Looking at a photo of a sleek Crate & Barrel desk I realized I have not shared my ideas with you about what kind of home office desk to use. My last post was about the L-desk , today I am going to explain what makes a great desk.
When a table is a desk. Crate & Barrel Sentry desk collection with mobile storage underneath.
The most important aspect of a desk is its work surface.
Is it big enough? Is it at the right height? Even though you may do much of your work on a computer, few of us work in a paperless office. (I have had two truly paper-less clients in 20 years of helping people set-up and improve their office, and one worked in theoretical science at MIT. His priority was space to walk while he was thinking.) You need a work surface that is large enough to hold those project papers while you are working with them.
Your focus is on the work surface. With the limitations on desks designated for the home office: a too-small computer desk, a honking big metal desk (used), or an itsy-cutesy desk; you must think outside the box.
Who says a desk has to be a desk?
How about using a table for your home office desk? You can customize a desk-table with mix and match tops and legs from your local big box hardware store, CB2 (Crate & Barrel’s less expensive cousin) or IKEA. Or perhaps you have a perfect work surface that is un-used/under-used because you think of it as a table, period. (One client is using her former butcher-block kitchen table as her home office desk.)
Elements of the Best Home Office Desk:
- A work surface in a size and shape that will serve your work style needs.
- Legs and/or functional storage units below. (With a DIY table/desk you can modify the legs of the table to meet your ergonomic needs.)
- File cabinets or other storage for papers, binders and folders – either under the table or nearby. Click here to learn what you need to look for in file cabinets that really function.
If you are not happy with your home office desk, or are stymied by what is available, your options just got bigger. Be creative. Set up a work surface that is the right size and height to support your workstyle. Be happy, productive and comfortable in your home office.
If you want to learn more about setting-up a home office that is practical, comfortable and fun check out my book: The Smarter Home Office: 8 Simple Steps to Increase Your Income, Inspiration and Comfort
Photo by Crate & Barrel
