I loved this Maddie! Thanks for bringing us into your space. I love how your mom is with you within it. And absolutely YES to the necessity of staring off ‘into the middle distance’. I didn’t consciously realize I did this until you just labeled it so clearly. ❤️
I love the mini house tour! Your couch story reminds me of how the delivery people had to take the front door of my apartment off in order to get the couch into the apartment. And then when I moved…the movers tossed it over the (first floor!) balcony onto the moving truck, which was incredibly terrifying. I couldn’t watch, but my dad did for some reason.
I have an adjustable desk, a 34” wide monitor, a keyboard tray with a split Kinesis freestyle keyboard, a cheap mouse, and a Herman Miller Sayl chair. I do have a laptop even though I hate them, which is nice for portability at times. I also sometimes work from the recliner chair in my office with a light blanket. I keep an insulated growler of water in my office so I don’t have to go downstairs to get a refill. And of course, there is a dog bed by the window 😉
Jamie, I cannot express how wildly stressed I would've been in your shoes. Throwing! A! Couch! Off! A! Balcony!! 🫣
I love picturing your office, which sounds rather ideal. The Sayl chair is so comfy...and FWIW, my boyfriend is obsessed with the split keyboard, too! Super important that Frankie is an office staple. 🥰
Hi Maddie! I'm a new reader of yours but thoroughly enjoying the posts I've read so far.
I loved this office tour! It's so fun to get a peek inside the spaces people create in. Those crossword prints are so unique and special! I am also very eagerly awaiting your Remarkable tablet review as I've had my eye on one for a while now but am not sure if it'd be a really expensive shiny object that I use for a short time but never fully integrate into the way I actually work 😅 Somehow it feels like it could be a game-changer...
I have a sweet little sunroom attached to my apartment living room that I call my office and crafting space. I, too, upgraded to that Branch chair back in 2020! Though, admittedly, I pretty much exclusively write from the couch or a coffee shop and only use that chair and my desk for meetings and sewing. I think when I'm writing or doing deep work, I like a space that's comfortable, free from clutter and distractions (though coffee shop ambiance is very welcome), and for whatever reason, set apart from a "fixed" spot.
But no matter where I work, I love natural light, a just-right instrumental playlist, a big glass of water, and an inspiring aesthetic and environment around me.
Marissa, it's such a pleasure to meet you—and to get an introduction to your amazing writing! Thanks for painting such a beautiful picture of your sunroom workspace. Couldn't agree more on the importance of natural light...I only wish I had more of it. ☀️
I could go on and on about the reMarkable; I love it! But I've also purchased "expensive shiny objects" that didn't live up to their promises, so I understand that danger. One of the reasons it's worked so well is that it *wasn't* a solution in search of a problem for me, but rather a genuine solution for an actual problem I had. (I hated brainstorming at my computer and would've preferred to do it longhand, but notebooks didn't fit into my digital workflow.)
Love this, Maddie. And am super jealous. I had an office corner in the living room of my old home (file cabinet and everything...even a 2-line, landline, LOL), but now, in my teeny-tiny place, I have a c-stand laptop table. It has a manual standing desk situation (that I really haven't used since lockdown), but my sleeper sofa is so "tall", it raises my laptop to a perfect seated position when it's in the "down" position. I have my podcasting mic on its arm screwed into one corner of that tiny table, and dozens of Post-It jots peppered on the left side. It's nowhere near as stylish or comfy, but it's gets the job done. Sort of. LOL. And I love both the art and the story behind it. And how much of your family surrounds you. xo
I'm having such a delightful time visualizing your home office setup right now—the LANDLINE of it all!
FWIW, I also remain wildly inspired by the "mobile" version of your home office that you shared once—with the portable keyboard you use to write on when you're away from home. Such a hot tip!
LOL. I still have the landline phone...only one line to it now. I refuse to give it up. Or the fax function of my printer (and, yes, I've had friends come over to fax). And I'm telling you, that $40 foldable keyboard is gold. Who needs an iPad when you have that and an iPhone? (No one as cheap as me, LOL.) xo
Same—I'll read any desk/office/house tour I can get my hands on! Love that you have multiple lamps (lighting is so important) and motivational quotes around you. If you're open to sharing, I'd love to hear one of your favorites.
As to your question: my desk is so small that I tend to avoid piling extra stuff on it, so there's not usually much need to reset things at the end of the day. But when there is, I do...and FWIW, I *also* work from the couch more than I'd like admit! 😂
Thanks for a fantastic tour! I’m at the start of renovating my office and it gave me a few ideas. I originally had a desktop Mac, then changed to a laptop, but now, after seeing your desktop it might be wiser and far more comfortable to return to desktop again.
Thanks so much, Erin—this means a lot! 🤗 If nothing else, I'd go back in time and get myself a big monitor for the laptop. But now that I've got an iMac, I'm in love with the tiny footprint!
If you end up sharing photos of your before + after, I'll be super curious to see them. How exciting to be at the beginning of such a big overhaul...I'm sure it'll be a lot of work, but also supremely worth it!
Ah! This was so fun, Maddie! I love that you included things from your mom. It is always so fascinating to see someone's work space. To see how we work so differently in different environments. Also LOVE that you use your desk from your childhood bedroom. I've always believed pieces from our childhood that are in our spaces today are imbued with magic. ✨
And THANK YOU for those links! Def going to get the footrest for my office 😍 I've also been eyeing walking treadmills for my work from home job. I'm all for getting extra steps in!
The standing desks and proper desk chairs are life changers. I recently got a Herman Miller chair and I can't believe I lived without it for so long. (Shout out to FB market place. Like new $980 chair for $150). I have two separate work spaces. One is an entire room that I keep as my office for my job that pays the bills. That is where the standing desk is kept, the double monitors, etc. I wanted/needed separate spaces because when I write I need more romance and inspiration. Where I write is in our primary bedroom. Big romantic desk, bookshelves, laptop that can be moved easily (I move it when I'm writing in my notebook), shelving above desk with plants, muses, statues of saints, deities, and a picture of naked Prince (the ultimate muse) that watches over it all. In my desk drawer holds journals, fountain pens, spell candles, matches, and other fun magic trinkets. It is still a work in progress but I think I'll do a writing desk tour soon-ish. ❤️🔥
I'm truly waiting with bated breath for your writing desk tour, because (unsurprisingly) it sounds wildly magical. I can't decide if my favorite detail is the picture of naked Prince, or the fact that you've created separate spaces for your creative work and your pays-the-bills work...that's such an inspired decision!
On a more practical note, I've sat in a Herman Miller chair once and it felt like a cloud...nice job snagging it on FB Marketplace. (And please do let me know if the footrest is, in fact, a game-changer.)
Obviously I love this post so much! You have given me much inspiration throughout the past few years with regards to my own desk setup - I have wireless accessories, a mat and walking pad for my standing desk, and a water bottle with a straw! I will add two of my own desk necessities: a light therapy lamp for the winter months and a nice candle! (usually an Edgewater candle, obvi)
I’m curious to know: what’s the desk setup that allows you to do your best work?
I loved this Maddie! Thanks for bringing us into your space. I love how your mom is with you within it. And absolutely YES to the necessity of staring off ‘into the middle distance’. I didn’t consciously realize I did this until you just labeled it so clearly. ❤️
I adored the kitchen table view you shared in your latest newsletter, Sue! Absolutely perfect for middle-distance staring. 😍
Lovely space, it oozes productivity and creativity.
This means a lot, Jon—thank you so much!
I love the mini house tour! Your couch story reminds me of how the delivery people had to take the front door of my apartment off in order to get the couch into the apartment. And then when I moved…the movers tossed it over the (first floor!) balcony onto the moving truck, which was incredibly terrifying. I couldn’t watch, but my dad did for some reason.
I have an adjustable desk, a 34” wide monitor, a keyboard tray with a split Kinesis freestyle keyboard, a cheap mouse, and a Herman Miller Sayl chair. I do have a laptop even though I hate them, which is nice for portability at times. I also sometimes work from the recliner chair in my office with a light blanket. I keep an insulated growler of water in my office so I don’t have to go downstairs to get a refill. And of course, there is a dog bed by the window 😉
Jamie, I cannot express how wildly stressed I would've been in your shoes. Throwing! A! Couch! Off! A! Balcony!! 🫣
I love picturing your office, which sounds rather ideal. The Sayl chair is so comfy...and FWIW, my boyfriend is obsessed with the split keyboard, too! Super important that Frankie is an office staple. 🥰
Thank you so much for this very valuable and inspirational post! Grateful to you for sharing your beautiful space!
It means the world to hear that you enjoyed it, Grace! Thank you 🥹
So much fun to see this, and useful too!
Speaking of fun, I've been obsessed with your cherry blossom photos lately. I'm so glad you enjoyed this, Jeffrey!
Thank you, Maddie! 😊
Gorgeous space.
Charlie, I so appreciate hearing this! Thank you 🤗
Hi Maddie! I'm a new reader of yours but thoroughly enjoying the posts I've read so far.
I loved this office tour! It's so fun to get a peek inside the spaces people create in. Those crossword prints are so unique and special! I am also very eagerly awaiting your Remarkable tablet review as I've had my eye on one for a while now but am not sure if it'd be a really expensive shiny object that I use for a short time but never fully integrate into the way I actually work 😅 Somehow it feels like it could be a game-changer...
I have a sweet little sunroom attached to my apartment living room that I call my office and crafting space. I, too, upgraded to that Branch chair back in 2020! Though, admittedly, I pretty much exclusively write from the couch or a coffee shop and only use that chair and my desk for meetings and sewing. I think when I'm writing or doing deep work, I like a space that's comfortable, free from clutter and distractions (though coffee shop ambiance is very welcome), and for whatever reason, set apart from a "fixed" spot.
But no matter where I work, I love natural light, a just-right instrumental playlist, a big glass of water, and an inspiring aesthetic and environment around me.
Marissa, it's such a pleasure to meet you—and to get an introduction to your amazing writing! Thanks for painting such a beautiful picture of your sunroom workspace. Couldn't agree more on the importance of natural light...I only wish I had more of it. ☀️
I could go on and on about the reMarkable; I love it! But I've also purchased "expensive shiny objects" that didn't live up to their promises, so I understand that danger. One of the reasons it's worked so well is that it *wasn't* a solution in search of a problem for me, but rather a genuine solution for an actual problem I had. (I hated brainstorming at my computer and would've preferred to do it longhand, but notebooks didn't fit into my digital workflow.)
Hope that's helpful food for thought!
Love this, Maddie. And am super jealous. I had an office corner in the living room of my old home (file cabinet and everything...even a 2-line, landline, LOL), but now, in my teeny-tiny place, I have a c-stand laptop table. It has a manual standing desk situation (that I really haven't used since lockdown), but my sleeper sofa is so "tall", it raises my laptop to a perfect seated position when it's in the "down" position. I have my podcasting mic on its arm screwed into one corner of that tiny table, and dozens of Post-It jots peppered on the left side. It's nowhere near as stylish or comfy, but it's gets the job done. Sort of. LOL. And I love both the art and the story behind it. And how much of your family surrounds you. xo
I'm having such a delightful time visualizing your home office setup right now—the LANDLINE of it all!
FWIW, I also remain wildly inspired by the "mobile" version of your home office that you shared once—with the portable keyboard you use to write on when you're away from home. Such a hot tip!
LOL. I still have the landline phone...only one line to it now. I refuse to give it up. Or the fax function of my printer (and, yes, I've had friends come over to fax). And I'm telling you, that $40 foldable keyboard is gold. Who needs an iPad when you have that and an iPhone? (No one as cheap as me, LOL.) xo
Whenever I see a landline in an old movie, I feel the tug of nostalgia on my heartstrings. And I love that your friends come over to fax! 😅
xo https://nymag.com/strategist/article/native-union-pop-phone-retro-handset-review.html
Every day I look out onto the woods in my backyards. It's a haven of peace for my cluttered mind. Today we were visited by a turkey!
I'm so jealous of your view...and your wild turkey visitor! 🥹
He usually walks around in circles, eats a few pieces of grass, then carries on to the next yard.
What a delightful creature!
Sure is!
I'm weirdly obsessed with these kinds of posts - I love seeing what other people's set up is!
Yours looks very neat and calming.... do you reset your desk at the end of each day?
I've got a corner desk, with a laptop on a laptop stand and a second monitor, and 2 lamps that give good, soft "backlight".
It's a big desk in my spare room - with a couple of motivational quotes stuck on either side
Not aesthetically pleasing - but does the job!
But when I'm tired of sitting at the desk I just unplug and throw myself on the couch lol
Same—I'll read any desk/office/house tour I can get my hands on! Love that you have multiple lamps (lighting is so important) and motivational quotes around you. If you're open to sharing, I'd love to hear one of your favorites.
As to your question: my desk is so small that I tend to avoid piling extra stuff on it, so there's not usually much need to reset things at the end of the day. But when there is, I do...and FWIW, I *also* work from the couch more than I'd like admit! 😂
Hahah nice to hear.
Well one of the "quotes" is: "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast"... which is the permanent resident
And the other one is usually on rotation - currently it's actually the poem "Invictus"
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast" is a favorite of mine, too! Great picks 🤩
Thanks for a fantastic tour! I’m at the start of renovating my office and it gave me a few ideas. I originally had a desktop Mac, then changed to a laptop, but now, after seeing your desktop it might be wiser and far more comfortable to return to desktop again.
Thanks so much, Erin—this means a lot! 🤗 If nothing else, I'd go back in time and get myself a big monitor for the laptop. But now that I've got an iMac, I'm in love with the tiny footprint!
If you end up sharing photos of your before + after, I'll be super curious to see them. How exciting to be at the beginning of such a big overhaul...I'm sure it'll be a lot of work, but also supremely worth it!
Yes! That’s *another* idea, adding a monitor to my laptop. (Clearly, I am far more familiar with the stone and chisel technology.) 🙃
I’m planning on writing about my renovations … including why it’s taking me three years to update a 700 square foot condo. 😅
I'm totally interested in reading that one...! 👀
Also...WE NEED PROOF OF LIFE FOR WALLY.
I just left you some on Substack Notes because I have been astonishingly delinquent in this area!
Ah! This was so fun, Maddie! I love that you included things from your mom. It is always so fascinating to see someone's work space. To see how we work so differently in different environments. Also LOVE that you use your desk from your childhood bedroom. I've always believed pieces from our childhood that are in our spaces today are imbued with magic. ✨
And THANK YOU for those links! Def going to get the footrest for my office 😍 I've also been eyeing walking treadmills for my work from home job. I'm all for getting extra steps in!
The standing desks and proper desk chairs are life changers. I recently got a Herman Miller chair and I can't believe I lived without it for so long. (Shout out to FB market place. Like new $980 chair for $150). I have two separate work spaces. One is an entire room that I keep as my office for my job that pays the bills. That is where the standing desk is kept, the double monitors, etc. I wanted/needed separate spaces because when I write I need more romance and inspiration. Where I write is in our primary bedroom. Big romantic desk, bookshelves, laptop that can be moved easily (I move it when I'm writing in my notebook), shelving above desk with plants, muses, statues of saints, deities, and a picture of naked Prince (the ultimate muse) that watches over it all. In my desk drawer holds journals, fountain pens, spell candles, matches, and other fun magic trinkets. It is still a work in progress but I think I'll do a writing desk tour soon-ish. ❤️🔥
I'm truly waiting with bated breath for your writing desk tour, because (unsurprisingly) it sounds wildly magical. I can't decide if my favorite detail is the picture of naked Prince, or the fact that you've created separate spaces for your creative work and your pays-the-bills work...that's such an inspired decision!
On a more practical note, I've sat in a Herman Miller chair once and it felt like a cloud...nice job snagging it on FB Marketplace. (And please do let me know if the footrest is, in fact, a game-changer.)
cats and ergonomic chairs are a must! good one!
Agreed: couldn't do without either of 'em. Thanks, Barb! 🤗
Obviously I love this post so much! You have given me much inspiration throughout the past few years with regards to my own desk setup - I have wireless accessories, a mat and walking pad for my standing desk, and a water bottle with a straw! I will add two of my own desk necessities: a light therapy lamp for the winter months and a nice candle! (usually an Edgewater candle, obvi)
Trading home office setup photos with you is one of the only things that got me through those dark pandemic WFH years, my friend.
I can't believe I didn't include my custom Edgewater candle that we co-created with Mark...missed opportunities!