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The world of work is a very different place after the past year. Many of us have been forced to work from home and have been pleasantly surprised at how nice this can be. Some will be desperate to get back to the office and a little human interaction.

I’ve been self-employed and working from home for some time so it wasn’t too much of an adjustment. The hardest part for me was then sharing my sanctuary with two children and a husband!

In the time I’ve been working for myself I’ve realised there are some things every home office should have. If you’re wondering how people manage to work from home long term and enjoy it? Or if you want to make your office space more productive. These are some examples of essential office supplies. A home office setup checklist to get the most from your home and yourself if you decide this change will be part of your life permanently.

Desk or table

It sounds obvious but having enough space on your desk and an office chair makes a big difference to how calm you feel. I often think the best desks to buy are actually the size of a small dining table, usually called a bench desk. You can spread out your work, get creative and feel less overwhelmed.

Alternatively, for those of you who are short on space, Gopak folding tables are ideal as they too provide ample space but can be folded away at the end of the working day, allowing you to make the most of your space.

Office chairs

Supportive office chairs are a must-have. Make sure whatever you choose is adjustable and go for practicality over the latest trend. You are looking after your back with this purchase so it’s important to choose well and invest with this item. Remember you will be sat in this for many hours so it should be comfortable and keep you in the correct posture.

Stay safe

Especially when working with clients or with client data, it's important to protect your computer and internet connection. That's why you should consider using a VPN to protect yourself from malicious content, hackers, and the like. To learn more about this I'd recommend visiting VPNcheck. They hired top industry experts to do in-depth reviews of all the VPNs so you can easily find the one that is best for you.

Laptop accessories

If you are working from a laptop, great products to use alongside these are a wireless mouse and keyboard. Typing and scrolling for long periods on a laptop keyboard and mouse can become painful and feel restrictive.

Monitor

The best investment I’ve made for my home office is definitely my computer monitor. I use an Acer one and I wouldn’t be without it. It’s so much clearer and easier to get on with things, you can use your laptop as a second screen and then move tabs on to that smaller screen when you’re not working on them.

Accessories

Depending on the type of work you do these extras might come in handy.

Ring lights are brilliant for those who spend a lot of time on video calls like Zoom. I love the type which slot on to the top of your screen.

If you are sharing a work from home space with children or other adults then you will need a set of decent headphones with a microphone.

I personally get headaches from time to time when I’m having quite heavy work weeks. I find that blue light glasses take the edge of this and strain my eyes less. Make sure you get some with yellow lenses. The clear ones which look much sexier unfortunately don’t have much effect!

If you have an Amazon Alexa did you know you can use this in your office to help with organisation and focus.

A final tip is that if you sit opposite a window the light can also sometimes be another source of eye strain, so you may need to purchase some blinds.

Overall, think about how you will spend your time in that space. It might not always be at a desk. Popular additions could be a comfy chair for thinking things through or taking a break. Plus our tea and coffee station always gets a lot of use!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, however all opinions are 100% our own.