My Aesthetic College Desk Setup: A Tour (Minimalist & Neutral Workspace Inspiration)

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Hi lovelies - today’s post is a tour of my desk setup!

I’m of the mindset that making your workspace into a place you love being and somewhere you’re comfortable is one of the best ways to stay focused and productive - at least for me, and especially as a college student!

That’s why I absolutely love desk decor and I have so much fun with it.

I’ve made over my desk a couple of times, but this time, I went with a super simple and minimalist style.

I find that keeping my desk surface as clear and decluttered as possible helps keep my mind clear and focused too.

It goes back to that old cliche saying - “a clear space is a clear mind,” but it’s honestly so true.

I’ve been obsessed with neutrals lately - and my new desk situation definitely reflects that.

I went all out with different shades of beige, white, cream, and for an accent - green by way of little fake plants.

In this post, I’m taking you through every corner of my desk, talking all things decor, productivity, and sharing where I got all of my decor and tech accessories.

So, if you’re looking for some neutral and minimal inspiration to put together your own desk, this is the post for you!

Let’s get into it.

Meet My Desk:

Let’s start with an overview of my desk before diving into the nitty gritty!

Here’s my current setup.

As you can see, it’s pretty simple - laptop in the middle and some decor in either corner (plus, an obligatory mug of morning coffee although that’s not always there, haha).

A little anecdote about my desk chair. Since I live in student housing, my apartment came fully furnished, obviously including a desk chair.

I thought it was the ugliest thing ever and it’s been shoved in my closet ever since I moved in.

So, I found the prettiest minimalist chair on Amazon to use instead. White and wood - perfect for my desk’s color scheme!

Mug & Coaster:

Next, a shout out to my favorite mug and coaster!

While technically not part of my desk setup, they make an appearance there often enough so I figured I’d share where I got them from.

The mug is from Target - and I’m obsessed with it! It’s got this gorgeous neutral ombre design that matches my desk beautifully.

My coaster is from this set on Amazon. Absolutely loving the contrast the light beige brings to my space.

Related: 30 Super Aesthetic Desk & Tech Accessories To Help You Be More Motivated + Productive in College

Desk & Tech Accessories:

On to what’s probably my favorite collection of items on my desk.

We spend a lot of time on our devices, so why not make them look pretty?

I found this simple beige laptop case on Amazon to do just that - and it also comes with a keyboard cover! Note - I have the 2018 15 inch MacBook Pro (with a touch bar).

I love the case but the keyboard cover is probably my favorite part of this set (see a close up photo of it above).

I just love how it brightens up my whole laptop - such a difference from the default plain black keys.

They were also super easy to apply, they literally just cling right onto your keyboard.

Moving on to my wood laptop stand, also from Amazon.

This is perfect for anyone wanting a super minimalist aesthetic for their desk and an adjustable stand to they can customize the height to their liking.

And then there’s my desk pad - this simple leather beige one that’s also brown on the other side for when I want to switch things up a bit!

Left Corner Decor:

Now, on to my desk corners.

Some sort of light source is a staple of any desk, and for mine I chose this beautiful lamp from Target.

I just love decor pieces with an “imperfect” texture to them. They’re really great at adding life to a boring, flat-looking space.

Also great at adding life to any space is greenery! My cute little fake plant I keep next to my lamp is also from Target.

My candle is from Bath & Body Works - I love the White Barn candles they carry!

Not only do they smell amazing but they’re also super aesthetic and look beautiful in my apartment.

Right Corner Decor:

Over here, I’ve got two little fake plants, also from Target, but the real star of the show is this Schitt’s Creek desk calendar from Etsy.

Unfortunately, the 2023 version is sold out and I can’t find the Etsy seller to link - but I’ll edit this post to include a link if I find one.

My sister got this for me as a Christmas gift and anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge Schitt’s Creek fan, so of course I adore this!

Each month’s calendar has the cutest little illustration featuring a character from the show and an iconic quote to go along with it.

It makes a perfect gift for any fan of the show, I would know!

Outro & Closing Thoughts

And that’s my minimalist college desk tour!

I hope this post gave you some great inspiration and decor ideas for your desk and thank you for reading.

If you enjoyed this post, definitely check out: 7 Ways To Romanticize College Every Day (Aesthetic & Motivating)

For handmade digital art prints, icon packs, wallpapers, & more designed by me, be sure to stop by my digital boutique: Designed By Nikki Lo.

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