Costco's Foldable Desk Is An RV Essential For Working In Small Spaces

If you own an RV or are considering van life with a motorized camper, you probably already know space is a precious commodity. Traveling in an RV gives you access to more off-the-beaten-path areas in America, such as the Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground, considered Yosemite's best-kept secret from tourists. If you have a job you can do anywhere, van life also lets you work and travel at the same time. You just need to ensure you have somewhere comfortable to work that doesn't take up a lot of space. Enter the Stakmore Pre-Assembled Wood Folding Desk from Costco, which comes with a five-year warranty.

While some people are able to build their own fold-down desks in their campervans, not everyone has the time or carpentry skills to create their RV desk from scratch. One of the secrets to organizing your campervan is keeping your belongings and furnishings to a minimum. In 2017, I lived and worked in a van for almost 12 months while traveling around Australia. The interior setup allowed the bed to turn into a table with cushioned bench seating on either side. I used this table as my desk, but there were times when I longed for a foldable desk to put outside under the awning, especially on hot days when the van turned into a sauna.

The Stakmore Pre-Assembled Wood Folding Desk offers more flexibility than a built-in desk, as it can be set up inside or outside. It comes already put together and folds down to only 5 inches thick, making it easy to store under your bed or behind something else. When opened, it's almost 30 inches tall, 40 inches long, and 20 inches wide, offering ample room for working yet ideal for small spaces.

Online reviews for Costco's Stakmore desk are mostly positive; the desk has a solid overall rating of 4.5 out of five stars as of this writing. One customer praised the desk's ample workspace and quality, solid wood material. Another reviewer claimed it was great for compact spaces, was very easy to fold and unfold when needed, and still had enough space for all their home office items. The desk doesn't have any drawers, but there seems to be room for two screens if you need them. "The quality of this product is top-notch. Solid, not a wobble in it ... It's great for small spaces ... [and] has plenty of room for a laptop, monitor, keyboard and mouse," a purchaser wrote on the Costco website.

The solid wood construction ensures durability even if you're using it every day. It also has built-in USB and power outlets, which is impressive for a foldable desk. This high-quality design and material contribute to its heavier weight (around 36 pounds), which may be too much for picking up and moving every day. However, customers who don't consider themselves strong have said it's not too heavy to lug around. It seems to tick all the boxes for an RV desk, so it's no surprise vampers are posting about it on TikTok.

While the desk has been priced as low as $50, it's currently priced at $134.99, so it's a significant investment. It isn't the first Costco product that's appealed to vampers, however. You can also purchase the Igloo 83-Quart Dual Zone Active Cooler that's basically a portable refrigerator and a massive upgrade for car camping. Ikea also has its clever, space-saving Pinntorp Gateleg Table, which might be more suitable for some.