My work from home necessities

Disclosure: I’m trying Amazon affiliate links. I’ll receive some sort of compensation if you purchase these items via my link. Note to concerned family: I AM NOT BROKE. I am just trying something, okay?

I’ve been working from home for over four years now and I’ve gone from detesting it to being grumpy about it to being neutral about it to begrudging acceptance to “don’t take me out of my house to work ever again.” (But I would go back if summoned.)

Here are some purchases and upgrades that helped change my mind.

OttLite – My mother is an OttLite fan, and she bought me one out of the blue. I initially didn’t want it because I have light in the office and I try my best to keep an uncrowded my desk. This little light is amazing. It’s bright but soft, it’s intense but not painful, 10/10 no notes. I have a second one for my craft area upstairs. My current model isn’t sold anymore – Link to a similar style.

Mug warmer – I had a plug in, switch on Mr. Coffee branded mug warmer for years and when that died I switched to this one. They call it a ‘gravity activated’ mug warmer, but all that means is that the weight of a mug is enough to click it on. I bought it in white, which I regret because it shows every drop of splashed coffee. Link to a similar style.

Doritos – optional, but not for me.

Desk Pad – The IKEA desk I bought in 2019 is doing well, but I don’t think it was made for everyday work. I have little chips and gouges on the desktop which cause trouble with my mouse and bubble up a bit if they come in contact with moisture. Instead of buying a whole new desktop, I bought a desk pad to give the mouse an easier time of it. Not only does it solve that problem, but I can also store slips of paper underneath of it on a temporary basis. Like checks that I deposit through the mobile app but haven’t cleared yet. Or passwords, before I moved to a password vault.

Webcam – Laptops all come with webcams, but my laptop is over five years old. The onboard camera doesn’t handle light very well and makes me look pale in a Dickensian way. This will also come in handy for when I launch my “Menopausal Gamer” Twitch channel. Link to a similar style.

Jabra UC VOICE 550 corded headphones – I am not alone in the house when I’m working, double so in the summer months, and I don’t want my zoom meetings heard throughout the house. I also want to minimize the amount of ambient Chez Russell noise that the other attendees hear. I also answer external phone calls from members and don’t want them to struggle to hear me as I yell at my laptop. That’s why I wear a headset. I always wore one when I was gaming, so it feels natural for me to wear them. I bought these refurbished in 2017 and they lasted five years, which is fantastic. They worked so well for me that I bought another refurbished pair in 2022.

I am not bullshitting you when I say that coworkers have asked me how I sound so good and professional on Zoom & Teams meetings. It’s because a dedicated microphone is always going to be better than your laptop’s onboard microphone. Trust me, I’m a communications major.

Bluetooth Speaker – You’ll see a soundbar on my desk, but that’s attached to my personal computer. I try not to run personal software on my work laptop, but I NEED some audio stimulation in my workday or else I’ll feel completely lost and alone. Solution: I have a little square Anker bluetooth speaker above my desk and stream podcasts and music from my phone for a few hours a day. I only have to charge it once every 2 or 3 weeks. Link to a similar style.

Fairy lights – I have these on the shelves above my desk. They use two AA batteries and come in two modes: white and multicolored. They’re on a 5 hour timer and add a bit of joy to my workspace. I replace the batteries every 6 weeks or so. – Link to a similar style.

Laptop shade cover – I use this when I’m working outside in the afternoon because the work laptop has a glossy screen (haaaaaaaate) and if I’m in the sun, all I see is the reflection of my own ugly mug staring back at me.

WFH bag – Most of the time I work inside, but now that I have my patio furniture I spend the first hour or two of the workday out there. I am a naturally clumsy person and a lazy person. This bag means I can carry my laptop, laptop shade, headset, phone, planner, notebook, pen, and water bottle outside in one trip without dropping any of it.

Under desk footrest – It’s just an ergonomically good thing to have. My model has various settings, but I just keep it at an incline. I was using a box for many years before upgrading. Link to similar model.

Unscented pillar candles – I see a lot of people lighting scented candles in their home offices and while I love that aesthetic especially in terrible fall and winter, in order for me to feel comfortable with a lit candle I need to be able to see it. That means it needs to live in the two feet between me and the wall behind my desk. That also excludes most scented candles which are meant to be burned in the middle of the room, not 18 inches away from my nose. The solution? Unscented candles. I buy pillar candles from Dollar Tree that are less than 3 inches in diameter and burn them in a wide mouthed mason jar. Done and done.

USB switcher – I have a desktop computer and TNP’s laptop. My monitor allows for two inputs, but I also have a wired keyboard, a wired mouse, and a webcam. After a long time of plugging and unplugging peripherals from one system to the other, I bought this switcher. Keyboard, mouse, and webcam are plugged into one side, and the desktop and laptop are plugged into the other side via basic USB-A plugs. There is a power input as well that plugs into the wall.

Laptop stand – Back when I was working from home only once a week (I think that was 2018, and my work from home day was Monday), I quickly moved from having my laptop on a stack of books to a laptop stand. It keeps the laptop cooler and provides some storage below it if you need. My stand has been going strong since 2018 but is a pain to lug around because it’s one immovable piece. The newer ones fold, which are pretty cool. If you’re looking for a one-piece like mine, here’s a similar style.

Furry friend – Absolutely priceless. If your friend is of the canine variety, they’ll require some toys to keep them occupied while you work. Might I suggest a Barkbox subscription? (referral link)

What are your go-tos to make working from home even better?

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