2020 might be dubbed “The Year of the Home Office.” Whether it’s because your job had you working from home due to the pandemic, you decided you wanted to start your own business, or you joined the ranks of the thousands of people who work as freelancers and independent contractors. Whatever the case, 2020 saw a record number of people working from home.

And when you work from home, you need an office space. Sure, the kitchen table works for a while, but it’s nice to have a space designated as your office. (And it doesn’t need to be an entire room – just a corner of a room will work just fine.)

If you’re ready to set up a home office for yourself, here are a few of the essentials you’ll want to consider.

• Desk: You should definitely have a desk to work at. Nowadays, desks come in all shapes and sizes – so you should have no trouble finding one to fit the area you’re considering for your office. Additionally, think about an adjustable desk – one that allows you to work from a seated or standing position. You may find you like a desk such as this better as it offers you more options and the ability to move.
• Ergonomic Chair: If you’re going with a desk where you’ll be seated all of the time, look into an ergonomic chair. An ergonomic chair will help you maintain good posture and prevent your body from becoming misaligned due to prolonged sitting. You don’t want to end up with a bad back!
• Power Strip: You’ve probably got a million cords that all need a spot to be plugged in – and only one wall outlet near your desk. Get a good power strip with surge protection to keep your electronics charged up and ready to go.
• Headphones: Is someone else working from your home, too? Do you have children? Then you may want to consider headphones so you can engage in conversations with coworkers and clients without distractions. Noise-canceling headphones are great for blocking out everything around you, 
• Printer/Copier/Scanner: Sure, most everything is done right on your computer, but there will still be times when you need to print or copy something. Get an all-in-one printer/copier/scanner to save you space – and money!
• Coffee Station: Are you a coffee drinker? Did you enjoy getting up from your desk to go grab a cup of coffee when you worked in an office? Then create a coffee station at home! Yes, it’s an extra – but it’s definitely worth it to keep you caffeinated and to get you away from your desk every so often.
• Good Lighting: Are you thinking about creating an office in the corner of a room? In an underutilized space? That’s fantastic! Now take a look at the lighting in the area you’ve chosen? Could it use some help? Get some lamps – desk lamp, floor lamp, whatever – and make sure you have adequate lighting. You want to reduce eye strain and keep your area illuminated for those Zoom meetings.
• Storage: Storage need not be fancy, but if your desk doesn’t have enough, consider a filing cabinet or some other means to store paper, supplies, etc.
• Decor: If this is the space where you are going to work 5 days per week for 8-10 hours per day, spend some time decorating it. Make it a space you want to come work in.
• Office Stationery: Make sure you have all of your office supplies at the ready! Pens, post-its, tape, a stapler – whatever you need to get work done!

Are you ready to create your own home office? Then get these essentials and set up your ideal workspace!