Office Mod: Update Your Workspace in 5 Simple Steps

Okay, so maybe a bright, spacious, and aesthetically perfect minimalist office isn’t in the cards for you. But while you dream, why not make the most of what you have? Whether you’re working in a cubicle or from a spare room in your home, you can perk up your office décor and pare down the desktop clutter with a few organizational strategies and innovative products. Maybe mod isn’t so out of reach after all.


1.Take your USB connection from drab to fab. If you’ve always thought that USB hubs are nothing special to look at, we’ve got a little something up our sleeve that is bound to make you say hubba-hubba. The LaCie USB and FireWire Hub is sleek, futuristic, and downright sculptural – the kind of thing you’d expect to see a in a modern art gallery instead of on a desktop. And it’s not just easy on the eyes… with the capacity to connect up to 6 peripherals at a time, it might just help you get a few things done.

2. Let your computer cables make a grand entrance. It’s a part of your workspace that you probably don’t often think about, but the cable penetration point in your desktop can always benefit from some snazzing-up. There’s nothing wrong with standard black grommets per se, but they can be so, well… basic. On the other hand, our Tango Designer Desk Grommets – with their satin chrome finish, low profile, and unique elliptical shape – have a way of adding streamlined elegance and a modern edge to just about any desktop landscape.

3. Make your iPod® feel at home. MP3 players aren’t just for play anymore – they’ve become our constant companions at work, too. But when it comes to syncing and charging iPods at the office, who really wants an extra USB cable snaking up from their PC and across their desk? Keep the tunes but ditch the clutter with Belkin’s In-Desk iPod® Dock. This grommet-style docking station fits virtually flush into your desktop, giving you a place to keep your iPod® docked during the workday, and allowing you to sync without a visible USB cord (the cord stays under the desk, connecting to the dock from below). Having a designated safe spot prevents your iPod® from being damaged, and lends an extra organized and “now” feel to your workspace.

4. Give your laptop a lift. If the majority of your work is accomplished on a laptop computer instead of a desktop PC, one of the best updates you can make to your work environment is a laptop-oriented desk organizer, like the SpaceStation Laptop Docking Station by BlueLounge. This nifty desktop fixture sets your laptop at an ergonomic position to reduce wrist stress, promotes airflow under and around the computer, manages cables, provides connectivity for up to 4 USB devices, and even has a page holder. It’s the ultimate tech-savvy multi-tasker, disguised in a sleek and modernistic package.

5. Cut the cord to your desktop peripherals. That is, opt for a wireless mouse and keyboard instead. Logitech’s LX 310 Cordless Desktop set has all the all the functionality of a standard mouse and keyboard, with the added benefits of an ergonomically refined key layout and mouse design, one-touch keyboard controls, and a clutter-free look that sets a new standard for office minimalism.