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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Where do you work from home?

29 replies

Cosycover · 28/03/2023 13:12

Sorry my phone isn't allowing me to post in chat. Happy for this to be moved.

Can I ask where you work from home if you don't have a home office?
Currently I work at the dining table but it's starting to kill my back and I feel I want a better more productive space.

No spare rooms unfortunately. And can't afford to build a garden office.

Does anyone have any genius ideas?

OP posts:
Sparklesocks · 28/03/2023 13:14

i work at my dining table too but work sent me a proper office chair so it doesn’t impact my back. I can adjust the height etc so I’m level with the table in the right way. Could you ask your job to provide equipment?

OriginalUsername2 · 28/03/2023 13:19

At the dining table with my feet up on the opposite chair. I’ve found this stops the backache for me. Our chairs are cushioned though, not hard.

I tried the bed, which is great to spread out on like a huge desk, but it gave me coccyx pain.

WorkingWhileStressed · 28/03/2023 13:21

You can get an office chair where the backrest folds down, so it can be easily pushed away under a table when not in use.

Nevermind31 · 28/03/2023 13:22

Before I had an office we had a desk and chair in the bedroom, and one in the living room

ouse · 28/03/2023 13:23

Fortunate to have a box room but when my DH was also working from home, one of us was in the lounge at a small desk in there. We managed to fit it in a corner out of the way. Moved from the dining table in the kitchen as it made it hard for the person who wasn’t working in there to make a cup of tea (we both had quite a lot of video calls).

summerlovingvibes · 28/03/2023 13:27

I'm just about to get a fold up / space saving desk for the spare room. There's not enough space for a desk to be there if the bed is in use, so something g that folds onto the wall / looks like art work or a mirror or something when folded away. Prior to this I had a office but DD2 came along & we turned it into a bedroom.

Itsbytheby · 28/03/2023 13:29

I have an office (our dinning room according to floor plans). It was one of our criteria when buying the house as I WFH full time ad did before the pandemic.

If I didn't have an office I would set up a desk space somewhere. It's not really ideal to wfh without a dedicatd workspace.

Scarlettpixie · 28/03/2023 13:35

I have a home office now but used to work on the dining table. I put raisers under the legs so it was the right height and brought my chair home from work so it was no different to sitting at my desk.

ObamaLlamas · 28/03/2023 13:36

OriginalUsername2 · 28/03/2023 13:19

At the dining table with my feet up on the opposite chair. I’ve found this stops the backache for me. Our chairs are cushioned though, not hard.

I tried the bed, which is great to spread out on like a huge desk, but it gave me coccyx pain.

Omg expect to spend lots of money on a chiropractor in the future with that sitting position.

I have an adjustable desk and adjustable proper office chair set up in my bedroom.

Cosycover · 28/03/2023 14:08

Thanks everyone.
I am going to look into a foldaway desk and a proper chair. Looks like I'll be WFH permanently now so will need to invest in something.

OP posts:
Gizlotsmum · 28/03/2023 14:08

I have a desk in the corner of the living room. Tried the bedroom but couldn’t switch off, easier in living room as tucked next to fire place so out of the way

Minfilia · 28/03/2023 14:12

Our house is open plan so my desk is somewhere in a space between the living room and dining room.

If other people are in the house I take calls in my bedroom and take my laptop upstairs.

When I’m feeling particularly lazy I hook my laptop up to the TV with an hdmi cable and lounge on the sofa in my pyjamas with a wireless keyboard and mouse 😂

(I WFH FT)

hmrcwoes · 28/03/2023 14:31

The sofa.... always have since we first started

Binfluencer · 28/03/2023 14:57

Spare room, it's a loft conversion and I love the view

Thriwit · 28/03/2023 15:09

I work at the dining table, but have a very comfy office chair. I recovered it in some nicer fabric, and roll it over to the corner of the room at the end of the day

mackthepony · 28/03/2023 15:10

We have a conservatory so I work there. No ideal as no door, but the view is nice

gwenneh · 28/03/2023 15:10

I've got a standing desk in the kitchen, or work from the sofa.
We have office space in the house but neither DH nor I like to actually use it.

AdoraBell · 28/03/2023 15:13

DH works in the kitchen during the day, or lounge if it’s a zoom call, then takes calls in the dining room.

Before we downsized we had a study. He still made/took calls in the lounge and dining room though.

TheHoover · 28/03/2023 15:15

Dining table. Laptop on a stand, separate keyboard and mouse.

BarrelOfOtters · 28/03/2023 15:15

My employer forked out for a laptop, mouse and an office chair. We also supplied a desk to someone who didn't have anything suitable.

MsWhitworth · 28/03/2023 15:15

Cosycover · 28/03/2023 14:08

Thanks everyone.
I am going to look into a foldaway desk and a proper chair. Looks like I'll be WFH permanently now so will need to invest in something.

I have to be honest and say that if you don’t have a suitable space for WFH, then you’d be better off going to the office or changing to a job that is office-based. Otherwise, you’ll do your back in plus clutter up the space you do have.

BarrelOfOtters · 28/03/2023 15:16

I work in the kitchen and wheel the office chair in there - mostly because it's the warmest room with a nice view.

It's a bit of a pain at lunchtime.

WhyCantPeopleBeNice · 28/03/2023 15:21

We are setting up a spare room with a wall bed with integrated desk. (Sons room now he's moved out)
It will allow husband to work from home occasionally but also can use as a spare room when guests come.
Being completely honest with you, and after 11 years working from home, if it's full time, you need an office space. My office is in a different spare room but is dedicated office space. It's not just good from a physical perspective but also mental, being able to close the door and switch off.
If you don't have the room for a suitable space look into renting a desk somewhere

SashaPearce · 28/03/2023 15:23

If you are WFH regularly then you really need to invest in a proper ergonomic set-up - proper padded adjustable office chair, desktop computer with separate keyboard and mouse, not a laptop, etc. Don’t mess around. I got a repetitive strain injury a while back from not having this, and it took 6 months including a hell of a lot of nurofen and private physio appointments to get back to normal.

Having said that my dad works continually at a laptop balanced on his tummy on the sofa or at the dining table without ever seeming to suffer ill effects… but personally having been through it once, it’s really not worth the risk.

Anoisagusaris · 28/03/2023 15:24

Big desk and office chair in my bedroom. Room is huge though.