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Although there are plenty of benefits to it, working from home can be a tough task with so many distractions at your fingertips. But curating your workspace so that it’s inviting, comfortable and clutter-free can actually help boost productivity and avoid burnout. Still, creating the ultimate office space at home can get expensive. Rather than focusing on pricey laptops, chairs and treadmill desks, in this shopping guide, we’ll focus on chic and functional under-$50 essentials that will still completely elevate your WFH life.
We’ve also included some hacks for other pitfalls of working at home, like back pain and the dreaded afternoon coffee crash. Whether you have a dedicated home office or just a small nook in your living room, these cool office supplies and more will be functional no matter the location. Get to know the most affordable items to upgrade your space and your 9-to-5 workday with our top suggestions for 2023.
LapGear Home Office Lap Desk
Besides a folding laptop stand, a lap desk is one of the most useful accessories for laptop owners working from home. That’s especially true if you don’t have a dedicated desk or like to work from your bed or sofa. This one is under $30.00 and comes in left-handed and right-handed configurations. It includes a lip to hold your laptop up, a mousepad, and a built-in phone stand.
Laopao Smart Desk Lamp
As modern and high-tech as this LED desk lamp is, it’s available for a super reasonable price and comes with endless bells and whistles. Besides the base that doubles as a wireless phone charger, some of these features include a USB charging port, a clock and an alarm. It also shows the date and temperature and features five dimmable lighting levels. Available in black and white, this smart lamp is the ultimate under $50.00 WFH essential.
Cork Rocket Desk Organizer
Will space-themed office stuff ever not be cool? This Cork Rocket Desk Organizer doubles as decor and can hold pens, pencils, and other items beneath its nose cone. The natural cork material is also an ideal place to pin reminders or photos. If you’re on the hunt for a functional office organizer that will earn compliments thanks to its eye-catching aesthetic, look no further.
Project 62
Set of 2 Paper Drawers
This under $20 set of paper drawers is a simple but sleek way to avoid desktop clutter and the stress that goes with it. If you’re the type to have piles of paper on your desk often or other knick knacks that need storing but you don’t need an entire organizational system, consider this set of two drawers by Project 62. It comes with a gold-tone hole handle that provides easy access, and the solid color design will seamlessly blend in with your existing decor.
Necktek Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager
While massage guns are certainly a tension-reducing tool for work-from-home folks to combat neck and back pain, this hands-free essential takes things to another level. It wraps around your neck, allowing for a hands-free massage. Technically, you can now do your work while getting a killer shiatsu or deep-tissue massage. With eight modes and a soothing heat function, that painful tech neck will go away in no time with this massager.
Bigso Practical Desk Organizer Set
A comprehensive organizer set for under $45.00, this three-piece set comes with a document box, organizing box, and three-drawer desk box so your workspace can always be clean and de-cluttered. Over time, you can add more coordinated products to this elegant set, which is available in canvas blue and canvas grey. Boxes feature removable lids that keep contents safe from spills, dirt and more.
Desktop Storm Cloud
Having desk decor in your work-from-home setup can help make the space more inviting. Even minimalists will appreciate this Storm Cloud figurine, which is the perfect decorative accent. A special liquid inside the leather cloud crystallizes in different patterns as air pressure changes. Made famous by meteorologist Robert Fitzroy, this barometric pressure accessory is great for science lovers and weather nerds. However, it’s also one of those chic and timeless accessories that anyone will appreciate.
Instant Mushroom Coffee With Lion's Mane
We’re not asking you to give up your usual coffee order yet, but maybe replace that second cup with this brain food alternative. Packed with organic coffee and functional mushrooms for productivity, this instant coffee mix contains half the caffeine as a regular cup of coffee. Other ingredients like Lion’s Mane provide clean, focused energy. It’ll make you more productive, and based on reviews, the flavor is delicious. A must-have WFH essential for the easily distracted.
Sonix Pedestal Magnetic Phone Stand
As much as we love the Courant MAG:2 phone stand that’s also a charger, it’s definitely a splurge purchase. For something a little more affordable, consider this magnetic phone stand which doesn’t charge your phone but looks just as stylish. If you’re working from home, you can just plug your charger in, but it’s also compatible with magnetic wireless charging disks like the Maglink Wireless Charger. It rotates and unfolds at any angle and even folds down completely flat for maximum portability.
MOFT Invisible Laptop Stand
Having your laptop at eye level can make a world of difference in reducing neck and back tension, and MOFT’s invisible laptop stands are the best way to do that. With a paper-thin construction and a unique fiberglass material and PU, it takes up no extra space and is compatible with laptops up to 15.6” wide. It comes with two adjustable angles – a low-lifting and a high-lifting mode. Reviewers found that it make typing easier, and also adjusted cameras to be at eye level for better eye contact during meetings.
Yamazaki Hidden Cable Box
If you’re sick of seeing unsightly power strips and cable cords all over your workspace and cable organizers just aren’t doing it for you, consider this minimalist Yamazaki Hidden Cable Box from West Elm. With clean, modern lines and a look that’ll fit into any existing workspace, this Japanese-inspired storage solution will help you neatly hide the chaos away and elevate your desktop while doing so.
BESTINNKITS Smart Coffee Cup Warmer Set
Ember’s smart self-heating mugs are on everybody’s wishlist, but if you happen to don’t have $149.00 lying around, invest in this much-cheaper coffee warmer set. While it comes with a ceramic coffee cup, you can also use your mugs at home thanks to the separate induction heating plate. If a hot drink keeps you going all morning or you frequently find that your coffee gets lukewarm, this warming set will make a huge difference in your day-to-day work-from-home routine.