Shop My Home Office
/This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Shopping through these links is one small way of supporting this blog, and for that - I thank you! For more information, see my disclosures here.
When I first started working from home, I had my home office setup in our living room, which I enjoyed to a certain extent, but it quickly became obvious that I needed to find a new area of our home to be able to work with fewer distractions, especially as my business continued to grow and my baby boy became more and more active.
After moving my home office up to my attic space and sharing photos online, I have had several requests to share what I have in this space and what I find to be the most useful and impactful for my home office! I hope that this can bring some great inspiration to you as you update or refresh (or establish!) your own office space at home.
To help you find some apartment office ideas, Redfin consulted me to get my advice on how to create a stylish and productive workspace – even if you’re low on square footage. Whether you’re renting an apartment in New York or a condo in Seattle, you’re sure to find a way to incorporate an office space into your apartment. Check out my tip on Apartment Office Ideas for a Stylish and Productive Workspace.
HOME OFFICE ESSENTIALS
There are some pieces that I find to be essential for my home office and that I absolutely love! Obviously, a good desk is key - but you can make your home office work even with a small table. Here are a few other items that I use at my desk and can’t imagine going without.
A Good Desk - I absolutely LOVE my minimal white desk from Ikea. It is just the right length and I love that it has a compartment at the back to hide all of the cords and cables. Plus two drawers to hide all of my extra items that I don’t want sitting on top.
Laptop Stand - I love the laptop life and being able to pick up my computer and take it with me to the couch for those days that I need some extra cozy snuggles under a blanket, but when I am sitting at my desk I want to be able to see my laptop screen at eye level so that I don’t hurt my neck from looking down for too long.
Wireless Keyboard and Wireless Mouse - With using a laptop stand, it is crucial that I have a wireless keyboard and mouse available on my desktop, since the laptop is sitting up higher. I understand that a laptop stand and wireless keyboard and mouse may not be the most necessary items to get right away, but I feel they are essential when you are consistently working from home at a desk!
Phone Stand and Charger - Another item that I have had at my desk (in an office setting and at my home office) is a standing phone holder and charger. When I was setting up my home office, I came across the beautiful wooden phone charging stand and think it is both adorable and extremely practical. I really like having my phone available for a quick glance and to know that it is staying charged while I am working.
Desk Lamp - No matter how much light you get in your office space, there are always times when it is helpful to have additional light directly at your desk. There are so many varieties of desk lamps to choose from, but I really like this rustic wooden lamp and linen shade that I found that bring a sense of comfort to my desk.
Selfie Ring Light - It’s almost a guarantee that you will need to have some video conference calls at some point and no matter how much sunlight you have in your office space, it can still be helpful to have a ring light available to make you a bit more visible for those video meetings! I have a selfie ring light on a tripod that works “ok” but it is often at an angle and still casts some shadows during video calls. I recently picked up a cell phone ring light that is rechargeable and works so well to easily place over the camera on my laptop for those video calls!
Pin Boards - Another essential at my desk is to have a pin board where I can place any information that I need to be able to glance at quickly. You can also use a dry erase board and magnets if that suits you better.
Calendar - I use my pin board to hang my paper calendar. Even though my whole life is in my digital calendar, I still like a physical reminder and to be able to see the “big picture” easily from my desk.
Office Supplies - If you are setting up your home office from scratch, you will need to consider some essential office supplies: pen cup, pens and sharpies, tape dispenser, paper clips, stapler, scissors… and the list goes on. If you already have most of these items, I would recommend rounding up a few of the essentials and place them on your desk within easy reach or in a drawer if you don’t need to use them frequently.
Printer - I know this may not seem like an essential for everyone, but even though we don’t use our printer as regularly as I may have done in years past, there are still always times that I find a need to physically print something out! Having a printer at home is much more convenient than hoping that my husband remembers to print that really important document at work and bring it home with him.
Bookshelf or Additional Storage - I used a bookshelf to store my printer and my hanging file storage. I think it looks much nicer than a genuine filing cabinet and I have several hanging file holders that allow me to store all of our important family documents, along with my business documents.
OFFICE DECOR
While you can setup a home office without extra decor pieces, a few simple decor items can really change your mood and attitude towards your work environment! I truly believe it’s important to enjoy the space you are working in, as it will make you feel more productive in the long run! Here are a few items that I have in my office space to bring in a sense of joy:
Photo Frames - I want to have photos of my husband and my son around my desk and work space to help keep me on track - they are the reason that I do what I do and work hard to be able to stay home and care for them and our household! You can find some great deals for low-cost photo frames at Target, or even browse your local thrift store and use some spray paint to make everything look cohesive!
Greens / Plants - whether you add fresh or faux, I think that greenery can really bring some “life” to an office space! Right now I have a few faux plants (so that I don’t have to worry about them dying), but would also love to hang one living plant in the corner above my printer at some point.
Blanket - Can you ever have too many blankets? I have one blanket that is designated to stay at my desk chair for those moments when I need a bit of extra warmth!
Wall Art - I am not usually very good at decorating with art and it is usually the last thing that I think of when decorating a space, but I made sure to add an inspirational piece above my desk for some extra encouragement. I also made sure to start decorating the space behind where I sit, so that my video calls with clients have a little bit of flair and they are not just looking at a boring blank wall behind my head.
Candles - One of the greatest advantages to working from home is that I can burn a candle and make the space smell and feel however I want it to smell! That was not always possible when I worked in corporate desk settings. When I was setting up my home office, I rounded up a few small candles to add to this space (and am hoping to soon replace them with some seasonal scents!).
Trash Can - Whether you want to consider it essential or decor, don’t forget about a trash can! Since my son is not often in my office area (and definitely never unsupervised), I opted for a small trash can that does not have a lid, so that it is quick and easy to reach over and throw something away. But there are also lots of cute small ones with lids for extra safety.
MY HOME OFFICE GALLERY
