It can be hard to create the perfect workspace at home, trust me, I know. But, minor additions to your home office can transform and make the space more usable than you realize. Considering over half of Canadian employees currently work in the virtual world, due to COVID-19, it is so important that we have tools and resources at our disposal to make our days as close to office-like as possible. With that being said, here are the 5 home office must-haves. 

1. Outlet Surge Protector & Cable Management Setup

Hear me out. Have you ever been working at your desk and need to constantly be unplugging and plugging in cords since there are not enough outlets? Or, have you ever just wanted to scream because your cords keep falling behind your desk or around you? I can confidently say I have. But, a surge protector will solve half the problem by providing considerably more wall plugs at your disposal. Additionally, having a tabletop management setup on your desk will keep your cords accessible and at your disposal, but it will keep it all way more organized. These won’t change the look of your home office, but they are essential and minor additions that make a huge difference. 

2. No Window? A Ring Light Solves That

While it is super nice having some natural light, it can be hard finding that perfect window with the best light in a private area of your home. Ring lights have solved everyone’s problems, considering you can put the light behind your computer and there you go! You got the perfect lighting. As we work over Zoom and Google Meet, seeing everyone, employees, employers, or clients, over the camera, it is a nice touch to have that lighting to make yourself and the environment look brighter. Not only will it work perfectly in your home office, but it makes for great selfies and pictures outside of work hours as well. 

3. Wireless Mouse/Keyboard 

These are a must-have that changed my life. Having a wireless keyboard and mouse not only helped me navigate my virtual work world better, but they made me feel professional in my home office. Just being able to spread out a bit across my desk, as opposed to being stuck to my laptop keyboard and mouse, honestly helped me work so much better. Having both at my desk made working significantly more comfortable as I could navigate my space with more flexibility. These two are must-haves in my home office, and they will definitely stay around when life goes back to normal. 

4. Journal Or Planner 

As we work virtually, it can be difficult to keep up with meetings or work tasks. We are constantly looking at our electronic screens and straining our eyes. So having a journal or planner is a nice way to not only keep everything organized in one place but it gives us a tiny break from our screens. Journals are perfect for jotting points or ideas that come to mind throughout the day, making it easy to keep them in one spot. Having a planner also helps to combine work and personal lives considering you can keep track of upcoming meetings, work tasks, and appointments or occasions outside of work. This helped me manage my time exceptionally. 

5. WiFi Extender 

One of the most useful additions to my home office had to be a WiFi extender. I was constantly worrying about my WiFi cutting out during meetings considering everyone in my house is always on the WiFi. As it boosted the connection in my home office, it also made all my web pages load quicker, saving me those extra couple seconds waiting for a page to load. It is very comforting to know that I have a resource now that will ensure my WiFi connection is strong, relieving me from the stress and worry of it cutting out. 

With our work environments being online, it is so important to make sure we have the proper resources to make our home office the best it can be. We have to work with the spaces we have however minor additions and changes can allow us to be more efficient and organized while at home. While these home office must-haves are great for working, they will also be beneficial when we go back to the office, as they will ensure our home office is put together and in tip-top condition.