You got a gig working from home. Well done! Now you get to build out your new home office. Our buying guide will help you create a workspace you’ll be happy to spend time in, while keeping you comfortable and productive throughout the day.
01
Uplift Desk
This height-adjustable, sitting-and-standing desk is configurable for the way you like to work. It starts at $500, and you pick different desktop sizes and materials, then add on options like wheels, drawers, keyboard trays, and cable management features. It goes from sitting height to standing height with the click of a button. The desk has enough brains to store four height settings, allowing two people to program their optimal sitting and standing heights.
Uplift Desk
This height-adjustable, sitting-and-standing desk is configurable for the way you like to work. It starts at $500, and you pick different desktop sizes and materials, then add on options like wheels, drawers, keyboard trays, and cable management features. It goes from sitting height to standing height with the click of a button. The desk has enough brains to store four height settings, allowing two people to program their optimal sitting and standing heights.
02
Steelcase Leap
The Leap (starting at $940) is a great chair for any desk, from standing to height-adjustable to traditional. Ergonomically designed to keep you moving—and your blood flowing—even while sitting, the Leap can be configured with different fabrics and arm types, even a headrest. Set it up as a rolling swivel chair or a stool with a footrest, complementing both standing and sitting desk configurations.
Steelcase
The Leap (starting at $940) is a great chair for any desk, from standing to height-adjustable to traditional. Ergonomically designed to keep you moving—and your blood flowing—even while sitting, the Leap can be configured with different fabrics and arm types, even a headrest. Set it up as a rolling swivel chair or a stool with a footrest, complementing both standing and sitting desk configurations.
03
HumanScale QuickStand Lite
You love the desk you already have. You and your desk have accomplished a lot together. But you sometimes wish you had a standing desk, too. The adjustable HumanScale QuickStand Lite ($600) attaches to your desk so you can raise your keyboard, mouse and display, letting you work while standing whenever you need a little extra pep.
Humanscale
You love the desk you already have. You and your desk have accomplished a lot together. But you sometimes wish you had a standing desk, too. The adjustable HumanScale QuickStand Lite ($600) attaches to your desk so you can raise your keyboard, mouse and display, letting you work while standing whenever you need a little extra pep.
04
Brother Laser Printer and Scanner
Every home office needs a printer and a scanner. It’s tough to do business without either. (Think of all those contracts you have to sign!) You need to get one that works, and one that isn’t so slow you start calling it worse names than the guy who cut you off on the freeway last week. Brother’s Wireless Compact Laser Printer and Scanner is a solid model, plus you can enable its Amazon Dash Replenishment feature that automatically ships new ink whenever you’re low.
Brother
Every home office needs a printer and a scanner. It’s tough to do business without either. (Think of all those contracts you have to sign!) You need to get one that works, and one that isn’t so slow you start calling it worse names than the guy who cut you off on the freeway last week. Brother’s Wireless Compact Laser Printer and Scanner is a solid model, plus you can enable its Amazon Dash Replenishment feature that automatically ships new ink whenever you’re low.
05
Clarus Go! Mobile Glassboard
The whiteboard in your home office is kind of worn out, no? Admit it—the only good thing about it is sniffing the markers. Mobile Glassboards by Clarus go! (price varies) look fantastic, can be wheeled around the room, and are color-customizable to match the rest of your decor, your brand, or your mood. And don’t worry, man… same markers.
Clarus Glassboards LLC
The whiteboard in your home office is kind of worn out, no? Admit it—the only good thing about it is sniffing the markers. Mobile Glassboards by Clarus go! (price varies) look fantastic, can be wheeled around the room, and are color-customizable to match the rest of your decor, your brand, or your mood. And don’t worry, man… same markers.
06
Fade Task Light
The Fade Task Light ($250) is a desk lamp that doesn’t look anything like a desk lamp. More important, you can adjust the brightness and color temperature of its LED array with a simple slide of your finger on its base. And its unique double-hinged arm, and 120 degree swivel, provides a wide variety angles and desk coverage options.
Josh Valcarcel/WIRED
The Fade Task Light ($250) is a desk lamp that doesn’t look anything like a desk lamp. More important, you can adjust the brightness and color temperature of its LED array with a simple slide of your finger on its base. And its unique double-hinged arm, and 120 degree swivel, provides a wide variety angles and desk coverage options.
07
Artifox Shelf
The Airfox Shelf ($99) is an elegantly designed, wall-mounted shelf that also happens to be a magnet. “A magnet?” you ask. “What’s the point of that?” Well, you can stick your keys to the shelf’s backboard, and they won’t fall off. Where are your keys? Right there in front of your face. Or you can use magnetized book-ends to keep your books firmly and securely in place. Or, don’t use the magnets at all. The shelves will still look great on your wall.
Artifox
The Airfox Shelf ($99) is an elegantly designed, wall-mounted shelf that also happens to be a magnet. “A magnet?” you ask. “What’s the point of that?” Well, you can stick your keys to the shelf’s backboard, and they won’t fall off. Where are your keys? Right there in front of your face. Or you can use magnetized book-ends to keep your books firmly and securely in place. Or, don’t use the magnets at all. The shelves will still look great on your wall.
08
Mohawk Recycled Paper
You want to use recycled printer paper. You really do. But recycled paper is expensive, dull-looking, and flimsy. Mohawk’s recycled paper ($15 a ream) is crisp and heavy, which means it jams less frequently and feels good to the touch. It’s bright white, which is great for color printing. And it’s just a smidgen more expensive than a ream of non-recycled paper. Give it a shot. Treebeard and his friends will thank you.
Mohawk Paper
You want to use recycled printer paper. You really do. But recycled paper is expensive, dull-looking, and flimsy. Mohawk’s recycled paper ($15 a ream) is crisp and heavy, which means it jams less frequently and feels good to the touch. It’s bright white, which is great for color printing. And it’s just a smidgen more expensive than a ream of non-recycled paper. Give it a shot. Treebeard and his friends will thank you.
09
Archer Daily Planner
Many professional writers still do their best work when writing by hand. Writing manually tends to slow you down, so you have time to think as your sentences unfold. The Archer Daily Planner ($32 a three-pack) is an old-school, written daily planner that’s been reconfigured to meet the needs of digital workers. And it’s not just for work—it aspires to be with you from breakfast to dinner, calming your brain, and reducing your reliance on technology.
The Active System
Many professional writers still do their best work when writing by hand. Writing manually tends to slow you down, so you have time to think as your sentences unfold. The Archer Daily Planner ($32 a three-pack) is an old-school, written daily planner that’s been reconfigured to meet the needs of digital workers. And it’s not just for work—it aspires to be with you from breakfast to dinner, calming your brain, and reducing your reliance on technology.
10
Toggl
Tracking hours is the worst. I once nearly quit a job at an agency because I didn’t want to log four months worth of hours I’d completely neglected. But many stay-at-home jobs require you to log your hours. Even if you don’t have to, it’s good to track your hours so you know how much time you’re putting on a project. Toggl (Free) makes tracking hours almost automatic, and can spit out a variety of simple reports to help you see where all your valuable time is really going.
Toggl
Tracking hours is the worst. I once nearly quit a job at an agency because I didn’t want to log four months worth of hours I’d completely neglected. But many stay-at-home jobs require you to log your hours. Even if you don’t have to, it’s good to track your hours so you know how much time you’re putting on a project. Toggl (Free) makes tracking hours almost automatic, and can spit out a variety of simple reports to help you see where all your valuable time is really going.
11
Lotus Bud Mindfulness Bell
If you’re like me, and you’re sitting at your desk, you’ll actually forget you’re sitting there and hours will go by and your legs will atrophy and blood clots will begin to form in your arteries and you’ll be losing years of your life like you’re smoking five packs of Kool Super Longs a day. Use the Lotus Bud Mindfulness Bell app (Free) to gently remind you to get up off your butt, or to simply take a minute to pause and breath before you jump back into the grind.
Chad Sager
If you’re like me, and you’re sitting at your desk, you’ll actually forget you’re sitting there and hours will go by and your legs will atrophy and blood clots will begin to form in your arteries and you’ll be losing years of your life like you’re smoking five packs of Kool Super Longs a day. Use the Lotus Bud Mindfulness Bell app (Free) to gently remind you to get up off your butt, or to simply take a minute to pause and breath before you jump back into the grind.
12
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless
Music. It keeps you going, especially when there’s nobody to chat with or bounce ideas off of while you’re working from home. A Bluetooth speaker is definitely the way to go, but they all look bad, sound tinny, or are just feel cheap. Not B&W’s Zeppelin ($799) system. Zeppelin has set the standard for large Bluetooth speaker design, and it sounds even better than it looks.
JOSH VALCARCEL/WIRED
Music. It keeps you going, especially when there’s nobody to chat with or bounce ideas off of while you’re working from home. A Bluetooth speaker is definitely the way to go, but they all look bad, sound tinny, or are just feel cheap. Not B&W’s Zeppelin ($799) system. Zeppelin has set the standard for large Bluetooth speaker design, and it sounds even better than it looks.
13
Plantronics Voyager Edge
The dream, of course, is to not have to deal with a hands-free headset in your office. It’s only you. Why can’t you just use your phone like a regular person? But you need to type to take notes. Your cell phone audio is awful. Jumping into the car while on a call is a mess. So yes, you need a hands-free set. The Plantronics Voyager Edge ($130) is loaded with the right features, won’t give you an earache, and can give you the hours you need for a day’s work with one full charge.
Plantronics
The dream, of course, is to not have to deal with a hands-free headset in your office. It’s only you. Why can’t you just use your phone like a regular person? But you need to type to take notes. Your cell phone audio is awful. Jumping into the car while on a call is a mess. So yes, you need a hands-free set. The Plantronics Voyager Edge ($130) is loaded with the right features, won’t give you an earache, and can give you the hours you need for a day’s work with one full charge.
14
Simply7 Sea Salt Lentil Chips
The temptation to snack while working from home is relentless. Carrots and apples are great, but sometimes you simply need to gorge on junk. Doritos and Cheetos will turn your fingers orange. Potato chips are a greasy mess. Cookies will give you a frantic sugar rush. Allow Simply7’s Sea Salt Lentil Chips ($29 a dozen) to save the day. They’re like potato chips, but slightly more healthy. They aren’t orange or greasy. And they taste good.
Simply7
The temptation to snack while working from home is relentless. Carrots and apples are great, but sometimes you simply need to gorge on junk. Doritos and Cheetos will turn your fingers orange. Potato chips are a greasy mess. Cookies will give you a frantic sugar rush. Allow Simply7’s Sea Salt Lentil Chips ($29 a dozen) to save the day. They’re like potato chips, but slightly more healthy. They aren’t orange or greasy. And they taste good.
15
Amazon Prime Account
What is Amazon Prime ($99 a year), really? Fast free shipping? Absolutely, especially when you run out of printer paper two days before a deadline. A library of music? Check, you’re getting burned out on your iTunes library, anyway. A bunch of movies and TV shows? Sure, why not stream The Wire in the background to make it feel like you have some charming officemates after all. A library of books? OK, now you’re officially slacking.
Amazon
What is Amazon Prime ($99 a year), really? Fast free shipping? Absolutely, especially when you run out of printer paper two days before a deadline. A library of music? Check, you’re getting burned out on your iTunes library, anyway. A bunch of movies and TV shows? Sure, why not stream The Wire in the background to make it feel like you have some charming officemates after all. A library of books? OK, now you’re officially slacking.
16
A Dog or Cat
Working from home can be lonely business. No water cooler chats. Nobody to grab lunch with. No real reason to get up and walk around. Aw, it sounds like you need a work buddy. So go adopt one. There’s nothing like a sympathetic ear when work gets stressful, or a companion for a quick walk through the neighborhood. (Just remember to keep them out of the room during conference calls.)
Getty Images
Working from home can be lonely business. No water cooler chats. Nobody to grab lunch with. No real reason to get up and walk around. Aw, it sounds like you need a work buddy. So go adopt one. There’s nothing like a sympathetic ear when work gets stressful, or a companion for a quick walk through the neighborhood. (Just remember to keep them out of the room during conference calls.)
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Buying Guide: 16 Essentials to Smarten Up Your Home Office