I have had a few iterations of my desk setup. Different rooms, different desks, desk shelves, etc. But after a month or so, I decided to go back to my original space and back to my homemade desk, but not only that, I wanted it to be minimal. I am trying to declutter my home and, therefore, declutter my mind. With this being a space I spend a lot of time in, I wanted it to be as clean as possible.
So, let’s look at what makes up my desk setup in 2023.
The Desk
First things first, let’s start with the desk. As mentioned, I am using a homemade desk, which is set nicely into the alcove of my space room. The desk is a leftover piece of oak worktop from when we had our new kitchen installed a few years back. This sits on some wood batons on one end and then rests on the top of an Alex Draw unit from Ikea.
Using leftover worktops is a great way to create a great looking desk without having to spend a load of money. I pair mine with an Ikea Alex draw as it contrasts the wood and provides some storage for office things (this also needs a good declutter).
The Monitor
I am still using my Ultrawide LG monitor that I bought during the pandemic. I love this monitor. It fits really nicely into the alcove space where the desk is situated. There are two main reasons why I have a decent monitor.
1) Ergonomics
Having the proper monitor setup is important to help reduce back and neck pain, but also it’s good for your eyes. I find that if I am just using my laptop, I am hunched over, and I generally get a sore neck. With the monitor, I can ensure that I sit correctly and feel much better at the end of the day.
2) Screen Real Estate
Having a big monitor allows me to have multiple applications open at once. This means that I can have the documents that I need open at the same time and that are not tiny and hard to read. Granted, multitasking is not always the best thing, but sometimes, when you need several documents, it is so useful.
The Screen Bar
This little screen bar by BenQ sits nicely on the top of my monitor and provides just the right amount of light onto my screen, whether that be during the day or the evening. It has an auto-dimming feature as well as being able to adjust it manually. It plugs into the back of the monitor using a USB-A cable, so it’s powered by your monitor.
The Monitor Arm
You could use the monitor stand that comes with your monitor, but it’s likely to take up space. This is why I opted for a single monitor arm from Biontec, which allows you to adjust your monitor far more and also leaves space underneath your monitor. I find that this makes my desk space look a lot less cluttered and provides a space to place my laptop when needed.
The Desk Mat
Dest mats are great accessories for keeping your desk safe from scratches when using your keyboard and mouse. The desk mat I am currently using is from Grovemade and made from felt. It adds to the aesthetic of my setup and means I don’t need a separate mouse mat.
The Keyboard
I have gone between keyboards and, most recently, using mechanical ones, but I have settled back on the Logitech MX Keys mini for my everyday use. There are a couple of reasons behind this.
- Compact design
- Quiet tactile keys
Why are these important? Well, my workspace is not massive, so having a nice and compact keyboard doesn’t take up space, leading to the space looking too crowded.
The other point around the keys being quiet is important because I take the keyboard into the office. Mechanical keyboards are noisy, so having these keyboards doesn’t distract or annoy my colleagues. I have also had feedback when I am taking notes on calls that people can hear me typing away.
The Mouse
I am using the same mouse as I have for some time now, and that is the Logitech MX Master 3. This is a great mouse; it’s ergonomic and has some really useful features, like being able to program the buttons using the Logi Options. It’s quite easily the best mouse that I have ever owned. This mouse does stay on my desk permanently, and I have another mouse that I use when going into the office, but that is for another post 🙂
Final Thoughts
Having a workspace that you enjoy being in is really important, in my opinion. Especially as we spend so much of our time in these spaces. I find that if my space is full of clutter, I get distracted and lose focus on what I need to do.
So, having a minimal setup that allows me to keep my desk organised is really important and something that I would recommend to others. A clean desk equals a clean mind.