Working from home essentials

Make sure you’re as productive as possible in your home office by making the most of some of our recoommendef working from home essentials.

It goes without saying that most of us don’t have all the extras at home that you’d typically find in your office. You might not think you use a lot of the little things made available to you at work, but the chances are that when you work from home, you kind of miss them. 

All of those added little touches and random bits of equipment might not seem like they are doing a lot, but they have been carefully chosen to help make your life easier. This means that they can be working from home essentials, as well as office essentials. 

While you may be doing ok with your laptop on the sofa or in your home office, there are definitely going to be a few items that could help you out – especially as working from home is a more regular thing now. 

To help make sure you are as productive as possible, we’ve got some great recommendations for some working from home essentials.

Adjustable laptop stand

Working on a laptop at a desk is not the best option in the long run. It’s hard to get the position of your keyboard right, let alone position your screen so you aren’t straining your neck. 

It’s a much better option to get yourself an adjustable laptop, this way, you can set your laptop up so you can comfortably see your screen – our guide on how to set up your computer desk has tips on this – and not strain your eyes, neck or back while you’re typing. 

Desk lamp

A big difference between home and the office is lighting. Domestic lighting tends to be a bit softer so you may find that your desk gets a bit darker. While it can be tempting to just carry on working, this can affect your eyes negatively, as well as cause headaches and tiredness. 

Even when during the spring and summer months, it’s a good idea to have a desk lamp at the ready just in case. While you can get all sorts of styles, something simple like this one is a good idea, especially as it comes with an adjustable neck. This allows you to lighten up your desk but avoid shining light directly on your screen. 

Adjustable monitor stand

If you’re using a desktop or another screen as well as your laptop, you also want to ensure you’ve positioned it correctly. While some monitors can be adjusted slightly, they may not be high enough to meet your needs and allow you to set your computer desk up as recommended. 

An adjustable monitor stand will help you create a comfortable workspace that doesn’t mean you’re left aching at the end of the day. Ideally, you need a stand that can adjust the height of your monitor and the angle while ensuring it is secure. If you opt for one that has open space underneath it – like this one – then it can also increase how much room you have on your desk.

Comfortable chair

Whether you’re sitting at a desk or at the kitchen table, the chair you use throughout your workday makes a difference. No one wants to be left aching at the end of the day or in pain after just a few hours. Not only can this hamper your productivity, but it can also actually cause long-term problems.

You need an ergonomic chair, such as our Deluxe office chair. The comfortable chair is designed with you in mind, coming with a choice of adjustment levels, arms and colours. It provides the right support, helps with your posture and will ensure you’re working comfortably. On top of this, it also comes with a five-year guarantee and is manufactured in the UK. 

Laptop tray

If you haven’t got a home office and don’t currently have the space to set one up – or you just want to be able to stay in bed a bit longer – make working on your laptop as easy as possible. Adjustable laptop trays allow you to position your computer so you can easily see the screen and type, whether you’re lying in bed or sitting on the sofa.

Trays like this one are essentially mini desks, providing an adjustable section for your laptop but also a flat section for your notebook or coffee. They can help make working easier until you can drag yourself to your desk or get a home office area set up. 

Stationery

Not having your office’s supply of pens and notebooks can be a bit of a nightmare, which is why you should make sure you have some of your own to hand. While everything may be done online nowadays, the chances are you’ll still need to scribble some notes down so you need to have some stationery at the ready. 

This doesn’t mean you have to go for the usual boring office supplies though. Get yourself some fun pens and notebooks in designs that suit your style. You can find loads of funky pens, notebooks, sticky notes and more online that could add some colour to your home office.

Desk organiser

If you’ve got pens, paperclips, staplers and more all sorted out, you need somewhere to keep them. We all know that there’s nothing worse than trying to listen to what is being said on a conference call while also trying to find a pen so you can make notes. 

Get yourself a desk organiser so everything has its place and you aren’t left scrambling for something at an awkward time. Even better, a desk organiser will make it easy to see if a housemate, partner or child has borrowed something so you can hunt it down before you really need it. 

Cup warmer

Okay, so this one might not be an ‘essential’ per se, but it will change your life. We’ve all been there. You make a delicious cup of tea or coffee that you’re looking forward to drinking but then you get sucked into a task and forget all about it. No one wants to have to tip away their coffee, try to drink it cold or settle for popping it in the microwave, so keep your drink warm with a cup warmer. 

This handy cup warmer has two temperature settings and a standard wall plug – so you don’t need to use up one of your USB ports for it. It means you can enjoy your coffee even an hour after making it, avoiding waste and keeping you caffeinated. 

Once you get yourself some of these working from home essentials, you’ll be set to work in style and comfort while being as productive as possible!

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