15 home office necessities that will make working easier

Working from home sounds like a dream come true for many people, but it can come with various challenges. From organizing to comfort, our homes aren’t always ergonomically correct to support daily work. That’s why we gathered 15 items that will elevate your personal space into the ideal working environment.

1. Gel memory foam wrist rests for your mouse pad and keyboard. The lightweight, comfortable, durable, and skin-friendly items, provide extra support, bounce back slowly, and they are not easy to get out of shape. They are ideal for longer hours of use.

The non-skid rubber base provides heavy grip preventing sliding or unwanted movement. After years of statistics, 1.2 inch high of foam wrist rest is found to be the most suitable height.

Promising review:

• The keyboard cushion is actually really quite tall, so I think I’ll need something to adjust my keyboard to be a bit higher to make this feel better. The mouse pad cushion feels perfect though! I appreciate not having the ball of my palm resting against a hard surface all day long. This also isn’t sliding around on the desk.
  These cushions have a great memory foam feel but not so much that they are very sensitive to the touch, they mostly keep their shape. I think the royal blue color is nice and adds a nice accent color to my desktop, but hopefully will be easy to keep clean. I have one of these as a mouse pad at work, and it shows a lot from your regular usage, but at this point I’m just happy to have happier wrists! @UAstudentn

Buy this item on AMAZON here

2. Memory foam cushion that offers relief from lower back, coccyx, and sciatica pain. It evenly distributes weight to reduce pressure. It is made with premium memory foam and contours to your bottom using body heat, while never flattening.

The U-shaped cutout promotes proper spinal alignment and improves posture. You can use it as a car seat cushion, donut seat cushion, for office chairs, airplane seats, and tailbone pillow.

Promising review:

• Absolutely perfect! The way it’s curved is supportive and comfortable. It’s a surprisingly soft material, much nicer than I expected. It’s got a lovely non-slip backing, which will be nice when going out to restaurants. This is a must for me, it’s essentially my new security blanket after my L5 herniated disc surgery. I have EDS and degenerative disc disease, so I need good quality products to help manage my chronic pain.
  I am 100% satisfied and may get a few more just so I don’t have to carry the one throughout the house and everything I go out. I use it at my office chair and even when I’m at my vanity applying makeup. I will be taking it with me whenever I go out now too! @Meridith

Buy this item on AMAZON here

3. Adjustable desk that allows you to work sitting down and standing up. The height adjustments range from 28.9″ to 46.5″, at a speed of 1″ per second, with low noise. The eco-friendly 48″ x 24″ desktop offers a roomy setup, where even two desktops can fit.

A 6-button controller with 4 programmable memory presets lets you set 4 desired desk heights for convenient switching. The steel frame combined with a solid desktop allows for a total weight of 132 lbs.

Promising review:

• It was easy to assemble this desk. Conveniently, I got the tools I needed with the package and the instructions were pretty good. The quality is great for the price and it feels sturdy. The motors are quiet, and it raises and lowers smoothly and well.
  They provide a nice trap for wire management, as well as convenient hooks on either side for hanging headphones or whatever else. The USB port on the console is convenient to boot. @Jim Brewer

Buy this item on AMAZON here

4. Monitor memo boards that you can stick on the left and right edges of your monitor as daily organizers. The transparent acrylic is durable, simple, stylish, lightweight, easy to use, and is not easy to fall off or break. Also, it is waterproof and dirt-resistant.

You only need to peel off the protective film on the surface of the computer side board memo, wipe off the dust on the edge of the computer monitor, and then stick it. It should not be directly pasted on the computer screen but on the black edge of the screen.

Promising review:

• Just like the pictures, it sticks to the edge of the monitor to add extra room for sticky notes so you’re not putting it directly onto the monitor. It’s the perfect size for adding them to the left, right, and top of the screen for added surface area. @Megan Hubiak

Buy this item on AMAZON here

5. Portable label maker that prints 1 or 2 lines of text on labels up to 12 mm wide. This durable printer creates laminated thermal transfer labels. It has a built-in memory that can store up to 15 labels and includes one-touch keys that allow easy access to fonts, sizes, styles, and frames.

It features 3 fonts, 14 frames, and more than 250 symbols plus an easy-view graphical display for precise preview before printing. It works with 6 AAA batteries or an AC adapter that are not included in the package.

Promising review:

• I used this when pumping to label my breast milk pouches, and it made it easy. I also use it to label my Pyrex containers with name/dates when freezing foods. The labels stay stuck pretty well but also don’t leave any adhesive behind when removing which I love.
  There are a lot of text and size options for the labels. Easy to figure out how to use and refill. Buttons are a little small but never gave me much trouble. I like the soft feel of the keyboard, and the handheld size is great. @Julia Crabtree

Buy this item on AMAZON here

6. White noise machine with rechargeable battery, 21 soothing sounds, customized timers, various volume levels, child-lock for safety, and even memory functions. It is built with a 1800mAh battery, which means it’s much more durable than similar products.

Just turn it on to create a peaceful sleep environment to help a crying baby calm down and stay asleep. Choose from selected 21 soothing sounds, including classic white noise sounds, to baby lullabies and nature sounds.

Promising review:

• This was such a great addition to our bedtime routine. The sound selection is great, the battery life is substantial, and the size is perfect to carry around when traveling. This is great in helping our son fall asleep at night, it also helps alleviate outside noise. This sound machine is life changing, I didn’t realize how much I needed it for myself. @Danielle Figueroa

Buy this item on AMAZON here

7. Tree-shaped bookcase with an attractive vintage appearance and functional design. It is very compact and comes with 7 open shelves and 1 bottom drawer. Each shelf can load up to 5–10 books. It is also made with raw materials.

The bookcase comes with clear and detailed instructions, numbered parts, and an L-shaped Allen wrench for assembly. The shelves can easily be cleaned with a wet rag.

Promising review:

• Very impressed with this shelf! Very, very nice quality of wood with a nice grain, packaged safe, and very easy instructions to follow. I would like to add that I would use an Allen wrench instead of a screwdriver because this shelf used a lot of Allen wrench screws, and it can be hard on your fingers. But other than that it was great! It will be a great addition to my room. @Jelly

Buy this item on AMAZON here

8. Plastic wastebasket that offers an elegant metallic style that matches any home décor. Its compact size makes it easy to fit anywhere, including offices, bathroom, and bedrooms. It is very durable and as a capacity of 9 quarts.

It is very easy to clean and doesn’t feature a lid. The materials it’s made of are so durable that the wastebasket will last you for years upon years of continuous use.

Promising review:

• Fits perfectly between toilet and sink. Perfect size unless you’re lazy and don’t empty it often. Works great. @Hal

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9. Ergonomic chair desk designed to provide comprehensive assistance for your head, back, hips, and arms. It is suitable for people of about 5’5″ to 6’2″. You can easily adjust all the separate parts of the chair. It offers a spacious seating area, accommodating various body types.

It can support up to 330 lbs. Its unique recline function allows you to tilt the backrest up to 120^o. It is made of high-quality materials and has a sturdy 5-point bottom metal base to ensure strength and stability.

Promising review:

• It took me 2 days to receive this chair. Because I didn’t have time to install it, I didn’t expect it to be so easy to install. It only took 10 minutes to complete it!
  It’s a pretty good product. The height can be adjusted, the back is designed to be breathable, and the wheels are very flexible. All in all, it’s very comfortable to sit on and work on! @Ben zheng

Buy this item on AMAZON here

10. Desk lamp that clips on your desk and offers cool light, warm light, nature light, and 10 brightness levels, from 10%-100% for each lighting mode. It doesn’t flicker, has no glare, no ultraviolet rays, and it is eye-friendly. The clamp has a scratch-resistant foam that opens up to 5cm.

The 360° flexible gooseneck helps you read anything from anywhere. It can be set to turn off automatically after 1 minute. This way you can go to bed in safety without worrying about being in a pitch black space.

Promising review:

• This works wonderfully as a book light you can clip to a headboard or nightstand. I really appreciated being able to change the warmth of the light and brightness. Much of the time, I just like using it as nice ambience light at bedtime. Could also definitely be used as a ring light. @Sydney

Buy this item on AMAZON here

11. Electric pencil sharpener that allows for 4x longer cutting life sharpening than your average sharpener. Its motor is very powerful and can fit on even the tiniest desk. You won’t have to clean out your shavings tray often as it has a high capacity and can handle lots of pencil shavings.

When the tray is removed, no need to worry about the sharpener operator. Unless the tray is engaged, the pencil sharpener will not run. This is just the perfect tool for families with kids, professionals, and students.

Promising review:

• Sped teacher here. This sharpener is awesome, slightly loud for my sensory overload kids, but it sharpens very well, quickly, and doesn’t over sharpen (our main struggle). It’s also easy to empty and doesn’t take up too much space. Win! @CCM08004

Buy this item on AMAZON here

12. Home paper shredder that shreds up to 6 sheets of paper at one time into tiny pieces. It also destroys document and credit cards without plastic film. It can continuously shred about 100 sheets of paper for 3 minutes. It may overheat, but will automatically shut down if that happens.

This shredder will stop working once you lift the head. It comes with portable handle design, and you can place it in the corner or under the desk. Do not spray or keep any aerosol products in or around the shredder.

Promising review:

• I never expected that it be so compact, as I had some big one before, it just fit under my side work table and I used it for around 20 pages in total, it really cut and diced it so well. I have not yet tried plastic cards. My previous one broke because I pushed card with chip on it and it broke. So, I will be cautious of doing it this time. @Rajendra Yesare

Buy this item on AMAZON here

13. Vertical ergonomic mouse that is a great fit for small to medium right hands. It features a softly textured grip and snug thumb rest for level-above coziness. The vertical shape promotes a more natural posture in the forearm for day-long comfort and productivity.

The cordless mouse features easy-to-reach customizable buttons, whisper-quiet clicks, and a smart wheel for smooth, seamless scrolling. You can connect it via Bluetooth and enjoy a 2-year-long battery.

Promising review:

• I really like this mouse. It’s easy on my hand and I like the soft click. The description says that it’s for small to medium hands, but I wear large men’s gloves and I find it to be a perfect size. Its smaller size allows me to pack it in the laptop bag.
  It’s powered by a battery, so if you are used to a chargeable unit, that might be a pain for you. But thus far, it has not been a problem for me. @Old Vermonter

Buy this item on AMAZON here

14. Balance ball chair that creates micromovements on your body and engages both your mind and body. It is designed for users 5 feet to 5 feet 11 inches tall and fits most standard height desks. For a taller chair, add 2 inches with the leg extenders. The chair has a weight capacity of 300 pounds.

The package includes the removable 52 cm exercise ball, chair base, support bar, metal ball holder, 4 easy-glide caster wheels (2 lockable), air pump, and desktop exercise guide.

Promising review:

• I’ve had the ball chair for about a month now, I really like it! I thought it would be helpful but didn’t expect to like it this much, and it has helped a lot with my back. I’m not sure about the physics behind it, but it has helped my back not lock up or tighten up so much after a long day of sitting. I measured out my work station at home to get a feel of where my old chair and desk were at, compared to the height of the ball chair, and I would recommend people to do the same looking to buy this chair.
  I will say that the wheels are mediocre, but I don’t mind that at all really. It’s nice that you can just start stretching your back even while on the ball chair too, very comfortable. This was definitely a good buy and good price for it. @A. M. Green

Buy this item on AMAZON here

15. Foot rest you can place under your desk and adjust it to your preferable height. It is endorsed by chiropractors and offers long-lasting support, better posture, and relief from lumbar, back, and leg pain. Its high quality maintains its shape and firmness over time and won’t flatten out.

It offers a double-sided non-slip bottom that helps the rest stay put and not slide around on the floor. To clean it, simply remove its velvet cover and toss it in the washer. You’ll notice the difference after using this in a very short amount of time.

Promising review:

• Got this as a gift for someone who needs to elevate their feet. I like that we can move this from chair to chair, depending on what room they’re in. It’s soft and supportive, but lightweight enough for anyone to move it. Even the dog likes to rest on it! It doesn’t slide around and that’s helpful. @stopbuyingcrap

Buy this item on AMAZON here

With remote work taking our world by storm, finding the right tools and gear is essential to make our home an effective office. Either it’s things that help you organize your space or gadgets that provide comfort, Amazon offers a multitude of options.

Bright Side gets commissions for purchases made through the links in this post. Reviews may have been edited for length and clarity.