A quiet record of desk days—what I’m writing, working on, and figuring out along the way. This is Desk Diaries.
It’s no secret or surprise that, as a writer, I have a very significant, ever-changing relationship with two things: my notebook and my desk setup. It’s often where the magic happens (when it doesn’t happen in the shower after a really long day, of course) and where I feel the most like myself. And as the year draws to a close, I’ve been refreshing both.
There is something undeniably satisfying about a fresh start. This feeling often happens for a lot of people in January, and maybe even again in September, after the daydream that is summer ends and the school year begins again. But since I have implemented a seasonal journaling system where I consider all of December “winter,” I am moving into my new book and having my fresh start in just a couple of weeks. This is the first time I haven’t started a brand new book in January, so I’m interested to see how that affects my mentality around January & New Year’s goals, versus just looking at winter only, as a whole. This also has inspired me to refresh my desk to match this new “fresh start” energy.
Like most writers, my desk is very important to me. It’s probably one of the most important pieces of my daily life. If my desk doesn’t feel cozy and inviting, I feel like something is off, like I’m not aligned with my emotional self. Just like with my notebook, these occasional “check-ins” with my space are essential for both my creativity and well-being. And honestly, it’s also really, really fun to refresh something you love.
This standing desk in particular, which I bought back in February, has been extra special to me. After purchasing it, I realized it was my first desk that I bought myself. My desks were always something other people (particularly boyfriends) would gift me, especially after moving or work milestones. And while all those desks were lovely for me, this was one of the first times I treated myself to such a personal, important piece of furniture. The symbolism was not lost on me.
As winter approaches, I’ve been adding things like cozy lights and cold-weather art prints (currently en route!) — anything to set the vibe, really, and inspire me to sit down and get some work done. New desk organizers and stationery have done the trick, too. Honestly, if you ever feel like you are struggling to be productive at your desk, maybe it’s time for a refresh. Take some time to browse other desk setups and consider how you can make yours a little more inviting, a little more you.
Meanwhile, for my bullet journal…
While I am refreshing my desk space, I am also finalizing my winter bullet journal setup and should be sharing that in early December. It has been interesting to reevaluate my system, including thinking about being more intentional with everything from daily entries to sticker use. While not too much is changing, I am looking forward to sharing some more insights with you as I continue to test out my seasonal journaling system.
And a Ko-fi update!
In case you missed it, I recently announced that I will be adding more Ko-if exclusives in the new year! It is really important to me to share exclusive and early access content with those who are kind enough to support me (for example, I actually shared this desk refresh on Ko-fi a week ago!), so if you’re interested in getting more content from me in the future, like handwritten wallpapers, bullet journal setup sheets, and access to my full newsletter archive of 3+ years, then please consider joining over on there. Great things are on the way, and I’m really excited about them.
Will you be refreshing your desk for the new year? I’d love to hear about it!
Want more Desk Diaries content? Follow me on Threads and Instagram @meganportorreal for more. I also share exclusive posts on Ko-fi and collections on Pinterest.
