WFH in a Small Space: Small Desks

Our Skagerak Dining Table as my Desk with my 10 year old laptop still kicking!

A common theme from 2020 that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon is finding space to work from home in small spaces. In my Small Space Consults there is rarely a consult that does not have WFH (work from home) as a priority on their list of concerns.

I am a firm advocate for having somewhere to hide away your “office” at the end of the day or on the weekends so you can enjoy a peaceful home and not be reminded of work. I work from home and against Trevor’s best advice (he is an occupational therapist and can see injuries forming as I work) I am often found on the couch or on a pillow on the floor with a laptop on the ottoman. I recognize this is not sustainable but for now it is working for me. The more consults I have the more I realize that other people have more specific and unique needs for working from home. And I recognize that the pandemic makes working from home critical and often nearly impossible depending on how many people are at home while you are trying to work.

If you have a room in your home where you can close the door and have some quiet, consider yourself very lucky. To help with this challenging time for small spaces, I’ve rounded up some portable or small desk options that may help you in your small space. These desks could fit in a small corner, hallway, patio or multipurpose bedroom. If you are handy you might be able to make something yourself inspired by these options. I also love a desk incorporated into a shelving unit but I will save that round up for another day!

This small desk (My Caramba Goldilocks)was brought to my attention by a Small Space client (Thanks Michelle!) and is in fact made by the husband of a Small Home Tour from a few years ago (home tour here). Hand-made in Victoria and comes in a variety of sizes.

This narrow console table (Skagerak Georg, the cousin of our dining table) could easily be a desk as long as you only need a laptop. The beautiful narrow lines will fit in a hallway or narrow spot in your home. More of an investment but I feel that this piece could grow with you and your space rather than be a temporary solution.

I like that this floating desk has a drawer to hide away laptops and papers so it can be kept clear when you aren’t working. This one is handmade in the US and comes in a few sizes.

This portable patio railing table, the Ikea Torparo could be a great solution to work outside on warmer weather days. Making your small patio, your office.

Also I should mention that if you are working at your dining table or another surface in your home that is too high for you, Trevor recommends getting a clamp on keyboard tray. This can alleviate wrist pain. He added one to my desk at a previous job when I was losing feeling in my fingers. Such a simple fix that saved my hands and prevented long term injury. With a clamp it can it can be stored away in a closet when not in use. This circles back to my previous focus of making sure you can transform your small space to be calm and peaceful where work can be tucked out of sight and mind.

Hang in there! You are doing a great job! Especially those of you working from home while the kids are home.