6 things to consider when buying a Work From Home Desk

Buyer's Guide

6 things to consider when buying a Work From Home Desk

If you're on the lookout for a new work from home desk, there are a few things you need to think about before you make a purchase.

As we spend such a large amount of our time working, it's important that we select a home office desk that supports the specific work we do, and how we like to do it.

This article will help guide you in your buying decision so you can find the best work from home desk for you...

Working from home used to be one of the most sought-after job perks before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. And according to a recent Flexjobs survey, 96% of respondents indicated their desire to continue working from home, either full-time or part-time, once pandemic conditions cease.

While those that were already exercising flexible working may not have been caught off guard without a home office by COVID, many of us found ourselves suddenly working at home with a setup that didn't support our work or our health (we're looking at you, kitchen tables, sofas, and beds!).

So if you've now decided it's high time to set yourself up with a dedicated work from home desk space, here's what you need to consider:

6 things to consider when buying a Work From Home Desk

1. How much space do you have? The size of the space you have to dedicate to your workstation will help determine what type of desk you ultimately choose.

2. What type of work do you do? The ability to customize your desk allows you the freedom to create a work from home desk setup that is very personalized, inspiring and practical at the same time, making working from home easier and more enjoyable.

3. Correct ergonomic set up. Not all work from home desks will allow you to set your desk up ergonomically. However, ergonomic setup is vital if you are going to be working at home long-term.

4. Do you want to work sitting or standing? Or both? While sitting and standing desks both have their pros, the key to healthy working is movement. So make sure you factor this in when making your final decision.

5. Quality and Sustainability. A work from home desk purchase is an investment in yourself and your work. Choose a desk that's great quality and that's built to last.

6. Style & Decor. If you're dedicating space to a work desk at home, then it's important that it looks good.

1. How much space do you have?

Thinking about how much space you have to play with to set up your home office is a great place to start. Perhaps you have an entire room you want to convert into an office? Or maybe you only have a corner in your lounge or bedroom?

The size of the space you have to dedicate to your workstation will help determine what type of desk you ultimately choose.

If you don't have a lot of space at home - say you live in an apartment, for example - having a permanent work from home desk set up in a living area or your bedroom may not be something that appeals to you.

Having the ability to pack your desk down easily and store it away when you're not working, would be a good option in this case. This can be achieved with a flat-pack desk or a foldable desk.

Obviously, the more space you have the bigger the desk you can choose. You might want a desk with double desktops or a two-person desk with bookshelves if there are two of you.

You may also be limited to, or want to utilize, a corner area, and in this case, an l-shaped desk or corner desk would work well.

A work from home desk can be set up in any available space in your home.

2. What type of work do you do?

Once you've figured out how much space you can allocate to your work from home desk, the next thing to consider is how a work desk needs to accommodate the type of work you do.

Are you someone that needs a lot of desktop space? Do you use a laptop? Multiple screens? Do you need extra storage to accommodate printers, books, or other office equipment?

While most desks on the market aren't much more than computer tables, having the ability to customize your desk with add-on modules and accessories that change the size and functionality of your desk - so that it can grow and adapt to your changing work needs - is becoming a lot more important for those who work from home full time.

This ability to customize your desk, also allows you the freedom to create a work from home desk setup that is very personalized, inspiring and practical at the same time, making working from home easier and more enjoyable.

Use add-on modules and accessories to personalize your home office space.

3. Correct ergonomic setup

Desk ergonomics is the science of designing your workspace to fit you, rather than you physically adapting to suit your desk.

Not all work from home desks will allow you to set your desk up ergonomically. However, ergonomic setup is vital if you are going to be working at home long-term.

A desk setup that isn't ergonomically correct could result in musculoskeletal health problems, and decreased performance and productivity due to posture issues and pain.

Don't conform your body to suit your workstation; design your workstation to suit you.

An ergonomic work from home desk will be height adjustable so that you can set your desktop and monitor at the correct height, whether sitting or standing. It will also provide ample room to have your keyboard and mouse in the right positions.

Correct ergonomic desk setup is vital for your productivity, and your health and wellbeing.

4. Do you want to work sitting or standing? Or both?

Which brings us to our next point; sitting desks vs standing desks...

Standing desks are trendy these days due to the potential health benefits they offer by allowing a lot more freedom of movement. Some of us, though, may prefer or need a sitting desk.

If you'd like to have the option of having both a sitting and standing desk, make sure you choose a desk that allows you to adjust the height accordingly.

You may even want to choose a modular desk that allows you to add on additional sections. This way you can setup a seated and a standing workstation in one, which you can move between throughout the work day.

While both types of desk have their pros, the key to healthy working is movement. So make sure you factor this in when making your final decision.

5. Quality and Sustainability

A work from home desk purchase is an investment in yourself and your work. If you agree, then you'll want to choose a desk that's great quality and that's built to last.

Work from home desks can be built from a range of materials, including metal and wood.

Some are flat-packed and require screws, nuts and bolts, and tools to assemble. Some of the more cleverly designed work from home desks don't require any tools for assembly at all.

When trying to decide if an online work from home desk is good quality, make sure they provide you with information on the types of materials they use.

You should also read through their customer reviews to see what others say about the quality of the design and the desk's durability.

Sustainability is also an important thing to consider, especially when looking at wooden desks.

What kind of wood is used? And what does sustainability mean to the company that is selling the desk?

Purchasing sustainable home office furniture is a nice way to work at home with your values.

6. Style and decor

If you're dedicating space to a work desk at home, then it's important that it looks good.

Now that remoting working is becoming more popular, home office furniture designers know that consumers don't want to adopt boring, lifeless pieces of furniture that are better suited to an office cubicle rather than their homes.

Choosing a desk that's minimalist ensures that it won't stand out like a sore thumb in your existing decor, and it acts as a blank slate for you to style it how you like it.

Adding personal touches such as lamps, photos, and even house plants can all help in personalizing your work from home desk space and making it a more comfortable and enjoyable space to create from.

Feel free to take desk styling inspiration from others online. There are plenty of ideas to be found on platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram to help you create a gorgeous and inspiring workspace that suits your taste and the home you've created.

We hope that this article has given you some helpful advice on selecting the best work from home desk for you.

If you have any questions regarding our range of work from home desks and accessories, don't hesitate to get in touch with our customer services team who are super friendly and always happy to help!