Working from home - using the dining table question

[hopeishere]

If you are wfh and have your computer set up on the dining table do you keep it all set up or do you move it out of the way at the weekend or for meals?

I'm trying to work out a way we can reclaim the table without lots of faff resetting the computer up every day.

I've a surface / monitor / keyboard / mouse / headset.

When I first started wfh I left it on the table but there are only two of us so I didnt need to move it, but only had a laptop, no room for a monitor
I hated it being there though so moved to an old writing desk in the corner, just big enough and left it up.
Got fed up that, had the loft insulated and boarded, moved all the junk up there, reclaimed the spare room and bought a proper desk and office chair.
I am back in the office two days a week but will never go back full time.
I think if you are going to be working at home for the long term you need a better solution than the dining table, particularly if you don't have an office chair

We moved it but it was a hassle. Much better solution to put it in one of DC's rooms. Can't play in there when working from home, but can leave everything set up and shut the door for some peace.

Well, the first question is do you absolutely have to use the dining room table? Is there no other option to squeeze in a dedicated desk?

Ironically we actually have a study but I don't like working up there! Hopefully starting hybrid working soon so once that happens I think I'll move back up there.
I do have a proper chair not a dining chair.

We do it every day - set up and take down monitor, laptop riser, keyboard and mouse. Couldn't fit family at the table otherwise. We have a desk set up permanently in our bedroom but DH and I both work from home so one of us is at the dining table every day (we alternate)

DW uses half our table, so when we have dinner there's enough room for the 3 of us. But when we have guests, or our Sunday lunch, she packs it all away. Only takes a few mins.

I use my dressing table in my bedroom with an office chair. I don't need vast desk space so it works for me

As you have a study, I think it would be very selfish to take over the dining table all week.

I pack it away. 5 minutes but worth it.

@hollyhocksarenotmessy

As you have a study, I think it would be very selfish to take over the dining table all week.

It's not really. There's room to eat in the kitchen as well and DS can still do his homework at the table.

What is it about the study that you don't like? If you could figure that out - and do something about it - it would keep work out of your living space all the time.

It's on the third floor! So lots of schlepping up and down. And it's packed full of DHs stuff - so like a pp we are looking to floor the roof space and move some stuff up there which would help.

Plus we got a puppy so I had to move down to be with her when we were housetraining her!

I move it all out of the way every day when I finish work. Laptop, power cable, mouse and headset go into the laptop bag. Monitor is just on the floor turned to the wall, it’s out of the way and unobtrusive. Keyboard goes on top of the printer. Cables and the laptop bag then go in a cupboard. It takes five minutes, it’s a nice way of moving from work time to private time and it means I never feel I’m living in the office rather than working from home.

I keep it set up but only have a laptop. Am getting a garden office any day now.

A study on the 3rd floor sounds fantastic . Get a kettle up, mini fridge and a cafetiere - everything you need. But up and down 3 floors every hours is pretty good exercise as well.

I keep my stuff set up on the table — fortunately it’s a long table, so there’s still enough room to sit and eat.