Tips on Working From Home Without an Office or Desk

A lot of us are working from home these days, if we are lucky. This is presenting a whole new set of challenges. Staying productive has been a concern for me. I noticed that I was feeling displaced by not having a dedicated workspace, which was making me feel like I was getting less work done. In this post I’m sharing tips and tricks on how to work from home without an office or desk space.

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We live in a 1,050 square foot townhome. It’s just the two of us plus the dog and the cat. In this small space there aren’t a lot of rooms and both of us are working from home. I won’t lie, I’m feeling a little cramped but it’s manageable. Keeping the house cleaning and minimizing clutter is helping to keep my anxiety in check.

We do actually have an office, but Luke is occupying it. I’m okay with working in the living room/kitchen area. However, after a week I started to get a little tired of not having a dedicated workspace.

I’ve been bouncing all over the house. Sometimes I’ll sit in bed, on the couch, on the floor next to the coffee table or I’ll stand in the kitchen.

I seriously considered buying a desk because I’m working from home “indefinitely.” That could mean for another week or it could be months. However, I don’t want to invest in a desk to keep in the living room to just get rid of it once this is all over. There is definitely not space for a desk to stay here permanently. I’m hoping and praying this all ends soon.

Another issue is that we do not have a dining room table. It’s something that would be difficult to squeeze in this space. But we also mostly just eat on the couch.

Thus, this has brought me to my list of tips for working home if you don’t have an office or a desk.

Use a Folding Table as a Desk

Luke came home with a folding table after he had to go purchase dog food and I honestly thought it was a genius idea. We discussed buying a desk, maybe even a cheap one off of Facebook marketplace, but it just seemed like too much of a hassle.

I love the idea of my folding table because it’s so easy to set up and, more importantly, take down. At the end of the day, I can fold it up and put it away. Also, this is just a nice thing to have once we are able to go back to work. I have some craft projects this table will be perfect for as well. This is the table I am using.

Use an Exercise Ball as a Desk Chair

Luke decided that his office chair wasn’t working for him and he bought a new one. So, we do have an extra desk chair floating around that I can use. But, another idea is to use an exercise ball as your chair.

I’ve hated this ball since Luke brought it in the house, but right now it’s really coming in handy. It’s nice that you can deflate it once you are done using it so it doesn’t always have to take up a lot of space.

Get a Lap Desk

I used my lap desk throughout college and now always keep it behind the couch. I do most of my blogging from the couch while I watch TV at night. A lap desk is really nice to have so you don’t always have your laptop on you.

Stand Up at the Kitchen Counter

If you’re feeling a little stir crazy, make your kitchen counter into a standing desk. Last Friday afternoon I was feeling really antsy so I stood at the kitchen counter for a few hours.

This a nice opportunity to stretch your legs! Add in some toe raises to get an even better stretch!

Connect Your Laptop To Your TV

I’m used to having multiple monitors at the office, so working from home just on my laptop has been a transition. If you don’t have an extra computer monitor lying around, you can take an HDMI cable and connect the TV to your computer.

Your TV screen will likely not have as clear of a picture as a computer monitor. But, if you are feeling desperate and have one of those tasks that really requires multiple screens, this could be a good option. Keep in mind if you’re a Mac user, like me, you will need an HDMI adapter.

If you have a Smart TV or a Chromecast, you may also be able to cast another screen on your TV.

I hope these tips are helpful! Let’s continue to hope and pray that this new normal as of the last couple weeks will be in the past soon.

Thanks for reading!

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