Peace of Mind Organizing

Loving my new Jarvis standing desk

14 December 2023

I’ve been dealing with some neck and shoulder pain that I’m told is a result of poor ergonomics. That was my cue to research buying an electric sit-stand desk, something I’d been thinking about for awhile. The desk has been in place for about three weeks and I LOVE it!

To help make my search easier, I started by checking the New York Times Wirecutter, which recommended the Herman Miller Jarvis standing desk for petite people like me (those under 5’4”). I went with the less expensive laminate version (versus hardwood or bamboo) and opted for a dry-erase desktop (swoon!). As a Certified YNAB Budgeting Coach, I often have the need to jot down figures during Zoom calls that I’ll never need again. This dry-erase desktop is a dream come true for that.

I also bought a monitor arm from Herman Miller (the Jarvis single monitor arm). I hired a friend to put it all together for me. And that’s when the fun began.

The removal of the old desk and installation of the new desk created a huge mess in my office. It also created a challenge: my old desk (a 1997 vintage IKEA desk), was large. (62” × 47” at its largest point and 62” × 31” at its smallest.) And I had a lot of stuff, like pens, that I stored on it. So even when it was cleared off, it still was pretty full. Here’s a photo of my cleared off desk. Pretty crowded.

My new desk, on the other hand, is only 60” by 27.5” So I had to find a home for all that stuff. I repurposed an Elfa file cart that I had been using for active files under my desk. I decluttered a bunch of files and moved the few files I kept to another file cart. Then I added two mesh drawers to the file cart and a top. And voila, everything I needed at hand is easily available in my little cart under my desk.

Here’s a photo (taken before I added a top to the file cart) that shows both the top and middle drawers:

The game changer was taking my external monitor off my desk surface. I moved the monitor stand it used to sit on to the side of my desk and my laptop sits there, along with some supplies I use regularly. The only other things I really need on my desk are my Bullet Journal, desk lamp and my water carafe and glass. I added a pretty ceramic plate hand made by my friend, Sally Brown, to hold there glassware so they feel safe and anchored.

Here’s a picture of the visual peace I’m enjoying daily—something I’ve never had before on my desk.

I bought a glossy white Kallax cube storage furniture—on feet—from IKEA. That allows me to beautifully store some of the items that were on or near my desk. I love it.

Here’s a photo of that:

Every day since I got this set up going I have kept the desk clean. It’s so easy and enjoyable to clear it off. And, I’m happy to say, I am actually standing at my desk, probably half the time. And I do think it’s helping my neck and shoulder pain.

The desk moves smoothly, quietly and quickly from stand to sit (and vice versa). It’s very stable so I don’t have to worry about anything on the desk top. It has four presets, which makes it a one-touch operation.

The cherry on the sundae is the small standing desk anti-fatigue mat I bought (the Topo Mini) that has contours on it to help me shift standing positions and stay comfortable.

When I add it up, I spent over $1000 on the desk, monitor arm, installation and accessories. It’s early days but I do think it was worth it. Having a beautiful, clear desk is such a boon to my productivity. I feel like I’m living the dream!

Tagged with: clean desk, desk, elfa, furniture, health, ikea, repurposing

Comments