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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With any computer workspace there are a few standard hurdles to overcome.  Cables, monitors, speakers and peripherals are necessities, but take up valuable desk space and limit your “elbow room.”  Honestly, once you get all these things set up in the small bit of real estate that your office allows you, what room is there for actual work?  In most cases, the answer is as simple as a bigger desk or cubicle.  Unfortunately, due to space constraints and budgets, this easy answer is often impossible.  It is going to be up to you and a small amount of money to seize back your workspace and your sanity.

Here are some tips, broken out by category, for organizing and beautifying your work area:

• CPU – You might be using a tower or a laptop.  Either way, you would benefit from getting that hardware off your desk and leaving just a keyboard and mouse behind.  You’ll want to keep the CPU off of the ground (dust can harm the internal components) but out of sight.  Try an under desk CPU holder, like the one shown below.
• Monitors – Thank God for LCD monitors.  Long gone are the days of the “giant boxes” (CRT monitors) that  once took up the entire desk.  With any luck, you have dual monitors at this point.  Although they are slim and efficient, they still take up quite a bit of room and are often a little low for your line of sight.  Elevate your monitor(s) with a LCD Monitor Mount and completely remove the monitor footprint that now occupies your desk.  There are multiple companies that manufacture these and they are now much more affordable and easy to use.
  Note: I recently purchased a Dual LCD Monitor Mount (just like the one featured below in External Links) and I could not be happier with my purchase.
• Cables – There are few people in the world who have won this battle.  There is at least one cord for every element of your workspace (often more) and managing them is a constant battle.  Luckily, many desks are designed with pre-drilled holes for running those cables, but then what?  There are still cables on top and under your desk.  Google the words “cable management” and you will find hundreds of choices on organizing your wiring.  Choosing a type of cable management is determined by a few factors:
  • How often you travel – Will you be plugging and unplugging wires constantly?
  • How much time do you want to spend organizing in the first place?
  • How much you are willing to spend?
• Peripherals – In addition to all of the standard elements of a computer workspace, you most likely have things like printers, iPods, speakers, external hard drives, scanners, etc. occupying valuable space.  There are a number of ways you can deal with the clutter, but here are a couple of our favorites:
  • USB Hub – A simple USB hub can help with cable management by moving the clutter to another area.  Keep just one USB cable connected to your PC at a time.
  • Go Wireless – New wireless technologies emerge every day, but you can already get inexpensive wireless printers and speakers for your computer.  Less wires and the freedom to place these items in non-traditional spaces means more desk space.

If you have some time, venture over and take a look at this article from Lifehacker.com Most Popular Featured Workspaces of 2009.  Hopefully, some of these wonderful workstations will fuel you to tackle your current disaster area workspace.

External Links to Some of Our Favorite Products

Dual LCD Monitor Mount – This LCD Monitor Pole with Double-Link Swing Arm provides a secure and elevated position for two flat-screen monitors to help free up valuable desk and work space.  The picture does not do the product justice.  You will have your entire desk to use for work after elevating your LCD monitors.

See it Here

Price: $79.98

See it Here

Price: $12.00

Belkin Velcro Cable Ties

See it Here

Price: $3.99

Cable Drops from BlueLounge

See it Here

Price: $9.95 (for a set of 6)

Belkin Conceal Surge Protector

See it Here

Price: $32.95

See it Here

Price: $34.99

Under Desk Mount – CPU Holder

See it Here

Price: $31.49