and design sensibilities to a true desktop organizer with the less whimsically named Grid Desk Organizer (or Organiser if you don’t believe in zeds). Unlike the Nest, the Grid Desk Organizer doesn’t travel with you but is instead meant to have a permanent place on your desk (or nightstand or drawer).
Why Orbitkey?
Orbitkey has made a name for itself with premium material products and the Grid Desk Organizer is no different. The interior is rubberized so that it won’t scratch your items. That soft rubberization carries to the edges of the trays as well so that it stays in place on your desk, won’t scratch the surface, and doesn’t make that horrible scraping sound when you move it.
The finishes are nice as well. Other than your standard black, there’s a neutral grey tone, Stone, that will fit into just about any color scheme. If you’re feeling bold, you can get the Grid Desk Organizer in Terracotta. Orbitkey has used this bright orange color in a lot of their products as of late and I appreciate how the high-visibility colorway provides contrast between the organizer and your stuff.
Generally, Orbitkey products are marked by careful consideration, both in design and materials. The company makes things that you want to use, not just because they’re useful, but because they look and feel good. The Grid Desk Organizer looks to continue this philosophy.
How Do I Get It?
The Kickstarter campaign for the Grid Desk Organizer launched yesterday with multiple discounted bundles, starting at $42 for a rectangular organizer, accessory tray, and lid. Add a square organizer to the stack and it’s $64. If you have large or multiple spaces you want to organize, you can get a bundle of two rectangular and two square organizers for $110.
Orbitkey is no stranger to Kickstarter. Which is why they made the wise decision (after some prompting in the comments of this current campaign) to offer previous backers a discount on the largest combo set. Previous backers can take $5 off the largest bundle if they use the email link they received at launch. And currently available for everyone, the first 5,000 backers get a “Founding Backers Emblem” to give your new organizer a little special pop (it’s still available as of time of this publication).
Orbitkey is well established and has a strong history of crowdfunding, so there’s no risk to pledging. The Grid Desk Organizer is scheduled to start shipping in late Q3 this year, though, given the ever-shifting state of global supply and shipping right now, that could certainly change. The Grid Desk Organizer will be available for regular sale after Kickstarter fulfillment but if you want to benefit from early bird pricing and early delivery, check out the campaign before it wraps up on June 9.
