Set up the perfect home office to work comfortably all day long. Find our list of top essential items for home office on Review Me First.
Working from home was not very common until the pandemic hit, and we all had to manage our work schedule from home somehow. It seemed to be fun at first. But then slowly, the couch made our backs sore, and the coffee table was too low for your eye level. We have compiled the top essential items to set up your home office to cut off these problems.
We have picked the high-quality home office essentials so that you can have the best experience working from home. Remote or freelance jobs require a lot of concentration. We have the perfect options for you to create your very own minimalist yet functional office space.
How to plan your workspace – Selecting the perfect spot
Before you start purchasing your products right away, take a moment to analyse the setting of your home and plan out how you want your office to be. List out the essential supplies that you might need to be near your desk, like a water bottle and snacks, so that you can avoid unnecessary trips to the kitchen while you're working.
To pick out the perfect spot, you have to be mindful of these pointers:
• How much vacant space do you need to work from home? Do you usually work on a computer or require space for paperwork too?
• Do you need a stable internet connection? Is your work entirely online-based?
• Do you need to attend video conferences regularly? What should your background look like?
• Do you need an isolated and quiet space to work?
Once you have chosen the room that fits right within your requirements, then you are good to go. You can now list out essential products you require to set up your office. It is ideal for creating a checklist to don't miss out on anything.
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Essentials for Home Office
Are you ready to start designing your workspace? We have arranged our list from some of the most important items to get your work done to the good to have additional accessories that will help improve your performance or simply make your day more comfortable.
Computer
Apple's latest 16-inch MacBook Pro is our top pick for a home office PC. It is a speedy and dependable laptop that competes with the best desktops and laptops. However, it also allows you to work away from your desk from time to time, whether from your lounge, your balcony, or your porch. You'll also discover a few home office computer setup ideas below to help you get the most out of your MacBook Pro.
Desk
We like a clean and minimal home office desk with enough space for our laptop and monitor. Standing desks with an easy-to-adjust electric system are preferred. The ApexDesk Elite Series 71′′ is a perfect bestseller on Amazon. You can quickly convert it to a heightened desk when you need to stretch your legs, thanks to the electric height adjustment.
Office Chair
It's preferable to invest in a high-quality computer chair to support your spine and prevent long-term complications. Herman Miller, a high-end office chair manufacturer, is our pick. One of their outstanding designs is the Embody Chair. It will keep you comfy when sitting at your workstation for hours. It's also available in various colours to match your home office theme.
Keyboard
An excellent keyboard is essential for remote work productivity. If you're using a Mac, we recommend the cordless Apple Magic Keyboard with a number pad. It is available in silver or space grey to match the colour of your laptop.
Mouse
When working remotely on a laptop, a specialised mouse will help you increase your skill and efficiency. The Logitech MX Master 2S cordless mouse is our favourite. It's a perfect size and weight for a comfortable fit in your hand. It is fully compatible with both Mac and Windows. And its design is basic and elegant, making it suitable for any office setup style.
Monitor
A beautiful dedicated monitor is what separates your kitchen table from a proper home office setup. We enjoy having our laptop on one side and a huge monitor on the other to take advantage of a dual-screen arrangement at home. If you're using a Mac, the Apple 32-inch Pro Display XDR is the top choice, but it's also the most expensive. The fantastic LG UltraFine 27′′ 5K display is a more affordable option for your home desk. It can power your MacBook Pro while transmitting audio and video to your monitor via a single cable.
WiFi
When working from home, you're likely to rely mainly on your internet connection. It's worthwhile to invest in a high-quality home WiFi modem and router for the best possible setup. We recommend the Nest WiFi Router 2nd Generation for its amazing speed, modern amenities, and convenience of use.
Noise-Cancelling Headphones
If you intend to conduct regular video chats with your coworkers while working from home, you must have a good pair of headphones with a good microphone. It will improve your ability to hear everyone else on the call, but it will also ensure that everybody hears you clearly and loudly when you speak. The Apple Airpods Pro is our recommended alternative because of its active noise cancelling, clean wireless design, and ease of use. The redesigned design is more attractive and fits more comfortably in the ear.
Speakers
Working from home allows you to listen to your favourite music playlist as high as you want when you're not on the phone. The Audioengine HD6 150W wireless speakers are currently the absolute best on the marketplace for serious music fans. They are, indeed, pricey. However, you are getting studio-quality audio for your home office. This is a far cry from what your laptop speakers could ever produce. The Audioengine HD6 is available in various colours and materials, but we especially enjoy it in the Walnut finish.
Bluetooth Speakers
A high-performance Bluetooth-enabled speaker is what you need if you work from your home office in the morning and your kitchen table in the afternoon. Bang & Olufsen's gorgeous yet surprisingly powerful BeoPlay P6 is our favoured option. They are portable and provide good sound quality. They also include a built-in microphone if you wish to arrange a conference call with numerous individuals on your end.
Water Bottle
We keep a large water bottle at our side to prevent making frequent journeys to the kitchen. However, on your home workstation, you need something that will not risk pouring water all over your computer. This is where LARQ's portable purification bottle comes to the rescue. It uses the brand's unique UV-C LED technology to keep your water pure. The bottle filters and cools water while killing germs without the need for filters. It's fantastic! The bottle is available in a variety of sizes and colours.
Coffee Mug
If coffee is essential to getting your day started, you must have your cup! A mug feels good in your hand and looks elegant during a conference call. We enjoy the Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug for geek coffee aficionados. It has a lovely, simple and sleek design and will keep your coffee hot for 60 minutes.
Computer stand
A computer rack is the type of small piece of equipment that can make a significant difference in your day. It's affordable and modest, but it will make working more comfortable. There are other options accessible online, but we choose the Coolwin Laptop Stand due to its versatility and high build quality.
Scented Candle
We prefer to light a scented candle at our home office to lighten the mood. It's the kind of small things that can make your day. It also looks gorgeous in your office. We love the Jo Malone Scented Candle for its subtle yet comforting fragrance.
Notepad
Regardless of how digital you are, a simple notebook at your side is always helpful for quickly scribbling something down or writing your to-do list for the next day. Craighill's desk pad is quite tempting to us. It looks stunning and will add a bit of style to your minimalist workstation.
The pad is handcrafted in a Parisian workshop and features a robust metal frame and rubber feet to hold a perforated writing pad—ideal for cutting off papers neatly on the fly. Your colleagues might try to steal this pad if it was left on your office desk, so you're lucky you work from home.
Pen
While we prefer to save cash on our pads, we also choose to invest in a high-quality pen that will last us for years. And no other brand does it quite like Montblanc. This is a power pen that will make you happy every time you pick it up. It will also look good during your video conferences. Montblanc makes a variety of high-end pens, but our favourites are the Meisterstück Classique Resins and Gold-Plated Fountain Pen.
Pen Holder or Pen Pot
A pen pot will help you maintain your home desk neat. Don't use your coffee mug or your child's plastic glass if you want to look the part and feel driven to accomplish productive work when you sit down. Haha!
This Gold Eagle Globe Pen Pot adds that elevated touch to your desk without breaking your bank.
Mouse Pad
Working for long hours can be tough sometimes, especially when continuously using your mouse. It causes a wrist ache. Go for Gimars Mouse Pad Bundle for maximum comfort and avoid straining your wrist.
Cables
Your office gadgets come with many wires and cables, and if those cables are not organised properly, it will make your office space look untidy and unpleasant. That is exactly why you need a cable organiser so that you can work at peace without tripping over a bunch of cables.
How To Maintain your Work from Home Schedule
Working from home sounds exciting at first since you don't have to worry about commuting to and from the office, and also, you can run errands during your work hours. But, it might be challenging to manage your schedules once you get to the grind. To help you set up, these are some of the tips to keep you motivated and to go.
• Maintain a routine. When working from home, it is even more necessary to set up a basic and productive routine than working in an office. Wake up around the same time every day, don't overburden yourself, but don't let your lunchtime hour linger on either.
• Begin early: most people are more productive in the morning. Take advantage of not commuting to work by completing your most important tasks before lunch.
• Put on Fresh Clothes: If you want to avoid that sleepy feeling that just wants to crawl back in bed, then you should change your clothes before you start working. Also, dress up appropriately if you have any meetings planned for the day.
• Set rules for your family or roommates: If you are living with your family or other roommates, make sure that you notify them about your working hours. Ask them not to disturb you unnecessarily.
• Take breaks: It is good that you enjoy your work and lose track of time. But it is also essential to take breaks in between. Set alarms and take breaks to freshen up, make coffee, or grab snacks.
• Exercise: You barely move or have time to go out when working from home. Your body must get a dose of fresh air. Go for a run with your homie or hit the gym.
Lastly, make sure you are looking after of yourself. Get yourself the proper essentials for a home office and enjoy working from home!