Nov 21, 2011 - fitness    No Comments

Desk before: One long cluttered arm and one shorter L shape where I work. I wanted a stand up desk, so I did some research and found out that I could do it pretty easily and cheaply. I already had two computers (a laptop and a desktop) and this meant I could use my laptop more. 

After some research, and with approval from our wellness coordinator, I headed to Lowe’s for supplies. I bought 2 1x8x4 boards from the shelving area (the cheapest version, and looked for pieces that didn’t have knots in the center) and they chopped them into 2 foot segments. (I could’ve done the same with a 1x8x8 but the 4 foot boards were easier to maneuver around the store with, and there wasn’t a price difference.) I also got 2 basic cinderblocks (8x8x16) and 2 half cinder blocks (8x8x8), and an anti-fatigue mat. I bought red because I love red, but there were neutrals available, too. Total cost: $36.96

I managed to set it all up myself, although maybe my wellness coordinator wouldn’t approve of the “just heave the desk on top” method, and my drawers still fit underneath. Actually, I love the new layout, because before, the drawers had a lot of play on either side, and my USB power thing was shoved behind the drawers and inaccessible. Now it sits in the space between the drawers and the table top, and I can easily plug other things in (like my laptop — taking it with me to class will be super easy.) I also have a place to tuck my bags, and I have two spare 1x8s in case I feel like I need some more height.  For now, barefoot on the mat, it seems about the perfect height, in my danskos, it feels a little low. I can always tweak the top surface to fit, too, though.

In the next FY, I will be losing the iMac and getting a display that runs from my laptop, so I won’t need to toggle the mouse pairing between computers. For now, though, it works great.

From my research, it seems that having the option to sit or stand was key, and it seemed like a lot of folks who went straight to Stand- Only gave up after a while. I used this site to calculate the desk height, and may try something like a wobble board as I get used to the option. 

I’m typing this from my standing desk, and already digging it. Yay!

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