Okay, so my desk setup was getting a bit out of hand. Laptop just sitting there, taking up valuable space I needed for other junk, you know? Always felt cluttered. I kept seeing these under-desk trays, figured it was time to try adding one myself.
Getting Started
First off, I ordered a pretty basic metal tray kit. Nothing fancy. When it arrived, I pulled out all the pieces – the tray itself, a couple of mounting brackets, and a bag of screws. Looked simple enough.
The main job was figuring out exactly where to put it under my desk. Had to sit down, check my knee clearance, make sure I wasn’t going to bang into it constantly. Also wanted it far enough back so the laptop would be properly hidden, but easy enough to slide out. Spent a good few minutes just holding the brackets up, marking tentative spots with a pencil.
The Actual Work
Alright, decision made on placement. I cleared everything off the desk surface above the spot, just in case I drilled through (kidding… mostly). Then I properly lined up the first bracket.
- Held the bracket firm against the underside of the desk.
- Marked the screw holes carefully with my pencil. Did this for both brackets, making sure they were parallel. Used a tape measure just to be sure they were lined up okay.
Next step, drilling. My desk is some kind of particle board or MDF, not solid wood, so I was a bit worried about it crumbling. I decided to drill pilot holes first, using a drill bit smaller than the screws. Went slow, didn’t push too hard. Seemed to work okay, no major chipping.
Pilot holes done, time for the screws. Lined up the bracket again and started screwing them in with my screwdriver. Did this for both brackets. Made sure they were really tight against the desk. Gave them a good wiggle – felt solid enough.
Finishing Up
With the brackets firmly mounted, the last piece was the tray itself. It just slotted onto the brackets, kinda slid into place. Pretty straightforward mechanism.
I put my laptop onto the tray, testing the fit. Perfect. Then I tried the sliding action. It moved in and out smoothly. Pushed it all the way in, checked underneath. Yep, tucked away nicely. Pulled it out, no problem.
So yeah, that was it. Took maybe 30 minutes total? Now the laptop lives under the desk, out of sight, out of mind until I need it. Desk surface feels huge now. Simple project, but honestly, it made a big difference to how tidy things feel. Happy with that.