NOTE: This workflow has not been updated to work with Alfred 3.0 and above, and is known to cause issues. Use at your own risk.
----
Keep all the miscellaneous crap off your Desktop by sweeping everything into a "DeskDrawer" folder, which is easily accessible from our good friend Alfred.
Download DeskDrawer v1.5
[updated 25 March 2014]
Okay, the idea is not completely original — I've used apps like DesktopTidy and Unclutter to achieve this, but it's amazing how simple it is to replicate the basic concept with an Alfred workflow.