Elevate Your Home Office Setup With A Savvy Dollar Tree DIY

After a long day of working at your computer, the last thing you want is neck, shoulder, and back pain from poor posture while staring at the screen. You can try telling yourself to sit up straight, but your perfect posture won't last long if your monitor is too high or low. If it is too low, it may be time to DIY a monitor stand to raise it to the proper height. If you are trying to maximize your small home office space, this monitor stand leaves clear space below it for storage, which is a plus.

Even simple monitor stands often cost between $20 and $30, which may be disappointing for budget-conscious buyers. Luckily, YouTuber @Bertina Inspires shows how to create an affordable monitor stand with Dollar Tree materials. Using the Tumbling Tower game wooden blocks, the Large Decorative Hanging Wall Shelf, two Crafter's Square Wooden Crates, and some leftover wood glue and paint, the DIYer spent only $6.25 to complete the project.

This is a great starting point, but you should tailor the project to your specific needs so your monitor is at the optimal height for your body, reducing back pain and eye strain. To do this, you'll need a measuring tape along with the other materials to measure the distance between the ideal monitor height and your current monitor height. Also, if you have a particularly heavy or expensive monitor, you may want some small nails or staples to reinforce the wood glue's hold and use two hanging shelves instead of one to better support the weight.

The first step in making this DIY monitor stand is to determine how much additional height your monitor needs. Start by sitting at your desk with proper posture. Ideally, the top of your monitor should be at or a couple of inches below eye level, and if you wear bifocals, it should be another couple of inches below eye level. Measure the distance between the ideal height and the current height. You may need a mirror, camera, or friend to assess your posture and ensure you measure everything correctly. If your monitor height is correct but you want a stand, try adjusting your chair height or switching to one of the best chairs for your home office. Just make sure you maintain proper arm ergonomics based on the desk height.

When you know how tall your monitor stand needs to be, you can gather your supplies. Dollar Tree often carries a variety of wooden items that could work for the stand's legs, so you may want to shop around to find something as close to the height you need as possible. With the right tools, you can also cut items to size.

Remove the rope from the hanging shelves and glue them together for a strong base. Then, glue the wooden blocks around the perimeter of the base. Finally, glue the two crates to the base. Allow the wood glue to set completely, and reinforce the hold with nails or staples. Finally, painting or staining the wood is one of many ways to style a work-from-home desk.