A method for arranging components in a two-dimensional area includes a component preparation module for providing a set of components for arrangement, determining rectangular covers for each component, and ordering components according to a predefined order preference, and a core layout module for mapping components in order to positions in the arrangement with a first width and in a first direction, including: a row module for positioning components in order in a first full row across the first direction of the first width aligning one of the top or bottom sides of the covers of adjacent components until the next component does not fit in the first width, and a sub-row module for positioning components in any available space within the height of the first full row to form one or more sub-rows in the first direction and extending a distance less than the first width.