Must Haves for Working from Home

It’s been seven months since we started working from home due to the Coronavirus outbreak in the United States. I can tell you that it took me probably four and a half months to take the fact we’d be working from home seriously, and setup a work space in my Loft. I was seriously in a massive denial, but as it became more evident that we would not be returning to the office in 2020 I started to setup my space little by little. First, I started with a small foldable desk where I placed my laptop and a couple of the work supplies I used on a daily basis.

When our HR finally decided what the stipend would be for reimbursing the supplies we’ve purchased, and the company offered to send us a monitor, keyboard, and mouse I took advantage and placed my request. The keyboard and mouse arrived first. When it did, I realized that once the monitor arrived the foldable desk I had been using wouldn’t be big enough so I swapped it out with the little desk my aunt had purchased at the beginning of the work from home (that she too replaced with something bigger).

Once the monitor arrived a few weeks later, I set it up and continued working. It wasn’t until this past weekend when I realized that the setup wasn’t efficient and some additional supplies/items would be required to truly maximize the space.

Here are some of the items I purchased to maximize the efficiency of my work space at home:

1. Monitor Stand Black – Project 62™ – My little sister actually gave me the idea to buy a monitor stand when she asked me if I had one for her to use. My aunt bought one several months ago at Target, but it was mesh and I wasn’t a huge fan of it, so when I was looking for the “perfect” one I turned to the Project 62™ one. I knew I wanted it either wood or acrylic, so when I saw this one I jumped on it. And the price was a steal at $19.99.
2. Handstands Memory Foam Mouse Mat Mouse Pad with Wrist Rest – An ergonmic mouse pad had been on my list for months. Several months ago my wrist was hurting and I realized that my carpal tunnel was flaring and without something to support it, it was only going to get worse. I knew I needed one and the ones on Amazon were a little out of the price point I wanted to spend, so when I saw this one at Target I jumped at it. I mean, come on, you can’t beat $4.99.
3. 16″ x 20″ Pin it Frame Magnetic Dry Erase Board Value Pack – U-Brands – I had an 11″ x 14″ dry erase board that I had been using for several months, but it wasn’t big enough for the things I needed to keep note of. Although I usually have post-it notes full of my to-do lists, having a bigger whiteboard was crucial to make sure I was successful in my new role. I need to plan out what my tasks are, so I can make sure to check them all off. So now, what I do is use the 16″ x 20″ to map out my to-do’s for the week, and I use the little 11″ x 14″ for daily tasks. I also like that this particular one is a combination of cork and dry erase, so I can really maximize it’s capabilities.
4. Plastic Pencil Holder Dark Gray – Made By Design™ – I have a lot of storage items from this collection at Target, but on my desk I have this pencil holder but in clear (not the gray). I love these storage items and I use them for several things across my room from storage for my books, to under my TV organization, even in my closet for some of my smaller bags. They’re just so functional, this pencil holder as well.
5. When it comes to office supplies, Sharpie is the brand that has come out winning during this whole work from home situation. I have several Sharpie pens that I use daily and I honestly love them. I use the Sharpie felt pens, the Sharpie S-Gel, and now I’ve ordered the S-Gel 0.5mm.
6. Extension Chord – Amazon – the last item on my desk that I find to be crucial for my work from home setup is the circular extension chord with USB connections that I love. I actually go through the hassle of disconnecting everything each time I travel because I love this extension chord so much. I really should just order another one for when I travel. Without it, I definitely couldn’t have everything connected the way I do and in such an accessible way too.

Is there anything you find to be extremely helpful or efficient in your work from home setup? These tools listed above are really what make my work space functional on a daily basis and I love how organized everything is. It just makes the entire experience that much better.