What’s On My Desk? A Behind-the-Scenes Look at My Office

What does your ideal desk setup look like?

Your environment affects your mood and productivity.

I’ve found that I work best in a simple, clean environment with a lot of natural lighting.

When my desk is a mess, my mind feels cluttered.

So I have been working to set up my ideal desk.

Here’s what’s on my desk and the tools I use to get things done every day.

Desk: Gerton/Finnvard

This IKEA desk was a great deal.

I love the look and feel of it. The quality of the wood is surprising.

It’s a solid, good-sized desk.

The base is adjustable too. So if I wanted, I could convert it to a standing desk without too much hassle.

Computer: 2015 MacBook Air

My laptop and all the cords hide under the desk.

The desk has a great little shelf at the base that I use to set my extra stuff on.

When I want to work at my desk, I plug it in, and everything works. But I also have the flexibility to unplug, and take my work to a coffee shop, a meeting, or anywhere.

Monitor: HP 27er

As much as I love my laptop, I often work with multiple apps open at once and the 13” screen is enough real-estate for two apps, but not much more than that.

This monitor is affordable, and the 27″ screen saves my eyes from squinting and my back from hunching over a laptop all day.

Desk Pad: LOHOME Desk Pad

As someone who spends a lot of time typing, I found that that the hard surface made my forearms sore.

So I got this desk pad to keep stuff organized, and provide more comfort.

It doubles as a great mouse pad. It’s soft enough to be comfortable but firm enough to still be able to write on with a pen and paper.

Lamp: Casey Retro Table Lamp

Every desk needs a good lamp. This is one of my favorites.

The Edison bulb makes me feel creative—like the metaphorical lightbulb over a person’s head when they have an idea.

Fan: Holmes Metal Table Fan

I live in Arizona. It’s hot!

I’m talking 120-plus degrees, fry an egg on the sidewalk hot.

Sometimes the AC in my office isn’t enough. So this big desk fan I have looks nice, but most importantly, keeps me cool.

I also find the white noise calming after a while.

External Hard Drive: Seagate Expansion 2TB

The standard hard drive on a MacBook Air doesn’t have much storage.

I need more space for backing up my work and storing video files.

This 2TB hard drive works like a charm and like my laptop, I can pack it up and take it with me anywhere I go.

Mouse: Apple Wireless Mouse

As you can see, I’m an Apple fanboy.

I use their mouse because it works well with my MacBook.

Keyboard: Apple Wireless Keyboard

This is an older Bluetooth keyboard that I’ve had for a while now.

It does the job, and I can also use it with my iPad or phone if I want.

You may want to look into the newer model with the rechargeable battery (and the same advice applies to my mouse).

Headphones: Apple AirPods

My wife got me these for my birthday and they are my new favorite gadget.

They work amazingly well, sync seamlessly with all my apple devices, and I no longer have to worry about cords.

They’re great for hands-free phone calls, listening to music and podcasts when I run in the morning, and also when I want to tune out the world while working at my desk or in a coffee shop.

White Boards: Kludd Noticeboard

I need a place to hash out all my ideas.

These whiteboards are the best. They look modern and clean.

I keep a little bucket of markers at my desk for any time inspiration strikes, or I need to do some brainstorming.

Shelf: Threshold Wood Floating Shelf

You can’t see it in the picture, but I have a simple floating bookshelf above my desk.

On the shelf, I keep some Bibles and, of course, my copies of Preaching Nuts & Bolts and Preach and Deliver.

All my other books are digital. I read all my books on Kindle, and my commentaries and biblical research library are all on Logos.

Chair: Kullaberg Swivel Chair

This chair fits the look I wanted for the office.

It’s sturdy, adjustable, and just what I need.

If you want a really comfortable chair, look somewhere else. I like this one because it’s not so comfortable that I want to sit on it all day.

I want to get up and walk more.

What’s on Your Desk?

So that’s my desk.

It used to be a cluttered mess, but since I’ve gone digital with all of my files, and limit myself to only the tools I need, it’s gotten a lot better.

Now, I feel refreshed and more energized when I sit down to work.

But I’m curious, what does your desk look like?

Everyone works different. Some keep it clean, and others prefer the creative clutter.

What do you use to get the job done?