5 Tips for the Best Minimalist Home Desk Setup

How can you create the best minimalist home desk setup in your own home?

Minimalism is a growing trend in offices and public places around the world. Influenced by Japanese culture and Zen philosophy, minimalism is as much a lifestyle and mindset as it is aesthetic. Minimalism permeates architecture, interior design, fashion, spiritual and philosophical belief, and daily wellness practices. It’s something you can apply to nearly every facet of your life.

So how can you apply it to working at home? Well, the easiest way to start is by re-thinking the way you work at your desk. The best minimalist desk setup usually involves simplifying down to just the core essential elements that you need to do your best work. 

A few decorations are fine, of course...you don’t have to take a completely stoic approach! However, when it comes to minimalism, less is more. So if you want your home desk setup to be as minimal as possible to ensure you stay productive and on task, consider stripping it away as much as possible.

If you’re curious about how a minimalism home desk could impact your work from home routine, look no further! We’ve compiled five simple tips for you to embrace minimalism in your home office 

1. Set personal goals

First and foremost, ask yourself, WHY do you want a minimalist home desk?

Are you feeling unsatisfied with your level of productivity? Do you feel distracted throughout the day? Is the constant clutter bothering you? Is it hard for you to differentiate between work time and playtime?

Whatever you’re working on or trying to improve, make sure you have a clear set of goals in mind. Taking steps toward a minimalist desk setup should serve those goals first and foremost.

2. Make a list of things you can’t work without

What are your office essentials? The things you absolutely can’t do your job without? For extreme minimalists, it may be just a laptop, a desk surface, and a power cable...nothing else.

For people who mostly do their work via video conferencing and only need their computers for basic tasks or communication, this could be a great way to simplify things! But for programmers and writers, a solid keyboard can make all the difference in battling fatigue after long hours of typing. Operating with only a laptop could have a detrimental impact on your posture.

Fortunately, there are some great minimalist options out there, like the wireless Keychron K2. It’s a compact yet comfortable and fully-featured keyboard that takes up minimal space but features a luxuriously comfortable typing experience.

For other equipment like printers, documents, and other things you don’t always need, consider storing them away in an easily accessible but hidden place to reduce the clutter on your desk as much as possible. A compact filing cabinet stowed under your desk, for example, can keep things tidy and organized. 

3. Clear the area around your home office

There’s no better way to embrace a minimalist mindset than by simply tidying up. No need to think strategically about rearranging your furniture—the simple act of cleaning can transform your workspace.

Your working zone should be distinctive from other parts of your home, even if it’s just a small area in your limited living space. When you enter this space, no matter how small, your mind and body should know immediately that it’s time for work. This is beneficial not only in boosting your work productivity but also in your ability to enjoy your free time away from work—just as important!

Speaking of work and playtime...

4. Keep work and playtime separate

This may not be directly related to maintaining a minimalist home desk setup, but keeping a simple but clear delineation between work and play is super important for productivity. It also helps you keep your home desk minimalistic in that everything you use in that area is strictly work-related only. 

When you keep working the sole focus of your home office desk, you’ll be able to more easily keep things as simple and minimal as possible—as well as stay focused on the tasks at hand. Consider setting time limits for your work time and your breaks throughout the day. If you live with other people, make sure they know that your working hours are strictly for work and that you shouldn’t be disturbed during that time. 

5. Get a minimalist standing desk

What better way to embrace a minimalist aesthetic than with a top-notch and minimalist standing desk? The SmartDesk 2 from Autonomous is a simple, streamlined, thoroughly modern solution for anyone looking for an affordable but high-quality solution for their home office. 

It’s a clean-looking desk with a minimalist design that stays out of the way, and its customizable colors and finishes mean you can choose a combination that suits your space uniquely. You can even get the SmartDesk DIY Kit to use with a custom desk surface if you wish.

Conclusion

Regardless of how you do it, there are many ways you can make small changes to your home office desk setup to make it more minimalist and more focused on making you happy, healthy, and productive throughout your workday.

What are some of your tips for making things more simple, focused, and minimalist in your home office desk setup? Let us know in the comments!

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