WFH setup

[setitup]

DP & I live in a small place - we have no room for a dedicated office space. I work from home as an analyst.

I use my laptop on the dining table, but I need an external monitor to be productive. DP doesn’t want a monitor permanently on the dining table, which I agree with.

However the only alternative desk is in our bedroom. I have a desk with vanity mirror similar to the attached photo, although my desk is wider.

DP was thinking to try to shimmy the mirror to one side, and set up a monitor on the other side of desk. I think it may look weird and also disrupt the atmosphere of the bedroom vibe a bit. We don’t have a monitor as yet to test this but I’m not sure I want to work out of my bedroom and have it in the background of calls! Plus I’d be working where I’m sleeping and won’t get that separation. Aibu?

I could try to wall mount the mirror and then put a monitor on the desk, but tbh I don’t really want to be working whilst in front of my mirror all day either.

Could a desk go in the corner of the dining room or lounge?

I had this same issue.

I now have a fold out secondary screen which clips to my laptop. It was about £200 of Amazon. I read all the review and went for a light one.

It's not as big as a stand alone screen, but it does the job and I am used to it now.

Could this work for you?

You could cover the mirror with a piece of material and use a fake background.

Personally, I'd ditch the vanity unit and buy a proper desk or one that folds down and can hide the monitor at night. Put that either in the dining room or in the bedroom or even a landing if you have one. I have colleagues who work in their downstairs hallways. I'm surprised you only need one monitor though, I run analyses and I need two large screens to be properly productive.

Just to add, I pack my stuff away at the end of the working week. And it's all compact now, so not an issue.

If you stay working on the dining room table, Can you not just put the monitor away once you finish work each day?
that's what i do

Can't you just move the monitor when not in use ?. Or get a small desk ?

I've worked from home since 1997.

Before my daughters left home I used an Ikea unit. Bit like a small wardrobe. had a pull out shelf etc.

Meant when I finished for the day I just closed the doors.

Not sure if they do a similar unit now.

Now the third bedroom is a proper home office and has been since 2012.

I'd try and avoid working from the bedroom if possible. What about something like this in the dining room? https://pithandstem.com/product/droptop-single-light/

I have to have my desk in my bedroom and I use two external monitors plus a laptop. I have a desk with "stalk" that clamps to the back with the monitors attached either side with arms.

It's definitely made the bedroom feel less 'bedroomy' (and v much like a NASA control centre) but it's the only option for now.

If you only need one external monitor you could always tuck it under the desk when you're not working, they're not hard to disconnect, it's only one wire.

thanks!

it’s a bit of a pain - there’s genuinely no room for another desk. The only place to store the monitor when not in use is the floor.

DP thinks if it’s in the bedroom then it can double up as a TV screen if needed in the bedroom (we have a tv in living area)

we live in an apartment with bedroom, living area and bathroom. It’s probably too small for 2 people but we’re also not in a position to move! X

A corner of our bedroom has become my office. It's the perfect set up for me personally. I like being able to retreat here and shut the door to everything else when I'm working. I don't find any difficulty in switching off really (although I often have to do some work in the evenings). I always blur my background so nobody can see where I am.