9 Things You’ll Need for Your Home Office

When you begin to set up an office setting in your home, one of two things will usually happen. Most people either underestimate or overestimate what they are going to need to create an efficient and comfortable office space in their home. But with more people than ever before now working from home indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has never been more crucial to know what you need to set up a great home office space that helps you get through the working day at home. We’ve put together a checklist of the main essentials that most people include in their home office. For your office, some might be must-haves and others will be nice-to-haves.

Computer or Laptop

If you do not have one already, or want to get a new one for work, a computer or laptop is going to be an essential for most people. Few, if any, people who work or run their own business from home would be able to do it without a computer. Spend some time researching different options to find one that meets your needs. A desktop computer can be a good choice if you are going to work exclusively from your home office, while a laptop might be more ideal for you if you plan to work elsewhere or need something that you can use on-the-go.

Second Monitor

Whether you have a desktop or laptop computer in your office, a dual monitor set-up can make things much easier for you. You can either connect two monitors to your desktop PC or plug an additional monitor into your laptop for a second screen. With a second screen, you won’t do quite as much moving in between tabs and it’s easy to have one screen open for communication with clients or your colleagues and the other for the tasks you need to complete.

Desk

If you are worried about the health risks of sitting at a computer desk to work all day, a sit-stand desk might be an ideal workspace will have enough room for a traditional desk in order to create a workstation at home that is ergonomically correct. However, if you’ve not got the space, you might want to consider smaller desks that are designed from working from home, such as ladder desks. If you are worried about the health risks of sitting at a desk to work all day, a sit-stand desk might be an ideal option for you as this allows you to stand up periodically throughout the day to minimize the risks of sitting for long periods, without having to take a break from your work.

Desk Chair

It’s hard to find a relaxing and comfortable chair Get yourself an Ergonomic Chair at Ergo Tune. One of the most important things to invest in when setting up your home office is the desk chair. Choosing the right desk chair is crucial for your comfort and health as one that does not offer the right support might leave you feeling uncomfortable and even in pain just a couple of hours into the working day. It is a good idea to test the chair out before you decide to buy it, as your personal comfort and ergonomics might be different to that of somebody else, so don’t take the product description’s word for it. You can also find out more about how to sit properly at Branch Furniture. Branch Furniture offers a range of ergonomic office furniture along with advice on how to sit properly with correct posture to minimize discomfort and make your working day easier.

Fast Internet Access

Today, whether you are running your own business or working for an employer at home, it’s important to have high-speed internet access. Chances are that a lot of the work that you will be doing at home will be based online, with more businesses than ever before using cloud applications and storage. If you’re going to work efficiently online, you’ll need a fast broadband connection that can handle you working along with anybody else in the house who might be using it at the same time.

Lighting

The right lighting is crucial in your home office as the last thing that you want is eye strain after a long day of working in a dimly lit room. Whatever kind of work you do, the right lighting can make all of the difference when it comes to creating a comfortable, productive workspace in your home. Ideally, you should be able to place your desk underneath a window to get as much natural light as possible. But when this is not an option, use spotlights and other bright lighting options to illuminate your workspace and avoid issues like eye strain and headaches.

VoIP Phone

Many people who work from home need a way to communicate with their colleagues, customers or clients. Having a traditional telephone in your home office can be a good way to do this, but VoIP phones are becoming more popular and may be a more convenient option if there is no phone line connection in the room that you’re going to be using for work. A VoIP phone will allow you to make calls over the internet and is often much cheaper than a traditional landline in terms of set-up and running costs.

Surge Protector

Many people have a lot of different electronics plugged in at their home office at any one time. With PCs, monitors, speakers, telephones, Wi-Fi extenders, lights, and everything else that you might need plugged in, it’s a wise idea to get a surge protector for all those sockets. While this is an item that is often overlooked, it could be the difference between whether or not your electricity surges and you experience a power cut at home when working.

Printer

Depending on the type of work you do or business that you run, a printer might be an essential for your home office. Even if you don’t use it on a regular basis, it is always a good thing to have in the home anyway. You might want to invest in a multi-purpose printer that also offers scanning and photocopying features.

With more people than ever before working from home, a list of home office essentials will help you put together an office space that is efficient and works well for you.

Wall

If you are on a tight budget you can buy a few stencils and decorate your walls that way.