Forget Dull Office Equipment—Here are My Favorite Home Office Items
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After years of flirting with remote work possibilities, 2020 came along and changed everything. Now, years later, many of us work from home permanently. For me, boring office equipment—at least in the traditional sense—is a thing of the past.
While I still use office equipment, most of my home office items are things that make me happy. That’s because working from home allows you to bring your personality into your workspace. For me, this means no boring filing cabinets or ugly desks.
Below, I’ve outlined all my favorite home office items, because they truly make the space somewhere I love to be.
My favorite home office equipment
Hairpin leg desk
Mac laptop stand
I love this stand because it’s canted. For some reason, laptop stands that are at a perfect right angle don’t feel as natural to use. This may work for other laptops, but it definitely works perfectly for my 16-inch Macbook Pro. (And occasionally I use it with my Macbook Air from 2014!) Mine is silver, but they come in other colors, including rose gold.
The pros:
Your laptop can finally be level with your eyes, so no more shrimp posture. And this stand doesn’t take up much desk space, so I can use it on my relatively small desk.
The cons:
I’m actually struggling to think of cons on this one—it’s one of my most-used pieces of home office equipment. It is a bit heavy and awkwardly shaped, though, so it’s not very convenient for travel. Something to consider if you often work in different locations.
USB adapter hub for Macs
If you’re a PC person, you might be rolling your eyes right about now. I get it—Macs are annoyingly niche. No universal plugs, no headphone jacks, and no USB ports. This item solves that last problem, though.
You can plug this into your Mac, and you suddenly have several USB ports for external drives, two-factor authentication, or, of course, USBs (people still use those, right?).
The pros:
These add-ons are so great for any Mac-lover who also hates this one aspect of owning a Mac. Obviously, the pros are multiple USB ports for your use at any given time. Plus, it’s lightweight and doesn’t take up much space.
The cons:
Add-ons are a bit of a hassle, because they require more desk real estate, even if it’s only a little. I don’t mind giving up the real estate, but multiple cords can be annoying. Because of the light color, this could be a dirt magnet too.
Detachable keyboard
Despite the years of abuse and dirt, I still love my keyboard. It’s basically a must-have if you have a laptop stand, because you can keep your hands low while your screen is eye-level. (In other words, no more staring at a screen a few inches from your face.)
The pros:
This keyboard is lightweight, and the keys are short, so I feel like I can type faster. And because of the neutral colors, I don’t have to worry about it clashing with my computer or my space. I also love that none of the characters have faded or rubbed off.
The cons:
Even though the neutrals are positive in some ways, the light keys also show dirt. My keys have yellowed over time too, so they’re not pristine like the photo above. I think these issues could probably be fixed with some keyboard goo—I’ve just never actually tried it.
Hairpin leg desk
This is the Danielsville desk from Wrought Studio. I got it from Wayfair, but it’s either sold out or has been discontinued.
Annoying, right? But I wanted to bring it up because this is an example of an inexpensive desk I bought, then made my own:
The original drawers had very dark wood, black hardware, and black legs. Those colors didn’t really vibe with my office, but I try to avoid waste when I can.
I painted the drawers with chalk paint I previously used to paint a dresser, meaning I now have matching furniture that really clashed before. I also spray-painted the legs gold and added new hardware.
Finally, I placed peel-and-stick wallpaper in the center cubby. (I had some leftover from a wall in my home office.) The result? I now have a desk that feels cohesive with the rest of the room.
The pros of this project:
I enjoy painting and repurposing, so this was super rewarding for me. Plus, I didn’t have to go through the guilt and struggle of selling/trashing one desk only to buy another. Finally, paint and hardware are relatively inexpensive, especially when you consider their impact.
The cons of this project:
If you just want a desk, no strings attached, this probably isn’t the project for you. I didn’t seal the chalk paint, and though it’s held up remarkably well for years, there’s some scratching on the tops of the drawers from where they’ve been opened and closed. I don’t mind, because this part is usually covered.
This also wasn’t a simple one-and-done project. I painted the legs and drawers on two separate occasions; I had to disassemble and reassemble the legs before and after painting; and the hardware was the final touch.
The tools I used
If you’re interested in doing the same project, you can find the products I used below. As far as desks, you can buy an inexpensive one like I did, or you could purchase one secondhand.
Green chalk paint - This paint color is different from the swatch online. My desk is a better representation of the final color.
Crystal hardware - I got mine from Etsy, but these are similar.
Stylish rolling chair
My office is mainly pink and green, so I wanted to break it up with something bright that also fit into the retro theme. Initially, I thought I’d find something secondhand, but in the end, I never found that perfect vintage piece.
So, when I found this chair, I decided to try it out. I’ve had issues with other roller chairs breaking right away in the past, but this one is still going strong and provides a good bit of support, too.
The pros:
First and foremost, the assembly was super easy on this thing! I am horrible at following assembly instructions, and I usually need help. I did this on my own in maybe twenty minutes.
The material is also super durable. Initially, I wanted leather or velvet, but I was concerned about wear. With this material, it’s really not something I need to worry about.
This chair is fairly affordable as well. I saved my credit card points and purchased it with those.
The cons:
A pro for me (but a potential con for others) is the height on this chair. It’s not very tall, but it was the perfect height for my desk. As with any purchase, be sure to measure furniture before you buy it.
Another con that’s totally subjective: I didn’t like the chrome. Just as I did with the desk, I spray-painted the legs gold. The paint has held up well enough, but it’s not necessarily perfect. This might be something to think about if you’re trying to match other metals in your office.
French press coffee-maker
Perhaps the most essential home office equipment—the coffee maker. I mean, need I say more?
The one I have is Sower and Seed brand, but it’s currently unavailable. Luckily, this Mira french press is a dead ringer.
The pros:
This French press holds a lot of coffee, which is great if you need more than a single serving. And because it’s metal, it’s durable. I never worry about dropping it or warming it slowly, because unlike a glass French press, it’s not in any danger of shattering.
The cons:
There are very few cons here. If you want a quick cup of coffee, a Keurig might be a better purchase. But personally, I think French-pressed coffee is the best—way better than Chemex (don’t bully me).
With that said, I do have one major con: This press isn’t super dishwasher-friendly. I’ve put mine in the dishwasher several times (oops), and the blue coating eventually started to chip. Now I just rinse it with hot water every morning, which works well, too.
Pink filing cabinet
The best for last. The pink filing cabinet was a gift from my sister, and it’s definitely one of my favorite items. Between taxes, car documents, getting married, and buying a house, I have so many papers to keep organized. For years I actually kept all my documents in a clear bag in my closet, and I would take it to the DMV and sort through papers at the desk. I’m embarrassed that I ever did that, and I’m so glad I’ll never have to do it again.
The pros:
Obviously, if you like pink, this filing cabinet is a fun, vibrant piece of home office equipment for your space. If pink’s not your thing, it also comes in black, gray, blue, and white.
Aesthetics aside, though, this sucker holds a lot of files. The drawers pull out super easily, too, so I never have to fight with it (unlike some of my dresser drawers).
The cons:
If you have sensitive files, you might want a filing cabinet that can lock. This one, while very cute, has no security options. You’ll also need to purchase filing folders separately.
Finally, the assembly. All the parts will ship to you, but you have to put it together yourself. Since this was a gift, I didn’t do it, but I heard it was… less than pleasant.
Get this pink filing cabinet >>
Conclusion
If you’re building your home office, you don’t have to fill it with sad-looking equipment; instead, you can easily integrate your personality while also buying those things necessary for any workspace.
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