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Working from home comes with a lot of freedom, but chances are you’ll need to set up your office space on your own dime, and you’ll want to seek out the best work-from-home essentials for creating a workspace that promotes focus and productivity. If you’re just starting out, you may be wondering which gadgets or pieces of equipment are the most important.
First, determine whether you need a permanent or portable workstation. To set up a permanent workstation, you’ll want to shop for a desk that can accommodate all of your computer equipment (monitors, a computer tower, keyboard and mouse). There are desks that convert from sitting to standing positions, as well as desks that have storage space for housing your office supplies.
If you would rather have more flexibility in choosing where to sit down to work each day, you’ll want to invest in a portable lap desk. The lap desk should be lightweight and easy to pack in a briefcase or backpack. It’s also helpful if the lap desk has a slide-out table for your mouse.
A few other essentials that will help you work from home more efficiently include a set of wireless headphones with noise-canceling technology, a multifunctional mouse, a padded office chair and a high-quality paper shredder.
The Best Work-From-Home Essentials
1. Sentry 2.0 Phone Call Blocker
Price: $49.00
With this Sentry Phone Call Blocker, you no longer need to screen your calls. Spam calls are instantly blocked, which means you can focus on business calls that matter.
2. AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Strip-Cut Paper, CD And Credit Card Home Office Shredder
Price: $39.89
Protect your clients’ privacy with this AmazonBasics Home Office Shredder. It features a user-friendly design and can shred everything from paper to thick DVDs.
3. VIVO Black Height Adjustable 36-Inch Stand Up Desk Converter Quick Sit To Stand Tabletop Dual Monitor Riser
Price: $171.99
Increase your work productivity with this VIVO Stand Up Desk Converter. The unit requires minimal assembly, accommodates two monitors and adjusts from a sitting to standing position in one smooth motion.
4. AmazonBasics High-Back Leather Executive Swivel Adjustable Office Desk Chair
Price: $132.86
Not only is this AmazonBasics High-Back Office Chair elegant in appearance, it’s also extremely comfortable. Shoppers will find it comes in a choice of white, brown or black leather.
5. COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Bluetooth Headphones
Price: $59.99
Thanks to advanced active noise-reduction technology, these Cowin Bluetooth Wireless Headphones allow you to silence the noise around you and focus on your client’s voice during a call. The wireless headphones also sport a high-quality built-in microphone for hands-free calling, 90-degree swiveling earcups and an adjustable headband.
6. Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, Noise-Cancelling
Price: $269.00
If you’re searching for a high-tech pair of headphones, this Wireless Bluetooth Headphones set by Bose is the answer. Not only do the headphones pair instantly with any Bluetooth device, but they’re also Alexa-enabled to provide voice access.
7. Corsair K63 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Price: $181.44
If you enjoy letting off some steam after work by playing a few action-packed games, you’ll want to invest in this Corsair Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. It comes with fast connection speeds, blue LED backlighting and a 15-hour battery life.
8. VicTsing MM057 2.4G Wireless Mouse Portable Mobile Optical Mouse
Price: $8.57
Thanks to the ergonomic design of this VicTsing Wireless Mouse, you can work for hours without straining your wrists. The mouse even comes with five cursor sensitivity levels and two side buttons that allow you to page forward or page backward.
9. AICHESON Laptop Cooling Pad
Price: $19.13
Keep your laptop, notepad or tablet from overheating with this AICHESON Laptop Cooling Pad. This is the best work-from-home essential for cooling off devices up to 17.3 inches and it comes with an adjustable stand that offers four different height options.
10. MAX SMART Portable Laptop Lap Pad, Laptop Desk With Retractable Mouse Tray, Anti-Slip Heat Shield
Price: $29.49
Whether you want to work from home, the beach or a coffee shop, this MAX SMART Portable Lap Pad is an excellent buy. It’s made with a textured surface for an anti-slip grip and is outfitted with a retractable mouse tray. The pad weighs just 2 pounds and fits neatly in a backpack, which makes it perfect for setting up a workstation when you’re on the go.
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