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As you know, not only did I move house recently, but I also started a new job, plus I am completing my PhD part time. Having a comfortable and functional workspace is vital for me. With so much on, its clear I would be spending a lot of time in this space. I can work anywhere short-term, but for me to be productive and feel settled, I really need a dedicated space that is set up for purpose. So, this space was a necessity for me to feel content working at home.
I decided to set up space in a little nook in the dining room so that I could be close to the kitchen for snacks and coffee, but this also allowed me to be able to answer the front door without running up and down the stairs, and to be able to quickly check emails whilst watching the little man if he happens to be around.
My aim was to also do this area on a budget as once we have the extension built, hopefully next year, I will have a dedicated office space that I can then invest in and set up more permanently. I also wanted pieces that could be portable, moveable, and easy to relocate or to move out the way when we have friends over for dinner etc. Remember this is a nook in the dining room.
First things first, the wallpaper is from the previous owner of the house and over time this will be replaced by something that is more my style. But for now, I don’t actually mind it that much.
Where is everything from?
So, I needed a desk and when you google desks the range that comes up is enough to really make you switch the laptop off and just continue using the uncomfortable dining table. But I wasn’t defeated. Pinterest and various interior design blogs gave me some ideas and helped me decide on styles that I liked. I knew I wanted something fairly inconspicuous but with shelving for storing books and folders for my PhD. I found this desk on ManoMano and it was a steal at just over £70. It arrived within a couple of days, and it was easy to put together. I love that it has shelving on the one side and that the lower shelves aren’t that noticeable. The slight industrial look to the desk was something I really liked also.
My chair was also an Amazon find and this was also around £70. It’s really comfortable and it was very straight forward to put together. One of the things I love about Amazon is that their goods come with all the nuts and bolts but also the tools required to put them together. So, you don’t have to worry whether you have the right screwdriver or not.
For storing my books, I pondered a few ideas but I couldn’t focus on a solution that would work in the space. That is until I saw an Instagram post from the Thesis Whisperer where she was setting up her home office and she had used a trolley. Genius and it was a smart idea I was totally going to steal for myself. I got this trolley from Amazon for £25. Having a super busy week, I didn’t have time to go to an actual shop. But I know that Ikea and B&M also stock similar styles. What I love about the trolley is that it is flexible, and I can change its position, I can also easily change what is stored on the trolley. Such a simple yet effective solution and a great price.
My monitor stand and laptop stand are both purchases I made a while back before moving house and they were from Wish. I love the monitor stand as it has USB ports that are both useful and easy to access. On an iMac the ports are at the back and can be a pain to reach round to use. And, on my laptop, i need to use an adaptor to use USB cables. So, to have a monitor stand that also provides quick and easy charging is perfect. This exact model doesn’t appear available but there are plenty other options for around £25.
For lighting I didn’t want to have a standard desk lamp. I wanted something that could be multifunctional and could be used when we are using the dining room in the evening. Again, as with the desk, I knew I wanted something with an industrial feel, but I couldn’t find anything that really stood out. But I was in B&M picking up some other bits and pieces and I saw this lamp for £12.99. I like the simplicity; I like the light it gives off and I think it fits well in the space. On the same trip to B&M I saw that they had various wall shelving options and I liked the gold octagon shape, and it was a bargain at £9.99. I wanted to display some small plants and other artefacts, but I didn’t want them cluttering the limited desk space. I think this option does the job well and also looks lovely.
So, there you have it – my working from home set up on a shoestring budget. I am happy working here, i like how the space looks and feels and I feel that my levels of productivity have really soared in this space. What do you think of the space? Am I missing anything here that you think I need in my space? Why not share your working from home spaces/ tips/ tricks for productivity with me?
