I always worked out of my office. I was a USA Club Swim coach for 6 years, so I was literally pacing a pool deck for hours a day. When I pivoting to running my own business I was in desperate need of knowing the work from home office essentials.
Over the years I have “WFH” in many different scenarios. I mean, I’ve had a newborn or been pregnant for most of my entrepreneurial journey. Through my years as a full time photographer, and running The Focus Collective. I have worked next to cribs. I’ve stuck my desk in the corner of my room. I’ve worked exclusively on a laptop, lugging it with me to coffee shops and libraries (or let’s be real, sitting in bed).
Now my kids are a little older, we’ve upgraded to a larger house and I have my own office space. While I’m still working on decorating it (with the help of my sister at Velvet Mosaic!) –
I have a few functional items that have stood the test of time as my work from home office essentials.
One of the first things I purchased for myself a virtual assistant is the Costco viral standing desk. I think they sell a different version now, but it’s still the same brand. And it was worth every penny! The top is a whiteboard, which comes in handy when I need to jot down a quick note (like remembering a file name while editing photos). And the standing feature is something that helps me stay active for the long computer hours. (Remember, I used to be an athletic coach? This was quite the rude awakening for me! haha)
Along the lines of a standing desk, another WFH must for me is a walking pad!
I got mine about 3 years ago, not sure if I would use it much. Would it be hard to type/edit? Would I actually walk on it? I used it constantly when I first got it, and it was SUCH a nice way to add activity to my day. But once I was pregnant and had SPD, a condition that made it painful to walk (so fun for me), it definitely sat there dusty for longer than I care to admit.
Another work from home Office Essential is having good pens that I love. I’m one of those girlies. I just need to have pens that write well. I keep a notepad near me while I’m working and love a good old fashioned pen+paper to-do list. Yes, I know there are apps, I’ve used them! But I keep going back to pen and paper.
Thus the need for a good pen!
I also like to have a soy candle on my desk while I’m working, for the vibes, obviously. And I am starting my collection of little trinkets that I love. From the ring & jewelry dish I got for a photo shoot prop, to the jade bust from a local rock store I picked up while boutique shopping – I have found that trinkets are a nice way to make an office feel home-y to me. What about you?
What are some work from home Office Essentials you can’t live without?
