If you work at a desk, you probably already know that the things on that desk can have a big impact on how you feel at work- after all, you’re looking at them every day, right? The cleanliness of your desk and the types of items you keep on it also say a lot about your personality.

Before I talk about my #MyDeskStory, I thought I would mention how important the right furniture is. If you sit down all day, you need to look after your body. I like a nice big desk so I can sprawl out, but it’s also super important to have a comfortable, adjustable office chair. You can get some office furniture from Furniture at Work, and I definitely recommend taking your time if you work from home, since you’ll spend so much time at that desk.

Since I work from home, I have more leeway with what I can keep in my desk (sweet, sweet freelance freedom). I remember when I worked in an office that I would constantly be told to clean my desk, however, I don’t seem to have a problem keeping it relatively clutter-free now that I work for myself.

On my desk, you’ll find a laptop stand which raises my laptop to eye level. I get a sore back when I’m constantly hunched over and staring at my screen, so I prefer to use a stand with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Since I usually take my laptop out and work in a coffee shop at least a few times a week, I haven’t found it worth getting an actual desktop computer yet- but this may change down the line.

Since I talk to clients regularly, I also keep a notebook and pen close by. This allows me to jot down notes in my terrible handwriting, and I can then go back and refer to them when I’m working on a project.

I also have a few photos I got from Thailand. These are block photos and stackable, and they’re lovely- black and white and the subjects are kids and an old man.

Last year in Venice I bought a beautiful glass flower. This also sits on my desk and adds some color to brighten things up. I’ve also recently plugged in a gorgeous multi-colored glass lamp which I bought in Bosnia, and it was definitely worth hauling it around Europe before I returned home.