And I would like to get your opinion on it! Right now, I have my own office in our house that has a desk, my favorite chair (the Think from Steelcase), a 24 inch monitor, a giant Mac Pro tower, my printer, a bookcase with all my reference materials on it, and some amazing views. Here is a picture of it that I posted on my other site a while back:
Looks simple and organized, right? Well, it is…only problem is that I am finding myself sitting with my laptop on the living room couch or working in a coffee shop instead. Which, sadly, leaves that computer and great monitor mostly untouched except for when I have to do heavy-duty graphics work or video editing (which has not been often lately). My laptop has become my central workhorse, I rarely if ever print anything, and my books could be moved to our main bookcase. I could do without that big computer 95% of the time. This has been working great except for those times when certain passwords are only on one computer, or a document does need to be printed, or my contact info/calendars are not syncing correctly with all three machines (Mac Pro, MacBook, iPhone). It can be quite a challenge sometimes to find the information I need.
So as much as I like having that “permanent” computer set up in that room, (and that amazing chair) I am thinking it is a waste (and more trouble than it’s worth) to keep it up and running and taking up space in that room that could be put to better use somehow. I could even sell that computer and just use the laptop at this point, even with that monitor and chair in a much smaller space in the house if I wanted. So my question to you guys is – do any of you manage multiple computers in your house successfully? If so, how? Or did you at one point and then cut back to just one? I am just thinking that having one single computer that syncs with my iPhone has got to be easier than trying to manage all three at the same time. Jumping between them is becoming a hassle, and if I got rid of the big one, I would always have all my work and documents no matter where I am, I can continue to work on the couch, and that extra room could become a very nice guest room or even a quiet place to meditate. For the longest time I thought that more and more technology would simplify things, but I am starting to realize that is not the case. Please, if you have any advice/opinion/thoughts on this, would love to hear from you! How do you manage your home office, if you have one?
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19 Comments
I have a laptop which I use at the dining room/homeschool table. I have a picture of our school room on http://www.lynettesideas.com. I keep my “old” computer (desktop) upstairs in an armoire. If I didn’t have an 8yr old using a computer, I would have gotten rid of it a long time ago. I love my laptop and I don’t do anything with the other. I do have a wireless printer that I love, beacause I DO print alot of stuff. I do invoices and supply orders for my husband’s business…all from the laptop and wireless printer.
After procuring my laptop, I converted my older (but still functional) desktop into a television/media center. I gave extra hardware to friends (DVD-RW, hard drive, etc) to friends. While it doesn’t do much besides operate Boxee, Hulu, and Pandora, it’s all I need and quite minimalist.
My beloved monitor is on a shelf and the tower, keyboard, and mouse in a cabinet below. A universal remote runs Boxee and much of my fantastic hardware is having a second shot at a life that I was no longer willing to provide it.
Now that is something I could work with, except that my “big” machine was $2500 and I could probably make some of it back if I sold it. Decisions, decisions! Thanks for the advice!
Interesting thought. My husband and I are both on the computer quite frequently. When I got my laptop, I basically dumped the old desktop. He uses it, but I sit on the couch with my laptop, only using the desktop when it’s on, my iPod Touch won’t do the trick, and I need information fast.
We’ll always be a two-computer family, but I don’t think I’ll ever need a laptop and desktop at home purely for my own use.
In my house we have recently downsized from 5 functional computers to just four. I have an iMac and an older Gateway laptop. We also have an “ammo can” size mini PC that has found new life as a media center in our travel trailer and my DH has a large desktop.
my iMac does mostly music and photo editing.
the laptop travels for work
DH’s is his entertainment
the media center allows us to stay connected in this digital world when we travel by trailer.
I have a laptop that I use exclusively. In fact, when our old desktop “died,” we decided not to replace it. After my kids were born, I lost my office. Now I have my laptop & printer set up on a very small table in the corner of our dining room (with a good chair next to the table). It takes up very little room. I work there when I need access to the printer, but otherwise, I can take the laptop anywhere I need or want to. It’s worked for us and doesn’t take up an entire room. At one point I did go back and forth between a desktop and laptop, but like with you, it became a real hassle.
Sounds like people are abandoning the idea of a desktop and the space it takes and turning to their laptops. As I type this, I am on the laptop yet again in the living room and the big computer sits alone in the office. Definitely have to make some decisions soon!
You can use a password manager like LastPass to keep all your passwords available regardless which computer you are on. It works great when moving from the main computer to a laptop. You can also use a wireless router to print from your laptop. I never use my main computer any more. It’s just for the kids to use.
Yea, I use 1password, but it doesnt sync between computers. Kinda stinks, really. Thanks Steve!
I’m in the laptop only crowd. I had a set up where I would come home and plug in a USB hub that had my printer, iPod dock, card reader, etc…connected to it; my external harddrive; and my monitor to my little 13″ macbook. I found after not using any of that for 3 months that parting with it was easy! Now my desk is being downsized since all that’s on it is a lamp and my Macbook. Printing duties are handled by a family members computer upstairs and peripherals are kept in a drawer and only taken out when needed.
I say sell the Mac Pro while it’s still worth as much as possible and put the money to good use buying a murphy bed for that lovely new Guest Bedroom/meditation space!
Jesse
Jesse – I hear you about the Mac Pro, I have to do that while it’s still worth close to what I paid for it! Thanks for the inspiration to go laptop only!
Any chance to help nudge someone closer to simplicity…I’m there!
I have debated over the same issue. Looking for a more simple lifestyle when it comes to all these computers and what is most needed. I am a web developer and photographer. I need the bigger monitor to do graphic and image work. I was running 4 computers. Three macs and one pc for the coding work. I linked all of them through mobileme and also dropbox that I find nice to use.
But I wanted to only work from my laptop.
My question was do I really need all these computers? Can’t I use one and keep what I need on some sort of backup?
Flickr is great for photos. I sold the mac G5, and the macmini, got the new macbook and kept the large monitor. Keep the monitor in an out of the way space and disconnect from it when I need mobile. I work in the cloud now. Its great!
You sound like me! I keep thinking of ditching the MacPro, but I have not done it yet. As for Flickr, I would love to use it but I have thousands of pics and it would take years to upload them all. 🙂
Hey David, yep I thought the same for a while until I realized organizing my photos was not getting done so I just started from the newest and worked my way backwards. It’s amazing how many you can just delete, clearing that clutter as you have time. What’s fun is that I can blog directly from the flickr photo so that makes it a simple task as well. Good luck!
I just wish they would let me FTP them all at once!
I’m in a similar situation now.
When I left for University, my parents gave me a laptop for my birthday + Christmas combined present. That was just over a year ago, and yet I still have my original computer here.
I’ve been thinking lately about getting an external hardrive to hold the things from my old PC on, as I do go back to the files and pictures on it 5% of the time. The laptop doesn’t have enough room for all the old stuff (I only use my old PC as storage really) which is why I haven’t just copied it all across.
Like everyone else here, it seems I’ve some decisions to make. Shame my computer is almost as old as I am, and thus likely worthless.
~Rose
Just googled “simplicity” after a heavy day with 6 children and a large house with 4 computers in it. I read over the conversations above with interest. I noted all the technical things that we have these days and how we “have to have them…” ah, for simplicity. I agree that having lots of computers seems to be a ongoing stressor, since I got a laptop a few months back I can move it around and do things anywhere…. now that’s simplicity. The others… sell them. Do whatever it takes to redeem your time and put it to better use… you only live once. Relationships, people, rest, recreation – use your time for that and move on and out anything that robs you of time and happiness.
Dee
I’m the opposite of so many if you. I’ve been an exclusive laptop user for many years. Just a few months ago I went through my second laptop in 4 years so I upgraded my pc laptop to a Mac desktop and I love. Having a set office space has greatly improved my ability to separate work and family time. When I’m at my desk my family knows I’m working. When I get up from my desk at the end of the day I know my office is now closed. My challenge is sharing my office with a baby and a five year olds play area. For me, simplifying would be downsizing my executive desk for a smaller one.