Like most of the world, Gear Patrol is currently working from home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Not all of us have dedicated home offices, instead refashioning our dining table or bedroom corner into a makeshift workplace. Even though these “offices” are inside our home, they can start to feel detached. If you’re looking to spruce up your home office to be more personal, here are 25 products to get you started.
Delfonics Rollbahn Notebook
Delfonics, a Japanese stationery brand, makes a great array of notebooks, pens and other desk essentials. The Rollbahn notebook, named to sound like a European stationery brand, is in a league all its own. We love the perforated pages, the 70 GSM yellow-hued paper and the assortment of colors the books come in.
Flock Foods Chicken Chips
We miss our office snacks. Satisfy your salt cravings with these keto-friendly fried chicken skins, available in flavors like BBQ and salt and vinegar.
Hasami Porcelain Mug
We rave about East Fork’s mugs all the time, but sometimes they’re a little hard to come by (though their presale option, which makes it easier to scoop up as many as you want, just went live). Hasami Porcelain’s mug is just as well-crafted, but much easier to find.
Hay Bottle with Cork Stopper
Keep a bottle of water by your side to stay hydrated throughout the day. Hay’s bottle design is more sophisticated than a Brita pitcher, and popping off the cork stopper is foreshadowing what’s about to go down at happy hour.
Glencairn Whiskey Glass
Once the clock strikes 5, whip out a Glencairn glass (our favorite whiskey glass) and pour yourself a dram.
Sri Lanka Print by Chris Delorenzo
For our Journey art print series, we worked with photographers to get shots like this one taken in Sri Lanka. You’re not going on vacation any time soon, so bring a bit of the outdoors inside.
Yamazaki Tower Deskbar
Clutter can really dampen the mood. Yamazaki’s Tower Deskbar will keep your paperclips, phone and other miscellaneous scraps in order so you can hunker down and get to work.
SmartSweets Gummy Bears
SmartSweet makes reduced-sugar versions of your favorite childhood sweets. Eat a whole bag and feel about 75 percent less guilty.
Bloomscape Red Prayer Plant
If you’re living alone, get an indoor plant to keep you company. The Red Prayer Plant from Bloomscape is one of the easiest plants to care for; just give it somewhere sunny to sit, keep the soil moist and spritz it weekly to let it thrive. Plus, caring for a plant can jumpstart a new gardening hobby.
Chemex
Anything is better than the industrial coffee maker in most offices. The Chemex is a sound choice for making a bigger batch of pour-over coffee than a Kalita Wave or Hario V60. Because the Chemex produces less coffee than a drip coffee machine, you’ll have to brew more often, which means you’ll have more fresh cups of coffee.
Umbra Shift Junip Waste Can
A waste basket holds garbage, but it doesn’t need to look like trash. The matte body is offset by a chrome trim, and Umbra’s use of contrasting shapes makes for a functional, yet beautiful, waste can.
Gideon Dagan Perpetual Calendar
We’re all a little confused as to what day it is. Created for MoMA, Gideon Dagan’s Perpetual Calendar is a beautiful and minimalistic way to keep track of the days. No more waking up on Sunday thinking it’s a workday.
Vitra Rotary Tray
While Vitra’s striking furniture collections get all the airtime, its smaller housewares are slept-on. Take the rotary tray, which features a tiered shelving system with a rotating top shelf. It’s simple, intuitive and contemporary.
The Home Upgrade
Doctor’s orders: take a break from the screen every 20 minutes. Instead, flip through the pages of The Home Upgrade. Published by Gestalten, The Home Upgrade is a photo book of renovated homes that defy standard convention. Use the book when you’re not reading it to prop up a desk monitor so it’s closer to eye level.
Purple Royal Seat Cushion
Whether you’re using a stool, dining chair or office chair, your rear could use some extra cushioning. The Royal Seat Cushion supports your backend for up to eight hours of comfort, and the cushion is engineered to support your body like those fancy office chairs we write about.
Schoolhouse Concrete Tape Dispenser
No one wants to see your plastic roll of Scotch tape on your desk. Add some Brutalism to your office with this sturdy concrete tape dispenser. It makes a stellar paperweight, too.
Ferm Living Shay Quilt Cushion
If you’re a fan of Hay (or new Scandinavian design in general), Ferm Living is a brand to know. The Scandinavian interior design experts make enviable home furnishings like this color-blocked cushion to give you a little extra back support. It makes a great nap pillow, too.
Vitruvi Oil Diffuser
We didn’t rank Vitruvi at the top of our list for oil diffusers, but its looks make it one of the nicest diffusers we’ve seen. It’ll make you wonder why you’ve stuck with candles so long.
Grovemade Walnut Monitor Stand
Grovemade makes beautifully crafted home goods, and we really dig its monitor stand made from American black walnut. The design allows for additional storage underneath your monitor, which will clear up desk space. It also has serious Eamesian vibes.
Anglepoise 90 Mini Mini Desk Lamp
Anglepoise makes one of our favorite desk lamps, and every size version of it is a winner. We’re a big fan of this anodized brushed aluminum, and we think you will be, too.
Faribault Woolen Mill Co. Cabin Throw
Perfect for chilly winter days and A/C-induced ice ages, Faribault throws are durable and reliable for camping and indoor office work.
Sonos One SL
Some people like to work in complete silence, but others need noise in the background to get things done. If you’re the latter, the Sonos One SL is the perfect speaker for your home office, with impeccable sound and ease of use. Dish out an extra $20 for the Sonos One, which has a microphone for voice control.
Dims. x Gear Patrol Utility Cart
We collaborated with Dims. to revamp their Barbican Trolley with a dark blue powder-coated steel, all-weather wheels and drain holes. The utility cart works great as a bar cart but we’ve also seen some people fashion it into a temporary desk.
Revival Rugs Rojda
A rug can really tie the room together. Artisans in India hand-knit this rug from 100 percent New Zealand wool, and the plush pile feels great on bare feet.
Herman Miller Sayl Task Chair
Invest in a good office chair. Your productivity, posture and over well-being will thank you. If you can’t splurge on the $1,000 throne, the Sayl task chair provides great bang for your buck, even if you never work from home again.
