My partner and I just moved into a 400 sq ft studio near Tremont. We both WFH three days a week and it’s already unsustainable. I’m working from the kitchen counter, she’s on the bed with a lap desk. Where do you even put a second desk? We looked at murphy desks but they seem flimsy and expensive. We have one closet that’s full of clothes, and the only real wall space is next to the radiator. Any real suggestions?

I feel you. We're in a 350 sq ft place and I've worked from the bathroom floor more than once. Do you have any wall space at all? I saw a wall-mounted drop-leaf desk from IKEA that folds up, but our walls are lathe and plaster so I'm scared to drill. Have you tried a rolling kitchen cart as a desk? We put ours in front of the fridge when not cooking. Not perfect but better than the bed. Also, what about a desk that hangs over the radiator with a heat shield? Might be too close for comfort.

Yo, 400 sq ft for two WFH is tight. Forget murphy desks—they're for show. You need a real solution: get one of those 6-ft folding tables and put it against the wall under the window. When you're not working, fold it and slide it behind the couch. But the real move is a loft bed or at least a high bed frame with a desk underneath. If you don't have height, consider a corner desk that's only 20 inches deep. You can split the room with a tall bookshelf and each gets a side. Just don't do the kitchen counter thing—your back will hate you. firstwinter, the rolling cart is solid, but it won't give you a real chair setup.

OMG this is my favorite topic!! Have you looked into standing desk converters? They're not just for offices! I set up a 24-inch wide one on top of our dresser and it doubles as a desk. Also, keyboard trays that clamp to the side of a bookshelf are a game changer. But the absolute best for tiny spaces is a wall-mounted fold-down desk from a hardware store—get the kind with a piano hinge and a cable hole. We mounted two side-by-side on the living room wall, and when they're up they're just mirrors/art. Have you tried using a murphy bed with a built-in desk? Not flimsy if you buy from a real furniture store, not Amazon. What's your wall material? If you have brick, tapcons work great. If lathe, use toggle bolts and don't look back! Also consider a closet office—put a small desk in the closet and store clothes on a rolling rack in the corner. You got this!

I've been in a 450 sq ft one-bed with my ex and we both WFH'd. It's doable but you have to get honest about territory. A second desk only works if you have a defined area. I'd skip the folding stuff—you'll never fold it up because you're tired. Get one real desk (even a cheap one from Staples) and one person uses the kitchen table as a permanent desk. The other gets the nook by the window. The key is a room divider—even a curtain on a tension rod gives you sound separation for calls. Also, noise-canceling headphones are cheaper than a moving truck. What's your layout? If you have a separate kitchen, can the non-cook take that as an office? Might be weird but it's NYC.

Seconding the room divider idea. I lived in a studio off 110th and worked from a fold-out console table from World Market. It was 30 inches wide when closed, 60 when open. My roommate used the kitchen. Our rule was whoever has a call gets the bedroom area. But honestly, the biggest issue isn't the desk—it's the chair. Get a folding chair with back support, or you'll both be at urgent care. And don't underestimate a corner hutch desk—they use vertical space and can hide all your crap. Check your building's common areas too. Some have a lounge or laundry room with a table; I used to take calls in the stairwell landing for privacy. Not great but free.

Thanks everyone, this is super helpful. We do have a decent window nook but it's tiny and next to the radiator. Has anyone actually used a desk that folds down from the wall in a prewar? I'm worried about the plaster cracking. We tried a folding table from our last place but it wobbles and my partner refuses to use it. The closet office idea seems interesting—our closet is about 5 ft wide but has sliding doors. Might try removing one door and putting a small desk in there. But then where do clothes go? We already donated a ton. Maybe under-bed storage? We have a low platform bed though. Might need to raise it. What about a drop-leaf table that you can push against the wall when not working? Anyone have one that doesn't look like a dorm room?

Oh, I've been thinking about the closet desk too! My neighbor took the door off her closet and put a small IKEA desk in there. She uses a tension rod with a curtain instead of the door, and hung her clothes on a rolling rack from Amazon. But she said the closet gets really hot because the radiator is on the other side, so watch that. For wall desks, my super said if you use a stud finder and attach to the studs, the plaster won't crack. I'm too scared to try it myself though. Has anyone here actually mounted one themselves? Also, what about a desk on wheels that you roll into the bathroom when you need privacy? I saw a TikTok but seems silly.

Wheels? In a 400 sq ft? Nah, you'll trip over it. For plaster walls, use toggle bolts rated for 50+ lbs, not just screws into plaster. But if you're renting, just use a tension-mounted or floor-standing desk. The real problem is you have too much stuff. One closet for two people is unrealistic. Get a high loft bed and put the desk underneath—it's the only true space saver. Or, accept that one person works from the kitchen table and the other gets a proper desk. You don't need two identical setups. My partner and I made it work with a 42-inch desk in the corner and a kitchen table. The person at the kitchen table just has to clear it for dinner. It's annoying but NYC.