When I was hanging the art around my Samsung Frame TV (read about that in this post), I decided that it was time to do a little desk refresh, too. My desk in my room is right under the TV, so now that the space above the TV looked good, I wanted my desk to match.

I should mention that I don’t actually work at this desk during the week. When I started working from home, I found that when I worked from my bedroom, it was just too much time all in the same space, and I never really felt like I could turn “off.” So the desk I’m showing you isn’t where I get most of my 9-5 work done, but I still use the space to write blog posts, browse the Internet, and read on my iPad. Just wanted to mention that little disclaimer!

Creating a functional desk space can be tricky for me because I like to have most things where I can reach them, and the rules out drawers/storage in the back of the desk, because there’s just no way for me to get my wheelchair close enough to reach. So I really focused on creating a clean, open space with the things I most needed to reach easily accessible to me, and then adding storage nearby for things I didn’t mind needing to ask for help with.

The Desk

First of all – my desk itself. I think my desk was my first “real” furniture purchase, from Pottery Barn, probably almost 10 years ago and I love it so much to this day. It’s so sleek, with a glass top and an open metal frame. Not surprisingly, since it’s 10 years old, it’s not available online anymore. This one from Williams-Sonoma is really similar (but pricey) and this one from Wayfair looks close, too (but I can’t speak to the quality). Since the top of the desk is glass and gets smudgy/dirty quickly, I also have this little desk mat that goes on top of the area that gets the most use – where my laptop/iPad goes, and where my coffee cup sits!

Tech Organization

I have a lot of different tech things on my desk – my Echo Show, my Apple TV, the Connect One box for my TV, and my cable box. It’s a lot, and it was a struggle to find a way to put them all on the desk without it looking messy, but still usable (especially the Echo). I found these acrylic risers from the Container Store and they’ve honestly been the perfect solution. They don’t take up too much room, but they keep everything separate and at the right height.

I also have a wireless charger like this one, which I love. It can charge my watch, my AirPods, and my phone wirelessly all at the same time, and it has a built-in cord so you don’t need to plug in your own Apple cords to charge each thing. It’s a little more expensive than a lot of the Amazon options, but it’s so worth it to me.

I also have a stand for my iPad. The iPad stand is really nice for reading and for making sure my camera is at the right height for FaceTimes and Zooms. I wouldn’t say that you absolutely need it, but it does make things much more convenient. You can’t see it, but I also have the iPad Magic Keyboard, which I use when the iPad isn’t on the stand, and which I really love. It makes the iPad operate like a laptop – unlike other keyboard cases, this one also has the built in mousepad/trackpad just like laptops do. It is something small but makes it SO much more functional. It’s one of those things that isn’t cheap, but in my opinion, is completely worth it.

Storage

Now, for the storage – some of this is on the desk, and some is nearby. The newest addition is this acrylic inbox and drawer. I love it so much – I can put papers that I don’t want to file away yet in the top open space, and can use the drawer for things that I want to store. I looked through a LOT of desktop organization pieces, and this was my favorite because it didn’t take up too much surface area but gave me a way to keep things neat and organized.

For things that can be stored, but I want nearby so I can find them easily, I use The Vault. I love that it looks nice out on my desk, but still keeps things nicely organized. It opens like a book, and the left side has space for regular sized file folders, and the right side has two drawers at the top for smaller memorabilia and has a space for half-sized file folders at the bottom.

I also have a small printer cabinet so that I have space to put things actually away. I had my printer on my desk for a while, but it was just taking up way too much space. This isn’t anything fancy, but it’s small enough that it doesn’t take up too much room and has a drawer and cabinet so that I can keep things out of the way.

Desk Accessories

On to the pretty, fun things! I spent a lot of time looking for just the right lamp for my desk – I wanted one that was bright enough that it’s still useful, but not so big that it blocked my view of the TV. The perfect one ended up being this Amazon brand one – I love the silver texture.

I bought myself this desk calendar as a Christmas gift, and I can’t get over how gorgeous it is – it makes my desk seem so much more sophisticated! I look forward to seeing the design each month, and it’s nice to have a non-digital calendar. It just hits that sweet spot of form and function really nicely.

One of my favorite little desk trinkets is my ceramic glasses tray! Now that I’m a glasses person, I like having a dedicated place to set them each night so I don’t misplace them. Is it necessary? Absolutely not! But it makes me happy to look at it, so that’s all that matters. It’s very old, but this one is similar (and also works for a catchall for other things).

Finally… I have also become “that person” who has a favorite brand of notebooks – I’m obsessed with these from Appointed. I love that they’re spiral bound and lined, two qualities that are extremely important to me (yes, I do take this seriously!). I also have a thing for notebooks in general, and will pick up ones that maybe aren’t super functional but are too pretty to pass up. I actually realized I have been buying notebooks as souvenirs from trips – I have one from the art museum in Dallas and one from the National Zoo in DC sitting out on my desk right now!

Wow – this post ended up being a lot longer and more detailed than I was planning, but I have just been super into all things organization lately and making my space look nice! Anyone else feeling the same way?