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March 20, 2023 02:30 pm GMT

How to organize your desk at home

If youve been working from home for a while, youve hopefully moved on from your dining table or kitchen counter to an actual desk. But just like a traditional office cubicle, its easy for your work-from-home desk to get cluttered with paperwork, cables, supplies, coffee mugs and more. Cleaning your desk may not be high up on your priority list, but youll benefit from it if you do take the time to bring things back to a more tidy status quo. . Here are a few of our recommendations that will help you organize your desk and hopefully be more productive as a result.

Monitor riser

We suggested getting an external monitor in a previous WFH guide, too, and for good reason. It seriously increases your screen real estate and is oftentimes easier on the eyes. However, not all monitors are height adjustable and they do take up quite a bit of desk space. A monitor stand or riser is a way to resolve that. A simple yet effective one is the Amazon Basics model, which has stackable legs for your desired height (up to 4- inches) plus an 11-inch wide storage space underneath to store your laptop or other knick knacks.

If, on the other hand, you want something a little more stylish, this bamboo monitor stand from SONGMICS is a particularly attractive one. It comes with compartments designed to fit your phone, coffee mug, stationary, notepads and more. There are also well-placed cut-outs to help manage your cords and cables. We should note that the height isnt adjustable, but in my experience its 3.35-inch range was enough to raise our monitor to eye level. This particular model also works well as a laptop stand thanks to three holes designed for optimal heat ventilation.

If you really dont want a monitor on your desk at all, consider a monitor arm. This is an especially good choice if youre restless and need to change your monitor position frequently. One of our favorites is the Jarvis monitor arm by Fully, which features a 360-degree swivel. It has a removable VESA plate and a clamp mount, plus the option of mounting the arm to grommet holes if your desk has them. It accommodates 13- to 32-inch monitors and can support a max weight of 19.8 pounds.

Laptop stand

If youre using your laptop as-is on your desk or on your lap, youre doing it wrong. Hunching your shoulders to look at your screen is harmful for your posture, which can lead to back, neck and arm pain if youre not careful. Instead, youll want your screen to be at eye level, and if you dont have an external monitor, that means elevating your laptop with a stand. This has the added benefit of giving you more desk space as well.

We particularly recommend the Rain Design iLevel2. The height is easily adjustable thanks to a front slider, and its tilted design is also great for keeping your laptop cool. Alternatively, a slightly more affordable option is Rain Designs own mStand, which has a fixed height and a cable organizer in the back that helps keep wires tucked away. Plus, its available in four different colors: black, gold, silver and space gray.

If youre tight on cash, the Nulaxy Laptop Stand is a more affordable option. Though it does have a fixed height, its open design allows for heat dissipation and airflow. Its also large enough to accommodate laptops up to 16-inches wide.

If you do own an external monitor but dont have a lot of extra space, we recommend a vertical stand. This one from Omoton can hold your closed laptop upright, which goes a long way in keeping your desk organized. It has an adjustable width varying from 0.55 to 2.71 inches, which should fit most laptops. The stand itself is made from scratch-resistant anodized aluminum alloy and has a wide, heavy base that will prevent your laptop from tipping over.

Laptop dock

Most laptops only have a limited number of ports, which could mean juggling multiple cables and cords. A dedicated docking station like Ankers 577 Thunderbolt model can help fix the clutter. It has 13 ports (!) so you likely wont have trouble using all of your accessories. It also supports 85W laptop charging which is great news for those who need to power up their machines as they use it. It also supports 1Gbps USB-C data transfer, Gigabit ethernet and connecting up to two 5K external displays at once.

Another solid, and more affordable, option is the Lention 11-in-1 docking station. We like it because you can tuck it away beneath your laptop so its out of sight, and it gives a bit of a height boost as well. The Lention has ports for HDMI, VGA and DisplayPort, SD and Micro SD card readers, four USB ports (one USB-C, two USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0), Ethernet and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Phone charger

A dedicated phone stand is a great way to keep your desk clutter-free while charging your handset at the same time. If you have a phone without wireless charging, we recommend the Lamicall stand, as it has a feeder hole for the charger cord on the back. The stand is made from a high-quality aluminum alloy and the cradle can be tilted back and forth for different viewing angles. If you like, you can position your phone horizontally to watch videos.

If you do have a phone with wireless charging, we strongly recommend using a wireless charger so you dont have to mess around with pesky cords. The Anker PowerWave Stand is a good option as it supports 10W high-speed charging with the latest Samsung Galaxy handsets and 5W charging with recent iPhones like the iPhone 14. We especially like how affordable it is ($20 as of this writing), though keep in mind that you need to supply your own power brick.

If you want to charge several Apple devices all at once, consider a multi-device charger. Our favorite is the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 pad as it features 15W MagSafe charging for the iPhone, fast charging for Apple Watch Series 7 plus a spot for AirPods or any other Qi-compatible earbud case. The Apple Watch charger is especially notable as it works not just horizontally and vertically, but theres also a knob that lets you accommodate different sizes plus third-party cases. On top of that, the horizontal layout lets you charge any wireless phone at reduced speeds.

Alternatively, if you want a version with a smaller footprint, the BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 wireless charger is a fantastic option. It also has MagSafe 15W charging and itll charge the Apple Watch and AirPods as well. However, the indented earbud pad means you cant charge a second phone on it.

If you want something more affordable, this Anker MagGo charging station is a solid option as well. It only has a single magnetic charging pad on the front for your phone, but it does have a bunch of ports three AC outlets, two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports for charging other devices.

One way to really save some space is to get a lamp with a wireless charger built into the base. The IKEA Hektar has a classic look with a 5W induction charger, plus an extra USB port so you can charge two devices at once. Alternatively, this LED desk lamp by AFROG packs in a lot of features in a relatively small footprint. It has a wireless charger, a USB charging port, five lighting modes with seven levels of brightness plus a 30 or 60 minute shutoff timer.

For a more futuristic design, the Taotronics LED desk lamps slim style might be more your speed. It supports fast charging up to 7.5 watts (for iPhones) or 10 watts (for Samsung Galaxy phones) , an extra USB port on the side; five different color temperatures; and an option for a one-hour dimmable desk lamp timer thatll turn off when you go to bed.

Standing desk converter

For those who want to get into standing desks but dont have the money or space, a standing desk converter is a great alternative. It can convert any table into a work space, plus it provides additional storage underneath. The Cora from Fully is one that we like a lot, thanks to its sturdy aluminum frame. Lifting or lowering it is as easy as pressing the handles on either side, and its super lightweight so you can easily move your workspace out of sight at the end of the day.

An affordable alternative is the Flexispot 31-inch standing desk converter. Its not quite as attractive as the Cora, but its still pretty sturdy. Plus, it comes with a removable keyboard tray, which not only frees up space on the desktop, but also improves your posture when typing either when standing or sitting.

Cable organizer

Like most people, you probably have a mess of cords dangling behind your desk. A simple way to overcome that is with a few simple cable management tools. The easiest would be to use either twist ties or Velcro wrap ties like these, which are strong, reusable and affordable.

Another option is to use a cord management organizer like these cable clips. They let you organize seven cables with a single clip, which you can then attach to your desk or wall with a self-adhesive backing. Youll never have to worry about the cord falling behind the desk.

One common eyesore in most homes are those overflowing power strips with cables strewn all over the place. A cable management box like this one from D-Line can help keep all of it contained in one attractive unit and make areas under your desk easier to clean. The box comes in white or black, has three cord entry and exit points and is large enough to fit most power strips.

Headphone stand

Over-the-ear headphones provide superior sound, but can take up a good deal of space on your desk when not in use. Instead, try hanging them on a headphone stand which, aside from keeping your space tidy, can also protect your headphones from getting scratched. This affordable one from Lamicall is made out of aluminum and ABS plastic and has a low center of gravity, which makes for a more stable base. It also has a simple and stylish bird-shaped look that will add a nice touch of flair to your desk space.

Alternatively, you can also choose to keep your headphones out of sight entirely with an under-desk hook like the Anchor, which has space for two sets of headphones. Its made out of premium silicone and secures safely to your desk with 3M adhesive strips. There are optional screw mounts if you want to make the placement a little more permanent.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-organize-your-desk-work-from-home-setup-133015500.html?src=rss

Original Link: https://www.engadget.com/how-to-organize-your-desk-work-from-home-setup-133015500.html?src=rss

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