Guide to a Minimalist yet Cosy Home Office Setup: Part 12 – Final Words

I covered quite a lot of ground for all the things that I have gleaned from from hours of watching videos and reading articles on how to achieve that cozy vibe to make your work from home (or any home study) space the place you don’t want to leave.

But before you begin on any of this, here are my final words and a summary of everything.

Psst! If you have missed the first of the series, I fell down a literal rabbit hole a month ago, and am gathering all my insights into multiple part posts, with examples and actual product links, plus my take on them.

• Series: Cosy + Minimalist Aesthetic Desk Setups

I will give you what I see repeatedly pop up over and over again and what has endured through their hundreds of videos. I sometimes see paid partnerships or sponsorships from brands for certain things, but by the next video it is gone.

So I am also looking out for longevity in choice. I will also note afterwards, what I personally use / do and why.

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Settle on the Vibe

Before you just start buying everything, take some time to ask yourself what you want the vibe to be. Is it super minimal and white + beige + pink? Is it deep, dark and moody with dark woods and black? Is it lush and jungle-like?

I would highly recommend asking yourself how you want to feel in the space (in a forest? a tree? somewhere calm and serene?)… before you start.

With that vibe or theme in mind (you can always change your mind), you can see through all the items that catch your eye but don’t quite fit in the space.

For instance – I love really cute things. I love the idea of miniature, adorable knickknacks all over the place, but I know in the long run I will get bored of it, or not feel like it is “me” in the space.

So I step back, and admire it from afar, maybe even put it as a wallpaper desktop or something less permanent or expensive, and stick to my own personal ‘vibe’ of what I want my setup to be.

BUILD THE TECHNICAL foundation

After you have settled on a vibe, you can now start assessing the technical needs of your workspace.

Do you need one monitor? No monitors? Two of them, and one portrait style? How many computers are we talking about?

Would a mouse be helpful or are you a trackpad person?

Would you use only your laptop and move around the house because you are always on the go?

All of this will dictate what you can do to your space. If you don’t have monitors, you will obviously not need monitor lights, or a large space.

Maybe you want something super minimal with a drawer so you can put the laptop away and use the space for something else.

Buy things slowly

Again, don’t rush into things. There are so many options out there – I showed you in this Cosy + Minimalist Aesthetic Desk Setups Series just how many things you can buy. Make sure you are buying something you will keep and will last.

Take your time, don’t rush, and wait for a sale (or find it secondhand!)

Ask if it is necessary

I see a lot of things. I almost want it all. A desk mat? YES. A mousepad? YES.

In fact, I probably don’t need any of these things because my mouse works perfectly fine on the surface of my desks (for now) without a mouse pad. So I can skip the unnecessary purchases and go for something else that is essential like a monitor stand that is aesthetically pleasing.

This also means that the less things I buy, the more money I can put towards these fewer pieces. I can decide to buy something totally custom because I saved the money elsewhere.

I am not saying to ONLY buy essentials and nothing else (what is decor for?) but if you are on a budget, be wise with your purchases.

Shop secondhand

I especially love this.

I try to find things on eBay, Poshmark (use referral code SHERRYISH for a credit), or in secondhand / thrift stores. It takes longer, yes… but you can find very unique pieces, antique items for a fraction of the price, or something more special than just clicking BUY online.

There are some things of course, you cannot find secondhand, and that would be paper goods for instance, but there are many decor items that don’t necessarily need to be purchased firsthand.

Checklist of items

And here is the final summary of everything I posted about:

1. Desk – Sitting or Standing
2. Lamps + Lighting
3. Cable Management
4. Keyboard + Mouse
5. Headphones + Holders + Accessories
6. Monitor Front Frame + Back + Arms + Risers + Laptop Frames Holders + Stands
7. Charging Stations / Docks + Portable Power Bank Chargers
8. Office Stationery: Productivity + Paper Goods
9. Standing Desk Movement + Clean + Reset
10. Clocks + Productivity Timers + Chairs
11. Deskpads + Final Decor + Ambience

Enjoy your new space!