The beginning of a new year ushers in all sorts of resolutions, and one of those primary resolutions relates to health. Perhaps you’re wanting to go to the gym more, eat healthier, or just remember to charge your Fitbit (once you find it). This year, one of my health resolutions is to stand more. Yup! Standing.

Standing desks have been around forever, and they come in all different shapes and sizes. When I began working from home, I purchased a standing desk from Ikea. I liked it; it was cheap, served it’s purpose, and looked nice. The problem was that I have a large L shaped with a hutch which I’ve had since college, and it serves as additional storage for paper, office supplies and books. If I was to part with the L desk, I would have to purchase some additional furniture to place the printer, paper, and the like. Wasn’t gonna happen!

I sold the Ikea desk and opted to sit.

Price

I contemplated purchasing a Veridesk, or something similar – a contraption that would sit on the desktop and allow me to raise and lower the desk height whenever I wanted to sit or stand. The problem is that they are expensive. My budget didn’t allow for a $400 desk purchase. For that amount, I could have gotten the furniture needed to work with my original Ikea desk.

That’s when I became interested in Oristand.

Oristand is made of 100% corrugated cardboard. I know, I know. You’re probably thinking…

But that’s part of the charm! Not only that, but it allows the Oristand to be priced at a reasonable $29. Compared to other standing desk options, this seemed reasonable and well worth a shot!

After a quick purchase on Amazon Prime, it showed up at my house and I promptly rearranged my desk. Here it is. For all of my OCD friends out there, I apologize for the crooked and unevenly spaced frames. I’m not that good at hanging wall art!

Just because it’s cardboard doesn’t mean it’s not sturdy. Oridesk claims that it can hold up to 60 pounds. I haven’t tried tested the weight limit, but the desk does hold my monitor well, and it feels sturdy while I type and navigate with my mouse. The only drawback could be the hollow sound I hear as I type but it’s not something that bothers me. The monitor feels solid and there is no wobble or shake of the stand while typing.

Ergonomics

Oristand (I think derived from the word origami), sits on top of an existing desktop or table. Before purchasing, it’s important to know how tall your current desktop is, and how high you need your keyboard for proper ergonomics. Oristand says that their product is “one size fits most.” Here’s an excerpt from their website:

“Oristand typically suits people from 5’ (152 cm) to 6’ (183 cm) tall based on an average table height of 29” (73 cm). If you are 5′ 6″ (168 cm) you are most likely to experience ergonomic perfection with Oristand.”

I am 6′ 1″ tall so, using Oristand, my elbows are not at a 90 degree angle and after a few hours of use, I can tell that my shoulders do get a bit tired from “reaching” down to the keyboard. For now, I’ll manage, but I may have to find a way to raise the Oristand off the desktop a few inches to make it a bit more comfortable.

Ease of Use

Most standup desk are easy to use. Involving a crank or motor, table tops can easily raise and lower. Other desks, like Veridesk, use a hydraulic like hinge to easily raise and lower the tabletop. Oristand is just as easy. It simply unfolds.

While setup is easy, the only issue (which I knew about before I purchased this) is that you have to rearrange your desk to make this work. Keyboard, mouse and monitor need to be relocated temporarily while the Oristand gets setup. Deciding to sit requires a bit of work too as the monitor, keyboard and mouse have to be removed to fold the box flat.

That being said, if you’re using your laptop as the monitor, this wouldn’t be quite so cumbersome. But, for the price, it’s a small inconvenience.

Bottom Line

Workspaces are personal so everyone’s needs are going to differ, but for my needs, Oristand seems to fit the bill. The price and ease of use outweigh the small ergonomic inconveniences. Plus, I’ve been trying to find a place for my Salesforce stickers for some time, and I feel much better about placing them on a piece of cardboard then my Macbook Air!

If you’re looking for a quick and easy solution to sitting less, Oristand could be a great option for you.

Do you stand at work? Why, and what kind of desk do you use?