Thanks to recent global events, the world has undergone a massive transition. You’d think the work-from-home movement would leave nothing but rejoicing teachers, writers, et al., but it’s left many of them in a pinch. When all you’ve known is your office, how do you adjust when you have to work from home? Lending you a helping hand, we’ve got the best advice and products to help you build an epic home office setup.
Figure out what your ideal home office setup looks like
A study done in 2020 asking working professionals and entrepreneurs about the new work from home landscape showed surprising results. 74% of professionals said they expect remote work to become standard practice in their industries. Many corporate jobs have moved to offer their employees extended remote work, and some have even implemented a permanent move company-wide.
Editors, teachers, accountants, account managers, and more have been relegated to the same fate: scrambling to perfect their home office setup. Even though the living room backgrounds may seem alike, the minds’ needs behind the screens are very different. If you’re transitioning to remote work, it’s essential to figure out precisely what you need before starting product hunting.
Having a long-term home office setup requires more than your needed equipment. Making sure that your area is ergonomically correct is a crucial point in long-lasting comfort! Taking a break from your chair to flex your legs or investing in products that can help elongate and stretch while working are important aspects to consider.
Make sure you have a dedicated space to work from home
For many, transitioning to a work-from-home setup means letting your bedroom double as your office. While this tactic may work for some, it can be detrimental to others. If you aren’t the best with boundaries, taking your job into the bedroom may not be the best thing for your productivity and mental health. For years, experts have advocated against merging your bedroom with your office, and we’d have to agree.
Having a dedicated space to work has so many pros and so little cons. It’s the ideal way to focus and up your productivity. If you’re working where you sleep, there’s a high chance that your brain can confuse your work output with your rest and relaxation time. This can make it harder to get to sleep and unwind in your private space.
If you can’t separate your bedroom from your workspace for whatever reason, there’s still something you can do. Experts recommend setting clear boundaries for when you enter and come out of your workday. Making the bed before you start to work, taking a shower to wake up, getting dressed for the day, and having a set time to put your electronics away are some of the ways you can place those invisible work/home boundaries.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the best products to create your ideal home office setup.
Best Ergonomic Desks For Home Workspaces
Sitting at your desk has always been the norm. When you’ve been commuting to and from work, walking for lunch, and stretching your legs around the office, the time you spend sitting down almost makes sense. Now that you’re working from home, your trips to the bathroom and the fridge just aren’t cutting it in terms of daily mobility.
What’s the solution? An ergonomic standing desk. Get your legs moving and your blood flowing; your body will thank you.
Amazon
1) Best affordable electric standing desk: Tangkula Mobile Standing Desk
Don’t let the price point fool you; this standing desk packs an affordable punch while bringing flexibility to your day-to-day. The Tangkula mobile standing desk has it all. It comes equiped with a surface area large enough to fit a desktop and some decorative or office essentials. Feel like you’re not much of a stationary worker? No problem. This desk is equipped with four casters, two of them lockable, to make moving into different areas of your home a cinch.
Built with a lever-controlled gas spring mechanism, this desk can go as high as 42” to as low as 27.5”. It comes in three different wood finishes to match your interior decor, and if you purchase through Amazon, you’ll be able to spend a little extra on expert assembly.
Price: $169.99
Amazon
2) Best electric standing desk for dual monitors: FAMISKY Dual Motor Adjustable Height Electric Standing Desk
This is an excellent mid-level standing electric desk. The FAMISKY Dual Motor Standing Desk comes in four beautiful wood finishes with a couple of extras on the side. No, literally, there are two hooks on either side of the desk so you can make sure you have all the essentials you need to conquer the workday!
The FAMISKY family has also made sure that you have enough space to fit all your electronics with its four size offerings. Ranging from 40 to 63 inches, this desk can accommodate up to two full-sized desktops, a laptop or tablet, and some homey decor pieces comfortably.
However, the real selling point here is the fully electric height adjustability paired with the desk’s fair price. Three preset buttons can customize your desired height from 32.87 inches to 50.20 inches. Four lockable casters also make movability easy and leave your floor scratch-free.
If you’re looking for an awesome electric standing desk at a very reasonable price, look no further than the FAMISKY Dual Motor Standing Desk.
Price: $249.99 – $329.99
Amazon
3) Best electronic standing converter desktop: Flexpro Power 40 Inch Electric Standing Desk
Here comes a heavy hitter. The Flexpro Power Electric Standing Desk will be the centerpiece of your new epic home office. What we love the most about this desk is the ability to customize the size of your purchase as it comes in 32, 36, and 40-inch sizes.
Feeling a little bit lazy while looking at your day full of standing? Flexpro makes it a little easier on you with just the press of a button. This desk is fully electric and can convert to a full standing height of 19.5” in the blink of an eye.
Another great pro to this desk is that it’s not actually a desk at all. The Flexpro is a converter that you can fit on top of your current work desk. This makes it easy to merge into your already decorated home office and allows for the possibility of transfer if you ever do make it into the actual office again.
This standing desk converter comes pre-assembled so you can get to work as soon as it arrives. Feel the fatigue slip away with your new desk converter. You’ll never want to go back!
Price: $339.99 – $389.99
Best Desk Chairs For Your Home Office SetUp
Sitting in one space for too long is never good, especially if that space is made to lounge. Your sofa, armchair, or bed might be the most comfortable options at home, but are they the smartest? Investing in an ergonomic desk chair merges comfort with practicality and helps your body in a big way throughout the day.
Amazon
1) Best rated ergonomic desk chair: Ergonomic Desk Chair
In ergonomic desk chairs on amazon, this one has been rated as the site’s bestseller. At an affordable price, this one comes in eight fun colors so that it won’t stick out like a sore thumb in your cute home office. Its high-density sponge cushion allows for an all-day comfort feel, and the rectangular middle back design provides great lumbar support.
For those that routinely need to adjust their seats, you’ll be happy to know that this chair comes with a heavy-duty stable base and allows for 360-degree movement. As well, this office chair comes with 360-degree swivel casters for multi-tasking convenience. Height is adjustable up to 3.5 inches up or down.
Price: $49.88
Amazon
2) Best mid-price ergonomic desk chair: Modway EEI-757-BLK Articulate Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair
A little higher up on the price point comes the EEI-757 Articulate Ergonomic Chair from Modway. This little ray of sunshine comes with ergonomic and lumbar support, a breathable mesh back, and a six-inch thick mesh seat cushion. Style isn’t lost on this multi-purpose chair, as it comes in various colors ranging from standard black to vibrant green!
Adjusting is made easy with this fully functional chair. You can expect adjustable armrests, one-touch chair height adjustment, 360-degree swivel, and a tilt and lock system. For those customers who are a little less hands-on, amazon offers an expert assembly option at a cost so you can sit back and relax while your new chair is built.
All in all, this is an excellent option in the mid-range price point for any home office!
Price: $165.99
Best Work From Home Standing Desk Mats
Believe it or not, these things really do work. Sometimes it takes a couple of pieces to complete the puzzle, and the same goes for creating your perfect home office. A standing desk will help combat work fatigue, but think of this work mat as your booster pack. Introducing a standing mat into your workspace can help elongate your spine, slow the oncoming fatigue, and comfort your feet all day long. It’s a win-win situation!
Amazon
1) Best reviewed standing anti-fatigue mat: Sky Solutions Anti-Fatigue Mat
Have you ever wanted to stand on a cloud? Well, now’s your chance! The Sky Solutions Anti Fatigue Mat has received thousands and thousands of rave reviews. According to the product description, the soft foam core used in this mat reduces stress on your knees, muscles, and joints by 32%. It relieves spinal pressure and reduces lower back pain while promoting subtle muscle movement that increases blood flow to keep you standing alert and strong.
Coming in hot with ten different colors and patterns, this mat will be far from a boring addition to your daily routine. The mat’s sleek and virtually poreless surface is quick and easy to clean. Feel like you need a little extra surface coverage? No problem. This anti-fatigue mat comes in three different sizes to ensure your feet are supported no matter where you step.
If you’re looking for the best, most comfortable way to combat standing fatigue, this is the way to go.
Price: $37.99 – $89.99
Amazon
2) Best PU leather anti-fatigue mat: Anti Fatigue Mat Floor Kitchen Mat
Variety matters, so here’s another great Anti-Fatigue Floor Mat; this time brought to you by FEATOL. This mat isn’t just meant for your home office; it’s a great addition to any home space that requires extended amounts of standing. If you’re thinking of throwing one in the kitchen, you’ll be pleased to hear that it is completely water-resistant and mess-free.
This mat comes in two sizes and three colors. With not as many options as its above competitor, what’s the draw? Well, this mat is constructed from 9/10 inch advanced comfort PU foam, which combines the advantage of gel and memory foam for the best cushioning experience. The leather top also ensures that the floor mat surface will not be out of shape with use and is highly resistant to punctures and tears.
Visually, the mat sports long tapered edges that seem to hug the floor, but it’s not just for looks. These low-angle edges taper to the floor and provide a better grip for the mat so that it’s not easily movable.
Price: $26.76 – $33.99
Best Printers For Your Work From Home Setup
Amazon
1) Best printer for saving money on ink: HP Envy 6055 All-in-One Printer
What the HP Envy 6055 All-in-One Printer wants to do for you is make your office life more manageable. It has all the essential features that you now deem standard for shopping, like printing, copying, and scanning in color. It also has an automatic 2-sided printing feature, can print borderless photos, and connects with mobile and wireless printing.
While those features are great, they’re already expected. Where this printer outshines the rest is in its intuitive thinking and awesome backing program. There are no more connectivity issues here; the HP Envy 6055 comes with “self-healing” dual-band Wi-Fi that can recover from common connectivity issues and connect on either a 2.4 or 5 GHz band network.
Hate running out of ink? It seems like HP may have solved that issue with its HP Instant Ink Program. You can opt in to receive replacement cartridges automatically based on the number of pages you print. And, if you purchase through Amazon, you’ll receive six bonus months of free instant ink.
This hassle-free printer has your back when it comes to delivering quality products and taking care of the little things.
Price: $139.89
2) Best all-in-one printer: Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7820
The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7820 is a force to be reckoned with. This all-in-one inkjet can handle printing, copying, scanning, and faxing, all wirelessly. As well, you won’t need to run to your local printing shop for any unusual requests. Wide-format pieces up to 13×19 are no problem for this device.
Innovative heat technology stops this printer from overheating after or during, a big job. With a 50-sheet automatic document feeder and a 250-page paper capacity inside, as well as a print speed of 25 pages per minute, it looks like you might need it.
A 4.3″ color touchscreen for quick navigation and control makes it easy to select and view all your options. Set up is made easy with its convenient and wireless mobile offering that pairs via Bluetooth for those days when you might be on the go again.
If you find that you need a heavy-duty printer that can handle large tasks, and maybe some unconventional ones, this Epson WorkForce Pro Printer is the one for you.
Price: $329.99