I've always loved NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts series.
There's something deeply satisfying about watching world-class musical artists create something magical behind a small, ordinary desk. They don't need a sprawling stage, elaborate lighting, or a million-dollar production to make something worth seeing and hearing.
It got me wondering: how much desk do I actually need? Apparently...not much.
Yesterday, I traded my bigger IKEA "desk" (which was just a 47” x 23” tabletop on a pair of adjustable legs) for something much smaller. My new tiny desk measures approximately 32” wide, 17” deep, and 29” high, but it fits the space perfectly.
Tucked into a corner of my little garage studio apartment overlooking the backyard, my new tiny desk gets less direct sunlight and offers fewer visual distractions, making it a surprisingly great place to settle in and focus.
As an added bonus, its small footprint is changing the form and function of the room.
After shuffling a few things around, I’ll be able to bring my digital piano back into the studio. I’ve missed having it nearby, and soon it’ll be within arm’s reach whenever the mood strikes to practice a few scales, learn a new song, or just bang out a handful of chords between projects.
The tiny desk reminds me that bigger isn’t always better. I don’t need a giant desk to get things done anymore. My new one has just enough room for my laptop, an external monitor, Bluetooth speakers, a webcam, a fan, an iPhone/Apple Watch charger, and a handful of tchotchkes that remind me of my favorite people and places.
That’s all I really need.
By taking up less space, my tiny desk is giving me more room to live, create, and enjoy the rest of my small-but-mighty home.
It’s funny how I spend so much of my life chasing more when sometimes what I really need is less.
Less desk.
Less clutter.
Less stuff competing for my attention.
Turns out, just like those Tiny Desk Concerts, I don't need a lot of space to be creative and make something meaningful.
Keep calm and make it work!
Clint 🌈✌️
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ends 07-15-26
FROM THE ARCHIVES
BORN THIS WAY ON THIS DAY
07-15 = Allison Brewer (1954- ) = Canadian activist and politician 🌈
07-15 = David Cicilline (1961- ) = American lawyer and politician 🌈
07-15 = Gavin Maxwell (1914-1969) = Scottish naturalist and author 🌈
07-15 = Jody Dobrowski (1981-2005) = British hate-crime victim 🌈
07-15 = Michael Lassell (1947- ) = American writer, editor and poet 🌈
07-15 = Olly Alexander (1990- ) = British singer 🌈
07-15 = Jim Rash (1971- ) = American actor, comedian, and filmmaker 🌈
MAN CRUSH OF THE DAY
“There’s always something exciting about small change.”
Jim Rash
Yuppers Brian, with modern technology no need for banks of equipment. Small is more even when your catching your dick in the mirror reflections 😆 did I just really say that.....oh my! Cheers DougT 🏴🇬🇧