Earlier today, we posted the article Organize and Stylize Your Workspace. I made reference to several great products and ideas for organizing your work area, but failed to mention that I have been tackling this issue for some time myself now. Here’s a quick look at what I have done.
The picture might be a little grainy, but you get the… picture. Here is a breakdown of the elements of my new workspace:
- LCD Monitors – I watched the deals online for some time before making the purchase, but finally decided on 2 Acer X213H monitors (21.5″ each). They were a steal at $109 a piece and both include HDMI ports on the back, so I can use them for television viewing and even gaming (from an XBOX 360 or PS3). The quality is amazing, since both monitors are also capable of 1080p resolution.
- Dual LCD Monitor Mount – As mentioned in our article before, the double arm provides a secure and elevated position for two monitors. I’ve now got 7.5″ of clearance under the monitors and can now keep things like my external hard drive, speakers and iPod right in front of me, while still allowing plenty of elbow room. The best part is that the monitors are now at eye level, which reduces strain on the neck and back.
- Cable Management – While I haven’t tackled my cable management under the desk, you will notice that there are almost no wires on top of the desk. The cables for the monitors are run down the back side of the mount, with black zip ties and all other wires run along the back side of the desk.
- Surge Protector – All of the power cables lead to my Belkin 12-Outlet surge protector, which is mounted under the desk where I can get to it. It’s layout allows for larger power adapters and it has a bit of cable management built right in. In addition Belkin offers a Lifetime Warranty and $300,000 Connected Equipment Warranty so I have no fears of losing my system to a lightning strike.
- Wireless Keyboard and Mouse – My Belkin wireless keyboard and FREE wireless mouse (that I received at a trade show) mean no clumsy wires to mess with. I can kick back in my chair and type if I so choose.
- Laptop – The entire system is run by my laptop, which you can just barely see, tucked away under the desk (2 blue lights in the picture above). The area, a slide out drawer for the keyboard, is the hub of the system and still allows plenty of air flow (gotta keep the laptop cool) and keeps all of those unsightly cables under the desk. This also means that I can easily reach my laptop at any time and disconnect for travel. When I come back, all of the necessary connections are waiting on me, held in place by CableDrops from BlueLounge.
- Printer/Scanner (not shown) – Since I don’t have to stare at it on a regular basis, neither should you. My printer/scanner (a Lexmark x4650) could be located in another room or anywhere I choose (within range), since it is connected via Wi-Fi. As an added bonus, any computer in the house can connect to it as well.
- Butt Station – See the little guy in orange. That is my pen holder, tape dispenser and paper clip holder. He was a gift and adds a little comedy to the desk. The best part is lifting him up to get paper clips from under his bum! Great stuff!
Butt Station (available on Amazon.com)
If I learned one thing from this project, it is that I own a lot of gadgets made by Belkin. (just kidding, although it’s pretty funny how that worked out). I learned that with a little effort and a lot of help from the internet, organizing a workspace can be fun and VERY rewarding. Now, if I can just get to the rest of the house.
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Tags: Belkin, BlueLounge, CableDrops, Cables, Clean, Monitor Mount, Monitors, organize, Peripherals, workspace
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