Three Stand-up Desks

My first stand-up desk used the tops of three mid-sized bookcases

A year ago April, I formed my first stand-up desk. It was the week after a spring break trip where we did a ton of walking, and I felt ten years younger. The next week, I spent at least 35 hours sitting in meetings or at my desk, and I felt forty years older. About that same time the New York Times ran an article about the health dangers of sitting, and I surveyed the research and mustered up the courage to try a stand-up desk.

Desk #1: "L Formation" Bookcases

My first stand-up desk was made of three mid-sized bookcases that I pushed together into an L-formation. I loved it immediately! The bookcases were bought years ago by the previous occupant of the office, but by a stroke of luck they were a good height for me. I wrote about it at the time in one of the most popular posts in the P.O.P. series.

Desk #2: The "Bookcase Convertible" 

Two bookcases, one against the other, with the top off the front one

A few months later, I was onto a one-year position in another office. This office had more furniture than I needed, which allowed me to get creative and stack two bookcases back to back. I popped the top of the front one off to create a place for the keyboard, which I rose unceremoniously on a stack of books to achieve a comfortable height. The computer went below, on a small $10 table I bought from Ikea, the only money I have spent on a stand-up desk project.

Desk #3: "Raised Table"

Basically a board across two three-drawer file cabinets

Today was my first day in my new office after concluding the one-year assignment. I've made a personal challenge of finding functional, attractive, cost neutral solutions to "building" stand-up desks. Without any tall bookcases to work with, this time it was a computer table that was made for the previous occupant of this office, who was friendly with our organization's carpenters. It's really just a long board with ends and trim fit to accommodate file cabinets beneath. The original configuration had a two-drawer file cabinet beneath. I located two three-drawer file cabinets that weren't being used and I was back in business. I may decide to raise the keyboard somehow, although I don't have the guts to use this cool method.

Perhaps one of these solutions will inspire you to try standing. Besides the health benefits, you'll feel just feel a little more active and engaged in life. At least that's how I feel. I'm hoping that I don't have to move again for a long time, but it's been fun playing furniture Tetris to figure out three great stand-up desks!