But if your setup isn’t a mahogany desk with a designer chair or a bright white space with a thoughtfully placed vase of peonies, you’re not alone!
A great thread started this month thanks to designer and developer Jules Forrest who encouraged people on Twitter to share some of their less-than-glam home setups. Many of the photos that follow are from her thread.
Sure, we’re happy for all the people who have a decent place to do their jobs. But it’s also a relief to know that plenty of other people understand what it’s like to prop up laptops on kitchen counters or set up their workspace in view of where their kids play.
The struggle is real – and these 75 photos prove that some of us are just doing what we can to make do until it’s safe to congregate again.
1. The original Tweet
Forrest started a long thread of home setups that proved most people don’t have the space to work at home (even though, yes, they’re lucky to be able to do it).
Her’s is a chair and a hamper near the front door.
2. Reduce, reuse, recycle
In return, this worker had to create a standing desk on top of his recycling bin.
But he has a nice view!
3. Adjustments
With just a stool, ironing board, and book to prop their laptop, this Twitter user managed to make some workable office space.
4. Co-working
Many of us are now coworkers with those in our homes and, let’s face it, some of them are real slackers. Others will just straight-up get in your way to prevent you from doing work.
But if you’re lucky, some will let you use them as a desk.
5. Wine at the ready
Nevertheless, they made due.
This person managed to create a workspace out of a folding chair and kitchen storage table.
The good news is she won’t have to get up to get a glass of wine!
6. Getting on the treadmill
We’re a little jealous of their ability to walk and do work at the same time. We can barely work and do work at the same time.
7. Dressed for success
Lots of people might sit in their beds. But if you’ve ever tried, you know a person’s back can only last so long like that.
8. Upside-down options
But if you don’t have enough of those lying around, consider turning some items over and using their flat bottoms as a desk.
Is the laundry basket desk posh? No. Will it get the job done in a pinch? You bet!
The flower pot is also a great idea.
9. Daystand
Kudos to this guy for getting dressed for work too – that makes it a lot less likely you’ll want to plop into bed and take a nap!
10. Dual-use
And if it’s cold, you can always turn on the dryer!
11. Mom’s house
Bonus points for parents who have plastic tablecloths around somewhere for after-work crumb clean-up!
12. Remote work
A thermos and a laptop are sometimes all you need for the new “nature break.”
13. Between the sheets
But hey, live out your dreams while you can. Then make the bed.
14. We’ve stooped to this
We’re all going to be appreating the great outdoors a lot more when this is over!
15. Patio meets office furniture
Lots of us are learning that while being tied to our desks in an office is no fun, it’s often better for our body alignment.
16. Hey, look at me
But don’t worry, they’ll give you the opportunity to try to do both.
17. Height matters
Who said you needed a real desk?
18. Nice, fresh office
Just make sure you can handle all the jostling!
19. Who’s more comfortable?
If you have a cat at home, you know that you need a dedicated space that they enjoy unless you want them on your lap, keyboard, open book, etc.
20. Barrel of fun
But wow, that’s a lot of screen!
21. Witnesses
This worker even managed to find a place for their cat beside – instead of on – them.
22. Guarding your territory
To be fair, they have no idea why you’re moving their furniture around.
23. Balancing act
And it looks like there’s enough clothing in there to keep it relatively stable.
Still, we might want to look around for some zip ties to keep the office from falling apart.
24. Making do
This looks like it requires kneeling – or at least typing with your arms up at shoulder level.
25. Cleaning regrets
If a space needs to become your office before you get a chance to organize it, things can get stressful.
26. Takeover
That means a lot of parents are working around a pile of toys right now.
And the kids can’t be happy about it either!
27. A new way to recycle
A regular desk can become a standing desk if you have a box of the right height.
28. It’s all about angles
The right angle is the difference between a head-on shot and a view of a double chin.
29. Play it again, Sam
At least this worker can play a little tune when they need a break.
30. Stable employment
Many of us are finding ways to make standing desks not only for exercise, but because we simply don’t have a comfortable enough chair to sit in for hours at a time.
31. Chairwoman
At least people are up on their feet!
32. Ironing out the plan
Some of these make us wish we hadn’t gotten rid of our ironing board – turns out it’s the perfect adjustable workspace!
33. Fair weather work
Just make sure to check the weather report first!
34. Detatched office
They can be a nice, quiet place to work – unless you’re faced with all the chores you should have done over the summer.
35. Table for one
The dining room table provides a great place to sit and work, even if it’s not the most elegant solution.
36. Harassment
Just be careful – because apparently sexual harrassment can happen at home as well.
37. Stack it up
Some of us are just doing it more dangerously.
38. Changes
All that kid furniture was worth the investment after all!
39. Distractions
Imagine trying to concentrate with those eyes begging for attention.
40. Musical chairs
But most of us just don’t have the right kind of space to suddenly turn our homes into offices and will just have to make do with some non-ideal arrangements.
41. Laptop lifestyle
They’d like you to keep that on the table, please.
42. What’s cookin’?
Just make sure you don’t forget what’s on the stove when you go to use it for its original purpose later!
43. Finding peace
If for no other reason than it’s harder to find us there when we need some peace.
44. Move your feet, lose your seat
Just remember that when you get up after a long stretch at a “desk,” you’ve left a nice, warm, inviting space for takeover.
Maybe standing desks ARE the answer.
45. Insomnia central
Unfortunately, that’s just not an option for most people right now.
46. Who needs a desk?
But who could have seen this coming?
47. Multipurpose room
You’ll just have to give up on good interior design for now.
48. Engineering a solution
Maybe we should start thinking about shallower and longer desks at work as well!
49. Clean and tidy
It looks like there’s going to be a lot of recycling going on in the near future.
50. Fun and games
Especially when you have to use your potential entertainment as a desk!
51. Hodge-podge
It certainly doesn’t have to be pretty.
52. All work and no play
Sometimes it can be stimulating – other times you just have to laugh at the absurdity.
53. Dinner is cancelled
Then again, some of us are so buried in work that we don’t have time to get out from behind our computers to eat anyway.
54. THAT co-worker
Prepare for that to be the case at home too, unless you live entirely alone.
55. Puzzle pieces
At least now we’re learning what we do and don’t need by our sides all day by having such limited space.
56. Little helpers
That just means a lot of us have to make the most of the new “Take Your Child To Work Days.”
57. Small and simple
But at home, the best you can hope for sometimes is a real desk (big or small) to prop up your laptop.
58. Booster seat
We just want to know what that thing is that looks like it’s holding up a bunch of fake donuts.
59. Child-proofing
Hide your keyboards and mouses and protect your monitors at all costs unless you want your toddler starting a Zoom meeting that starts when you step out of the shower.
60. Privacy violations
But we all know that pets are not covered by most legal documents.
They are, however, willing TO cover most legal documents.
61. Home lab
It’s always nice to add a little greenery when you can if you’re going to be starting into blue light all day.
62. No day at the beach
If you’ve only got a few feet to work with anyway, there are worse things to share it with than a pool noodle.
63. Tall people problems
Things could start to get a little wobbly after a while.
Maybe that’s what the “lab assistant” is for.
64. Fighting light with light
And perhaps now is the time to plan for some more eyeball breaks if you’re going to be exposed to so much light throughout the day.
65. Keep it simple
And even when it’s not, sometimes all you need is coffee to get you through the day.
66. Even the best laid plans…
The only issue we see here is the major distraction down in the corner.
67. Now with an extender!
But in the 21st century, it’s just space to hold more work.
68. The perfect height
Now we know what we can use those barbells for!
69. Breadwinner
If there was ever a time to repurpose the dining room table, it’s now.
70. Kitty collaborator
Don’t they know that you getting paid relates to them getting to eat?
71. Canine career strategist
But that doesn’t mean they make it easier to concentrate.
72. Happy hour
Is anyone else worried that day drinking might become a little too easy during all of this?
73. The new classroom
Just make sure to turn off your camera so your professor doesn’t see it – and your microphone too if you’re a snorer.
74. No room at the inn
It looks like there are going to be a lot of repurposed dressers over the next few months.
How long do you think it’ll take before you have to rummage through your socks to find your office supplies?
75. Cover for me
Perhaps that’s a sign that you needed a longer break.
We salute all those trying to get work done from home right now. It’s not easy or comfortable – but it is the safest option!
Just don’t feel bad if your home office isn’t necessarily Instagram-worthy.
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