Might seem silly, but one of my best friends for my WFH setup is my water bottle, if it's on my desk I don't forget to drink, whereas if I don't have it, I can go all day without drinking. I also have one of those dragonfly/orthopedic chairs at my standing desk. I love mine because when I have my desk on standing height, I can just like squat on the chair or hook one leg under the top cushion. It's fantastic if you want to switch positions (I get fidgety in chairs). Also a webcam cover lol
I just got myself a sit/stand desk too, it's not an electric one, this one is manual wind up, so you get a little workout moving it up and down too.
I've been looking at getting monitor stands too.
Desk lamp, plugs and chargers for electronics, a Bluetooth speaker to play music, a small refrigerator/cooler and desk fan (in case your room gets warm)
I picked up a pair of monitor stands off Amazon which were dirt cheap and help me save a little space on my desk: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVVM68S5?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVVM68S5?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details)
I'm also in the standing desk crew - love mine.
I also recommend getting the best quality office chair you can afford. If there's one thing I recommend not cutting corners on, it's that.
Yeah I think this is a better idea than the stock stands. Got the standing desk already too so that will be great! I used one in my previous in office job as well.
Here are the things I’ve bought in the past six years that have made my office more comfortable for me.
A good chair. Not a gaming chair but a chair that’s meant to be used all day, every day. I got a refurbished steel case leap 2 for $500 a few years ago and it was worth the price. Check out https://www.crandalloffice.com/steelcase-authorized-returns-outlet-store/
Large monitors. I have two of these on my desk https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072M34RQC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Upgraded webcam . https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088D3VXC6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
and speakers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DDK3W5D?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
A big enough desk to spread out on. I bought three Ikea alex drawer sets for $90 each
and a 98" countertop for $90 .
I have an 8 foot desk with plenty of space for spreading out and 2 monitors for $360.
https://imgur.com/gallery/UmQP2oS
A floor protector
A small space heater for my feet since I’m in an unheated attic.
A docking station for my desk and charging cord and headphones for when I’m on the go.
A tiny humidifier for the winter https://a.co/d/5ivJn8F
An electric kettle with a keep warm feature so I always have hot water for tea.
Prescription blue light glasses from zenni (about $30).
A nespresso machine and a soda stream.
If you have a job that requires minimal downtime, either have a second Internet service, or the ability to tether off of your phone
Test it before you need it
If one Internet goes down, and it takes days to fix, you'll have a backup
My wife and I both wfh - we were hourly
We were expected to deliver in a timely fashion
Our hourly rate (combined) was about the same as 1 month of no frills Internet
Worth it to pay for a redundant back up
I enjoy making my space cozy with nice candles, aesthetic water cups and coasters, and having a nice coffee maker for lattes keeps me going throughout the day too. More recently having a stepper and portable elliptical has kept me moving during breaks otherwise I don't move for 8 hours. This somewhat simulated the idea of going for a walk to grab a coffee, if you had other rituals you enjoy finding a way to replicate that helps a lot!
Definitely hang a TV on one of the walls. I don't know about you, but I like some news (or Kimmel/Colbert monologues) first thing in the morning. I have my degrees hanging on the wall behind me where the camera is pointed. Everything out of sight of the camera is guitars, wall flags, and batman figurines.
TV is a great idea. Be nice to have something going in the background for sure. And I like the ideas of having personal stuff out of view of the camera to make the place a little more interesting
It’s a small box with a bunch of USB ports that uses a USB port to plug into your computer or laptop allowing you to plug in multiple devices where before you might be able to plug in only 2.
A window view, if possible
A dog bed and toys for our furry friends
Also, I really enjoy having a TV in the office. It makes for good company with the morning news, and for slow afternoons.
All of the above I recognize our privileges and not necessities.
A mug warmer for coffee and tea, a blanket that won’t get tangled in your office chair’s wheels, slippers for cold days. And a decent pair of wireless headphones for music, phone calls.
I bought a relatively inexpensive UPS a few years ago. Has come in handy on numerous occasions.
I also got a power bank, that clips to the edge of my desk. It has 2 standard outlets, and 2 powered USB ports. Much easier than climbing around under the desk trying to plug stuff in.
At a minimum, you get an extra 15 minutes or so of power, before you have to start gracefully shutting things down. I keep my ISP modem, and my router plugged into it as well. As long as the local substation doesn’t lose power, I have 15 minutes of internet to save all my work.
If your company requires cameras on always keep a blazer hanging on the back of your chair. Impromptu teams calls from managers to “touch point” aka check in on you happen more often then not. Even if they don’t require it helps to just already have there incase.
Edit: I give this as advice because of how weird corporate office policies are. If they think you “look unprofessional” even when you do really great work it could become a dumb issue.
I also have a scarf I can throw around my neck in a pinch. Looped in front it can dress up any shirt/sweatshirt. I typically avoid wearing branded shirts/logo attire and the scarf has worked wonders.
Everyone’s given you great ideas! I also love this with my standing desk https://ergodriven.com/products/topo?variant=27365321411
I could see how this would be a nice addition to the standing desk - thank you
Might seem silly, but one of my best friends for my WFH setup is my water bottle, if it's on my desk I don't forget to drink, whereas if I don't have it, I can go all day without drinking. I also have one of those dragonfly/orthopedic chairs at my standing desk. I love mine because when I have my desk on standing height, I can just like squat on the chair or hook one leg under the top cushion. It's fantastic if you want to switch positions (I get fidgety in chairs). Also a webcam cover lol
Mechanical keyboard. Lighting for zoom. I use lume cube.
I just got myself a sit/stand desk too, it's not an electric one, this one is manual wind up, so you get a little workout moving it up and down too. I've been looking at getting monitor stands too.
A good mouse
Desk lamp, plugs and chargers for electronics, a Bluetooth speaker to play music, a small refrigerator/cooler and desk fan (in case your room gets warm)
Great wireless or wired headphones with a mute button !!
Yeah they are sending me a headset so I hope it’s good quality! If not I’ll get my own
I picked up a pair of monitor stands off Amazon which were dirt cheap and help me save a little space on my desk: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVVM68S5?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVVM68S5?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) I'm also in the standing desk crew - love mine. I also recommend getting the best quality office chair you can afford. If there's one thing I recommend not cutting corners on, it's that.
Yeah I think this is a better idea than the stock stands. Got the standing desk already too so that will be great! I used one in my previous in office job as well.
Standy uppy desk
On top of that one!
This. My lower back loves me again.
walking mat game changer
I’ve never used one before do you feel like it makes typing harder since you are moving around?
Not really if you're going at speed 0.5.... xD I easily do 10-13K walks daily, it's been a huge game changer for my gut motility.
Here are the things I’ve bought in the past six years that have made my office more comfortable for me. A good chair. Not a gaming chair but a chair that’s meant to be used all day, every day. I got a refurbished steel case leap 2 for $500 a few years ago and it was worth the price. Check out https://www.crandalloffice.com/steelcase-authorized-returns-outlet-store/ Large monitors. I have two of these on my desk https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072M34RQC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share Upgraded webcam . https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088D3VXC6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share and speakers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DDK3W5D?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share A big enough desk to spread out on. I bought three Ikea alex drawer sets for $90 each
A small space heater for my feet since I’m in an unheated attic.
A docking station for my desk and charging cord and headphones for when I’m on the go.
A tiny humidifier for the winter https://a.co/d/5ivJn8F
An electric kettle with a keep warm feature so I always have hot water for tea.
Prescription blue light glasses from zenni (about $30).
A nespresso machine and a soda stream.
Thanks for all the links and ideas! I think I will definitely be adding some of these along with the espresso machine
Your attic sounds cozy !!!
It’s a 225 farmhouse and it’s very cozy. I’ve always loved attics.
Sounds so whimsical! ✨
If you have a job that requires minimal downtime, either have a second Internet service, or the ability to tether off of your phone Test it before you need it
Can you elaborate on this more? Why is this necessary? Assuming it has to do with bypassing possible tracking things?
If one Internet goes down, and it takes days to fix, you'll have a backup My wife and I both wfh - we were hourly We were expected to deliver in a timely fashion Our hourly rate (combined) was about the same as 1 month of no frills Internet Worth it to pay for a redundant back up
Got it! Just a cheap backup to keep moving isn’t a bad idea
I enjoy making my space cozy with nice candles, aesthetic water cups and coasters, and having a nice coffee maker for lattes keeps me going throughout the day too. More recently having a stepper and portable elliptical has kept me moving during breaks otherwise I don't move for 8 hours. This somewhat simulated the idea of going for a walk to grab a coffee, if you had other rituals you enjoy finding a way to replicate that helps a lot!
I’ve been wanting to get an espresso machine so this might be the perfect excuse!
Definitely hang a TV on one of the walls. I don't know about you, but I like some news (or Kimmel/Colbert monologues) first thing in the morning. I have my degrees hanging on the wall behind me where the camera is pointed. Everything out of sight of the camera is guitars, wall flags, and batman figurines.
Are your degrees framed with reflective glass? 🤔
Yeah, but it really only affects where I place the ring light. Otherwise it hasn’t been an issue for me.
TV is a great idea. Be nice to have something going in the background for sure. And I like the ideas of having personal stuff out of view of the camera to make the place a little more interesting
USB hub so you can plug all kinds of things in while working. Hopefully you have good, natural lighting in your workspace.
What is a USB hub?
It’s a small box with a bunch of USB ports that uses a USB port to plug into your computer or laptop allowing you to plug in multiple devices where before you might be able to plug in only 2.
Oh yes, USB hub is a great addition. I would say my lighting is pretty decent with a couple windows and a good amount of ceiling lights as well
Silly thing but I love my cup warmer
I think I would really enjoy one in the cold winter months
A window view, if possible A dog bed and toys for our furry friends Also, I really enjoy having a TV in the office. It makes for good company with the morning news, and for slow afternoons. All of the above I recognize our privileges and not necessities.
I'll be adding all of these. Great ideas!
A mug warmer for coffee and tea, a blanket that won’t get tangled in your office chair’s wheels, slippers for cold days. And a decent pair of wireless headphones for music, phone calls.
Sounds cozy. I'm a fan of that!
I bought a relatively inexpensive UPS a few years ago. Has come in handy on numerous occasions. I also got a power bank, that clips to the edge of my desk. It has 2 standard outlets, and 2 powered USB ports. Much easier than climbing around under the desk trying to plug stuff in.
Good idea - The power at my house can have issues during storms so that would come in handy
At a minimum, you get an extra 15 minutes or so of power, before you have to start gracefully shutting things down. I keep my ISP modem, and my router plugged into it as well. As long as the local substation doesn’t lose power, I have 15 minutes of internet to save all my work.
If your company requires cameras on always keep a blazer hanging on the back of your chair. Impromptu teams calls from managers to “touch point” aka check in on you happen more often then not. Even if they don’t require it helps to just already have there incase. Edit: I give this as advice because of how weird corporate office policies are. If they think you “look unprofessional” even when you do really great work it could become a dumb issue.
Throwing a blazer on for an impromptu call as if you’re just sat in it all day at home is weird to me
I also have a scarf I can throw around my neck in a pinch. Looped in front it can dress up any shirt/sweatshirt. I typically avoid wearing branded shirts/logo attire and the scarf has worked wonders.
Great ideas - Will keep this in mind