Working in a spare-bedroom office? The space-saving gear you need to turn your London flat into a real workspace
Compact picks that work hard
While there has been a bit of a “return to the office” push in the last year or so, most of us are still splitting our work between our homes and the office. And, in many cases, that means a pokey London flat that was never designed for work in the first place. It’s not ideal.
So, whether you’re working from a desk that you need to fold away at the end of the day or trying to make the most of a small space, I’ve got some tips on the products and habits you’ll need that’ll make a big difference to your comfort.
Firstly, though, it’s worth dwelling on just why this is all so important.
“People often ignore the early warning signs, which present as aches and discomfort,” Graham Ashton, Ergonomist at Posturite, told me.
“If ignored, these can progress into persistent musculoskeletal pain, nerve irritation – like tingling in fingers – chronic fatigue and reduced concentration.”
If you don’t yet have back pain or RSI, now’s the time to make sure you don’t get it. Make sure you’re keeping an eye out for any neck and shoulder pain – as a result of looking down at a laptop – lower back discomfort (from a lack of lumbar support), wrist or forearm pain, eye strain, fatigue or headaches.
For elevating your posture
Working while hunched over can lead to pain quite quickly, and while there’s no such thing as perfect posture, staying static and reinforcing an uncomfortable sitting position can leave you hurting.
“If you’re working from a dining table or kitchen island, the goal is neutral posture with minimal kit,” Ashton said.
“My non-negotiables are a laptop riser, so the screen can be set to eye level to avoid neck flexion, and a separate keyboard and mouse… essential once the screen is elevated, otherwise you trade neck strain for shoulder/wrist strain – the key is function over furniture as its about creating alignment, not a perfect office.”
So, to recap: at the very least, you need to elevate your screen to your eye level (with a quality laptop stand or monitor) and get a portable keyboard and mouse.
My all-time favourite laptop stand is the Nexstand K2 (£24.99). It’s light, adjustable and collapses flat for travel. Hybrid workers will love it. If you need something weightier and destined to stay at home, though, I would pick the Twelve South Curve Flex (£79.99) instead. It also has a variety of heights and a very robust base that feels secure.
For typing and clicking
I’m big on accessories that won’t take up loads of space in your bag, so you can bring an ergonomic desk setup with you wherever you go. My mouse of choice would be the Logitech MX Anywhere 3S (£65), which is tiny and excellent, but you can save a little cash by going for the Logitech Pop Mouse (£24.99), which is even lighter, albeit less premium.
When it comes to light keyboards, little has impressed me more than the portable Keychron B1 Pro (£45.99); it’s slim, affordable and has months-long battery life. If the lack of backlighting is a dealbreaker for you, though, Logitech’s MX Keys Mini (£79.99) is a worthy, if pricey, alternative.
I asked Ashton about whether there were any potential pitfalls with small devices, and he mentioned that there could be.
“Compact devices can be helpful in tight spaces and easy to store, but they become problematic when they create poor working postures,” Ashton said.
“Those who use the numbers frequently can find separate number pads to maintain productivity. A general rule of thumb would be that ‘compact’ is fine, however ‘cramped’ is not.”
For charging and connecting
If you’re working with a small desk space, maximising that space is essential. These days, you can charge multiple devices with a single adapter, and as a charging nerd, I of course have a favourite plug. I’d opt for Anker’s Prime 160W charger with three USB-C slots (£129.99). It’ll charge three devices – like a MacBook Pro, iPad and iPhone – at top speed, and tell you how fast it’s going with its screen. Overkill for a charger? Sure. But it’s excellent.
I’d also suggest connecting everything to a dock or USB-C hub. A basic USB-C hub should only set you back a tenner or so, but I’ve been highly impressed by the Anker 13-in-1 Docking Station (£129.99), as it handles every essential connection and has a tiny detachable hub for use on the go. Once again, pricey, but worth it.
For spreadsheets and YouTube
Unless you’re using a screen for gaming, you really don’t need to overspend on your monitor. 27 inches is the ideal size, and the BenQ GW2790E (£99.99) offers everything you need at a sensible price, while having features that reduce eye strain and an anti-reflective finish. I bought this monitor myself, and got around the lack of height adjustment by mounting it on the surprisingly great Amazon Basics Monitor Arm (£22.93).
If you do need to step up to a smarter monitor for productivity, pick the HP E27m G4 (£307.47), which has a built-in webcam, speakers and height adjustment.
For taking calls
Taking calls in a room where you’re constantly hearing the outside world or dealing with loud flatmates? Invest in the Jabra Evolve3 85s (£449). They’re the most impressive work headset that I’ve ever tried, and I love that they now come without the unsightly boom mic that makes them look like a headset.
I’ve taken calls on these in the middle of Oxford Street, with the radio playing at home and in the middle of Pret. Every time, the person on the other end said they heard my voice clearly and, on my end, powerful noise-cancelling kept my environment from distracting me.
Prefer earbuds? I’ve had great experiences making calls using the AirPods Pro 3 (£189) in the middle of busy Canary Wharf, and I haven’t been let down by Bose’s second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (£249) either.
For a high-quality dedicated webcam, I’d go with the Logitech MX Brio (£140.91), which makes it much easier for others to see you on calls, even in a darker room.
For comfort and cleanliness
The furniture can be the part that matters most.
If you’re genuinely so short on space that you can’t have a permanent desk, look for a fold-flat desk that you can store behind a door when not in use. If you have space for a desk, try to get one that you can raise up and down, allowing you to stand while working – the KOJI from Posturite (£599.94) is impressively compact.
Want to sit comfortably? The £681 Herman Miller Sayl is hardly cheap, but it may make sense as a long-term investment and as a way to avoid physio bills. Plus, it has a ridiculous 12-year warranty.
Keeping your desk tidy isn’t essential, but it helps! I’d recommend picking up some of Harber London’s excellent leather or felt desk mats, laptop pads or mouse pads. This can be the investment that makes a small corner of your home actually feel like a proper workspace.
Lastly, while it may seem a small thing, Dyson’s Pencil Vac (£429.99) is genuinely useful for keeping a tidy office without hauling out your big hoover. It’s the world's slimmest vacuum and smart, too, cleaning into edges, illuminating your space and running for 30 minutes of cleaning. Surprisingly fun to use (Editor Gerald Lynch swears by it), and one that may end up feeling essential pretty quickly.
Working smarter, not harder
Overall, though, the most important thing to take away from this piece is that you should never just “make do” with a poor setup and hunching over a laptop all day.
“So many people accept the poor working position of just opening a laptop,” Ashton said when I asked about the one biggest mistake we’re making.
“Taking that one minute to set up a laptop stand, keyboard and mouse is so effective in reducing the risk of developing aches and pains.”
It won’t surprise you that it’s important to stretch to avoid getting hurt, too. Ashton recommends you try to move around, and you don’t need loads of space! Aim to “reset” your posture every 20 to 30 minutes, try shoulder rolls, neck rotations, ankle pumps and sit-to-stand transitions (even without a standing desk). And, of course, get up and have a little walk. Use this to justify getting up on your feet and making your much-needed cup of tea.
Skip the search — follow Shortlist on Google News to get our best lists, news, features and reviews at the top of your feeds!
