Desk space is a precious commodity in my home office. Every screen, keyboard, mouse, and external hard drive consumes valuable desktop real estate. I’m not a fan of clutter, but I do like having multiple systems running at the same time.
So, I started looking for ways to conserve desk space without missing out on the features I enjoy most in my computing equipment.
The search was exhausting, but I believe I found four products that have certainly helped me de-clutter my desktop. Let’s take a look at them!
UGREEN USB Switch Selector
Keyboards are perhaps the biggest space hogs on my desk. I’ve tried stacking them, tucking them under the desktop on top of a box, hiding them behind the monitors, and even buying those terrible multi-device bluetooth keyboards intended for tablets and phones.
Of all these methods, I’ve determined there’s no substitute for a KVM. However, I don’t necessarily want my USB devices (keyboards and mice) to be forever linked to a particular monitor. For this reason, I purchased the UGREEN USB Switch Selector.
It’s a simple black box with two USB 2.0 in ports, each connected to one of my PCs. On the other side, four USB 2.0 ports sit ready to connect peripherals such as webcams, keyboards, mice, and virtually anything else I want to share between two systems.
The device doesn’t require external power, but if you need it, there is a microUSB port enabling you to provide 5v of extra juice to your USB devices.
Now, if I want to switch my keyboard from one PC to the next, I just push a button and wait ~1 second for the OS to recognize the keyboard.
Anker USB C Hub Adapter
I use a MacBook Pro for work, and while I love dongles as much as the next person, I absolutely abhor having to use more than one to get the job done. Enter the Anker USB C Hub Adapter.
This little adapter gives you three USB 3.0, HDMI, and an ethernet port all in one tiny little dongle that plugs into a single USB-C port on the side of the MacBook.
The one thing it doesn’t do is offer pass-through charging via another USB-C connection, but that’s not a big deal to me. This one dongle is small, and thanks to its flexible 6″ cable, can be tucked behind the MacBook to remain virtually invisible.
Jarlink Vertical Double Desktop Stand
I’ve recently replaced much of my desktop tower compute with laptops. The current generation of laptops out there provides an extraordinary amount of computing power for the costs, and the added benefit of portability allows me to quickly move my work to the living room, dining room, or the back patio.
Vertical stands significantly reduce the amount of desk space used by a laptop, and they allow plenty of air exposure to aid in cooling. This double stand by Jarlink does the trick for my work and personal MacBook Pros. It also hits the spot for Chromebooks and Windows laptops, as well.
AmazonBasics Tripod Boom Microphone Stand
I’ve used microphone stands for over a decade. Desktop stands tend to take up a lot of desk real estate, and they get in the way of your keyboard and mouse if they’re in the optimal position for good audio recording.
I’ve used boom arms that clamp onto the desk and offer some level of freedom and movement to your microphone.
Perhaps the best option for me has been the AmazonBasics Tripod Boom Microphone Stand. It sits next to my desk on the floor and holds the microphone in the perfect position when I need it, and tucked out of the way when I don’t.