How Do I Choose A Desk For My Home Office?

How Do I Choose A Desk For My Home Office?

If you work from home and have a dedicated room to manage your business, choosing a suitable desk is a key to good design.

A desk will not only be compatible with the general decoration of the room but will also help you to work efficiently.

Of course, a home office that doesn’t have to double as another space, like a spare bedroom, means you’ll have a lot more flexibility with your choice of office.

Choosing a Home Office Desk

The first thing to consider is the function of your desk. Is it for writing, using a laptop, using a computer screen, organizing files, or for other purposes?
Do you work from home, or will the office only be used occasionally?

The purpose of your home office workspace will determine the size and storage needs of your desk.

Then you need to decide on the location of your desk. Do you have a dedicated home office? Are you planning to install a desk in your bedroom or someplace else?

You can set up a desk in many different places, so be sure to measure the available space before purchasing your desk to know what you need to work with.

Five Keys to Consider When Choosing Your Home Office Desk

Size of the desk

Go for the most significant home office desk that fits comfortably into your space because you will never have enough work surfaces. A standard two-drawer desk will be approximately 1m wide.

If you crawl into a corner of the room or a space under the stairs, a one-drawer desk might be better suited. Short on space? An Ikea laptop stand is approximately 50 to 70cm wide.

In addition to recording the most apparent dimensions of your room and the desk measurements before you buy online, check to see if an existing office chair you are using will fit underneath.

Does the desk support posture

Working from home to your desk for hours at a time in an unnatural position is bad news for your back. Make some adjustments to your office space, and you can avoid muscle tension and back pain.

When setting up your home office, study the following: Adjust your chair to support your lower back adequately.

It is better if your knees are slightly lower than your hips- use a footstool; your forearms and wrists should be upright and level with the ground if needed.
Your monitor should be at arm’s length in front of you, and the top of the monitor should be slightly below eye level. A mouse pad with a wrist guard can help keep your wrist straight.

Storage space of the desk

If your compact home office doesn’t have room for extra storage, you should choose a desk that offers more storage space and a monitor stand with built-in drawers. You can also store paper and storage baskets under a laptop stand.

Material of the desk

Most wood-like decks are made from laminated particleboard or MDF — or sometimes a wooden frame with MDF drawers and top. Look for descriptions that mention “wood effect” and “engineered wood” to help you understand what you are getting.

The advantages of MDF include its strength, value for money, and the fact that it can be offered in many finishes. You’ll pay a lot more for a desk finished with natural wood veneers or a solid wood desk.

They are also fire retardant and waterproof but watch out for rough edges that could scratch wood floors.

The flexibility of the desk

You might want a new view now and then or decide to work closer to the window on a sunny day. If so, look for a desk on casters.

A metal desk might be easier to take apart and put together. Solid metal, like solid wood, could make the desk heavier, which is painful trying to slide it to a new position.

Desk Types — What Kind of Home Office is Right for Your Home Office?

Wall-mounted desk

A wall-mounted desk is usually held in place by brackets. Some models “float” in place and have nothing underneath, while others have legs to provide additional support.

Corner desk

Investing in a corner desk might be a wise move if you deal with an awkward room shape. Corner desks are generally more expensive than standard rectangular desks, but the positive side gives you a space-saving design and space to store your work documents.

Sit/stand desk

If you like the idea of working while standing now and then, a sit/stand desk is the way to go.

These shape-changing desks encourage healthier work at home, improve circulation in your legs, and reduce lower back pain. An electric sit/stand desk is more suitable, converting with the push of a button.

Treadmill Desk

Treadmill desks are the next level up from sit/stand desks in “healthy office” stakes. They consist of a treadmill placed under an attached standing desk — this allows you to exercise while you work.

Alternatively, you can purchase a treadmill that goes under your existing sit/stand desk.

Computer desk

These are designed to support the weight of a laptop or PC monitor. Many computer desks come with a pull-out computer keyboard tray, as well as shelves large enough to house a home office printer or PC tower.

Compact, lap, and foldaway desks for small home office spaces
We don’t all have room for one permanent office setup, especially in a shared household. If you’re in search of a way to save space while working from home, consider the following types of desks designed for small spaces:

Home Office Desks for Small Spaces

Laptop stand

It is a good choice if you don’t want to buy a new table for your home office setup. Using a laptop stand can also do wonders for your posture, preventing you from bending over when scrolling through emails.

Most laptop stands are metal, but we’ve seen plastic alternatives on Amazon. Plastic is more likely to warp under the weight of a large laptop, so be careful.

Bed/Sofa tray desk

A sofa desk works the same way as a dinner tray. It’s a flat, lightweight platform with legs, so you can sit or lie on the sofa and use your laptop without it slipping all over the place. Most sofa top desks have textured legs that provide additional stability.

Foldaway desk

Retractable desks usually consist of a minor, square work surface. You would not have as much space here as with a standard two-drawer desk. You can fold the table up and put it away when you’re done working.

When Installing Home Office Desks, These Are What to Keep In Mind

There are key factors you need to consider when choosing a home office desk. They could go a long way to help you redesign your home office and increase your productivity in the long haul.

The location

Ok, back to that feeling. Is there a space in your house perfectly positioned near the coffee machine and offering a view to the outside? If you do not have a special room for your office, find a place you like to hang out.

The size of the desk

Once you’ve sorted your location, measure the available space. Think about the physical space you have to work with.

Where will you position the desk, install lights, electrical outlets, and office storage? The area you have will determine the size of the desktop you handpick.

The type of desk

Do you prefer to work on a different style of a desk? Depending on your taste, working style, and the tasks at hand, chooses your home office’s shape.
Is it a bench, a corner desk, or a compact desk? There are many options available.

Think about the color and finish in keeping with the decor and ambiance of your home. Is it contemporary, vintage, industrial, or futuristic? How will it match the surrounding furniture of the environment?

Ensure there is enough space for your computer, mouse, notepad, all electrical devices, books, storage, and whatever else you need.

Six Steps to a Healthy Desk Space

You will be spending several hours working at your home office; here are six ways to make it healthier for your mind and body:

• Declutter every day. Tidying everything away allows you to start work faster the next day and puts an end to the end of that workday, which contributes to your mental well-being.
• Personalize without the clutter. Add some precious items (photos, plants, etc.). But don’t go overboard with the mess, as it will increase stress.
• Make it smell nice. An essential oil diffuser or a scented plant can help boost your energy levels.
• Don’t eat at your desk. Get away from your desk for lunch to help make a proper break and avoid crumbs on your keyboard.
• Watch your posture. Make sure your chair is correctly seated concerning your desk to avoid lower back pain. See how by choosing the best home office chair.
• Take regular breaks. The NHS advises sitting for long periods slows down your metabolism, impacting your ability to break down body fat.

Conclusion

Many home office desks come with built-in storage and features that make it easy to store your work stuff, easily accessible, and always in one place.

If you’ve been to make the switch from an office or coworking space to work from home in the past few months, you’ve probably discovered that dragging your computer, notebooks, and whatever else you use can be tedious.
With the appropriate home office design, you can pick up where you left off every time you go to work.

Originally published in HomeOffice4Us