Check Out These Must-Have Home Office Accessories
There are many small business owners that fully operate from their homes. Add to that the recent growth of remote workers because of the pandemic and the number has increased exponentially. And this highlights the need to get the right home office accessories so you can be just as efficient as working from the office.
The right home office accessories for you will probably differ greatly from what another person needs. However, there are some key items the vast majority of people will need to work remotely in today’s digital ecosystem.
If you have these home office accessories you can manage your workflow and communicate in a comfortable environment. And as you continue to work more from your home office, you can add or remove items based on your experience to be even more effective. The items on the list are in addition to core items such as computers, printers, office supplies, filing cabinets, etc.
Here are the home office accessories you will need to build a solid foundation for your remote working capabilities.
Home Office Accessories
- Top Pick: ApexDesk Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk
- Runner Up: Gabrylly Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair
- Best Value: ViewSonic 38” WQHD+ UltraWide Curved Monitor
ApexDesk Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk
Top Pick: While traditional desks will do the job, a standing desk with adjustable height gives you more options. The ApexDesk can go from 29” to 49” with a push of a button so you can either sit or stand.
At 71” wide it has one of the largest surfaces in the market, which allows you to place up to three monitors on top of it. The standout features of the ApexDesk include dual motors, 225 pounds of load capacity, four programable presets buttons, and a cable tray on a heavy-duty steel frame.
The unit comes in at 71 x 33 x 50 inches and weighs 160 pounds.
Gabrylly Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair
Runner Up: Standing up for a portion of your day while you work is healthy, but you also have to sit down. When you do, the Gabrylly Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair is a solid product, and you don’t have to take out a loan to get it.
The Gabrylly chair provides 4 supporting points (head/ back/ hips/ hands) along with proper lumbar support. The armrest can fold up so you can go under the table more easily using the polyurethane mute wheels on the sturdy five-pointed base.
The dimensions including the arms are: 25.6″W x 22″D x 45.3″-54.9″H and the seat dimensions are: 20″W x 19.3″D x 18.5″-22.05″H. The load capacity is 280 pounds and a recline function can tilt the backrest back (90 – 120°) or sit straight.
ViewSonic 38” WQHD+ UltraWide Curved Monitor
Best Value: If you are going to be on your computer for hours on end every day, having a large monitor will make you much more efficient. Not to mention it will ease the strain on your eyes.
The 38” ViewSonic WQHD+ UltraWide curved monitor is not too big, and the form factor is ideal for viewing the entirety of the screen. At (3840x1600p) and 60Hz refresh rate, the SuperClear IPS monitor delivers 100% sRGB, HDR10, and 14-bit 3D LUT color calibration for video and graphics.
When it comes to connectivity a single cable will let you plug in peripherals like USB drives and mice with the USB hub using the 3.1 Type C port. Additional ports include HDMI 2. 0 with HDCP 2. 2 and DisplayPort inputs.
obVus Solutions Adjustable Laptop Tower Stand
Today’s laptops are just as powerful as many desktops and for many people, it is their preferred method of computing. If you happen to be one of those people, the obVus Solutions adjustable laptop tower stand will let you achieve the best viewing angle whether you are sitting or standing.
Designed in the U.S., this is a multiple award-winning form factor that is functional with a sleek and modern design. You can adjust the stand to an ergonomically set up between 2 to 21 inches in height.
The obVus stand is made from solid aluminum and it can hold laptops between 10 and 17 inches. And at 12.4 x 11.93 x 2.76 inches and only four pounds it is light enough to move around.
obVus Solutions Adjustable Laptop Tower Stand, Reduce Back and Neck Pain, Designed in the USA
Belkin 12-Outlet Pivot-Plug Power Strip Surge Protector
Some of the more important equipment in a home office are plugged into an outlet. From your computer to your printer, router, charger, and other peripherals, they all need power. If you don’t protect them with the right surge protector, you can potentially lose them with a power spike or sudden outages.
The Belkin power strip surge protector can handle up to 4,320 Joules of surge, which translates to 4.3 kilowatts. And it has 6,000 volts of maximum spike voltage. Some of the other features include 12 AC outlets, an 8-foot heavy-duty cord, 1-in-2-out RJ11 telephone or fax protection, and coaxial cable protection.
Belkin 12-Outlet Pivot-Plug Power Strip Surge Protector, 8ft Cord(4,320 Joules)
APC 1500VA UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector
A UPS battery backup system also has a surge protector, but you are not going to plug all your peripherals on it. The APC battery will keep some of your devices running until the power comes back on or turn them off properly.
This unit is a 1500VA/865W backup battery power with up to one hour and 13 minutes of runtime at 100 watts. It includes 10 outlets to plug your devices, however, only five of the outlets have surge protection.
Backed by APC’s 3-year warranty and a $150,000 connected equipment policy, the company provides one of the best protections in the industry.
Linksys AX4000 Smart Mesh Wi-Fi 6 Router
Internet connection is the lifeline for home offices and anyone working remotely. And a powerful router is key to ensuring you have coverage in every square foot of your home. The Linksys AX4000 is a smart mesh Wi-Fi 6 router capable of delivering speeds up to 4.0 Gbps. And it does this covering up to 5,400 square feet and 80 devices with two nodes.
With Wi-Fi 6 you can send and receive multiple streams of data at the same time at up to three and a half times more Wi-Fi capacity. And if you want to increase your coverage, you can add another node and make the mesh larger.
Additional Home Office Accessories
As mentioned previously, the needs of your home office accessories are uniquely your own. And as you gain more experience working from home, you will find new devices, solutions, and services so you can be more productive.
Here are some other items not on the list:
Noise-canceling microphones and headphones: If you are in a household with kids, roommates, or pets, noise-canceling headphones are a must. They can make your space more tolerable while you are working or talking to colleagues and customers.
Charging station and/or wireless charger: This will ensure the devices you need to charge have one place to make it happen. And with a wireless charger, it is one less thing you have to plugin throughout the day.
Wireless keyboard and mouse: Peripherals without wires will make your desk clutter-free. And this has many benefits in addition to being more convenient.
Standalone microphone and webcam: If you are in many video conferences, consider a standalone microphone and webcam. While the cameras and microphones that come with laptops and some monitors are OK, they have limitations. You will get a much better image and sound with these cameras and microphones.
Bluetooth speakers: Again, a wireless peripheral will make your life much easier. And with today’s Bluetooth connectivity, you won’t notice any loss in sound quality.
Other Office Items
If you are going to spend eight hours or more working in your home office, you will need other items to make it more comfortable.
Consider placing plants, artwork, a couch, and a coffee/espresso machine to make the space your own. A blanket, water bottle, stress ball, and candles can make your office a nice place to work in.
While you are at it, don’t forget to get the best lighting possible for your space. If you don’t have access to natural light such as a basement, quality lighting becomes even more important.
Just keep looking for ways to make your environment as pleasant as possible because you are going to spend many hours in there.
Addressing the Challenges of Remote Work
Beyond establishing a space where you can work remotely in your home, there are additional challenges you are going to face. This will depend on the industry you are in and the equipment and infrastructure you will need to carry out your tasks.
Connectivity is a big issue, and you must have a system of redundancy in place so you can continue to work if one system fails. This means getting a cable, DSL, or satellite connectivity along with a mobile internet service. With this type of system in place, you can continue to work if the service with one system is interrupted.
Another infrastructure-related issue is power. While you might not have power outages where you live, a battery backup system is absolutely essential. At the very least it will allow you to turn off your device properly (if you are on a desktop). If the battery is big enough you can connect your routers for your connection and continue working until the power comes back on.
When it comes to devices, having a desktop and laptop is another form of redundancy. If the power goes out or your desktop has issues, you can fire up your laptop and continue to work on it.
The key is to create a space in your home where you are comfortable and be able to continue working. And in order to make this possible, you need the right home office accessories as well as processes in place if something should arise.
At the end of the day, the setup you create should address all of your work challenges to make you productive. Similarly, the things you surround yourself with can also make your environment more enjoyable.
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Images: Amazon
This article, "Check Out These Must-Have Home Office Accessories" was first published on Small Business Trends
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