I’ve been at this whole “self employed” thing for around 8 months now. How scary is that? Time flies for sure. It hasn’t been easy but it has also been the most rewarding time of my life. However, one of the things I’ve realised is that having a dedicated work space is an absolute must. You’ll remember that I was in the process of sourcing a new dining room table that could double as a desk (I did most of that online with Dulux and you can read about it here). Well, things have changed. That gorgeous table I painted (and will hopefully be able to share with you soon) is now going to be a fully fledged desk in my new home office.
I’ve lived with my best friend for a year now and it has been amazing. But in the last few months I’ve realised that I need a home office. A place where my set up for YouTube is permanent and where I can really make it a “work” zone as well as my woman cave, cause that is a thing. So in the next few months I’ll be moving in to my own spot which will include a dedicated space for said office. I’ll also be in a position to take meetings at home and generally just be a bit more productive while also maintaining a balance. When the office door closes, work is done.
Because of this I’ve obviously started shopping online for ALL THE THINGS. Some of these are ridiculously unnecessary, some I’ve already got and the rest are just great ideas. I thought I’d drop in a list of my must haves to give you your own inspiration. Take a look and please add anything else you think should be in the mix.
Fairy lights – obviously
A few weeks ago I was walking past Typo and they were having a sale on Fairy Lights. So I now own around 4 metres of the Fairy Lights. I’m not sure what I’m actually going to do with them but obviously I had to have them. Originally I thought they’d be a good idea for the home office. I’d wrap them around my shelving because said office is also going to be a studio to film content. However, as I’m writing this I’ve come up with what I think is a brilliant idea – instead of side lamps I’ll wrap them around my bedside tables. Then they become night lights. Hmm…. Decisions!
A new mouse – because why not?
I know. I have a RAZER Deathadder Elite and I really don’t need another mouse BUT the RAZER ATHERIS is a bluetooth mouse that is actually ideal for work because you can easily travel with it and not stress about cables. Also, the one thing I’m really bad at is remembering to charge stuff. This baby has a battery life of like 300 hours. Ideal for work but also, the Atheris has a 7200 DPI optical sensor which is the highest DPI for a mobile mouse. There is also Razer wireless technology with transmission stability. This means when you’re working from a coffee shop or a client’s office you’ll still have a solid connection and other wireless devices aren’t going to interfere with the frequency. I don’t need this. But it doesn’t mean I don’t want it. It’s a sexy little thing.
A Vertagear Gaming Chair – okay, I actually already have this.
I never really understood gaming chairs. Until I sat in one. I get it now. The thing about good chairs is that they aren’t just for gaming. This is my work space and I’m going to spend a lot of time with my bum in a chair. I’m also looking to start streaming so I figure a comfy chair is needed right? I had the desk already so I obviously needed a chair. I decided to go with a Vertagear SL4000 in some sick custom colours. It looks amazing and my bum is happy. This is a “so not necessary” spend BUT a happy bum can only mean more productivity right? RIGHT?!
Cork boards for admin purposes and because they’re pretty
I have these already. They’re sitting in a box waiting to be hung up in my new space. Cork boards are great because you can pin the important stuff but also use them as a decorative piece. I got these puzzle piece ones from Nifty250 and also added a Photo Line in to the mix. The puzzle pieces are going to specifically be a space to pin special memories, reminders or inspiration pieces I find. Then I’ll switch them out as new things inspire me.
An extra monitor
If I’m going to start streaming off my gaming notebook I obviously need an extra monitor right? I actually blame my friend GeeMax for this one. He convinced me that two screens are better than one. For now, a monitor for my desk is going on the “maybe in the future but not right now” pile. However, if I was going to splurge I think it it would be on the ASUS ROGSwift PG35VQ which I saw at Computex. I could also customise the lights to match my Vertagear colours. Interior designing like a boss!
A headset – because I’m still interior designing
I actually do not need this at all. I have a perfectly awesome Razer Man O’War headset which I love. BUT then Razer launched their Mercury range. The Razer Kraken V2 headset now comes in white with these gorgeous silver metal type finishes and obviously, I need this to match my Vertagear chair and the monitor lights. Seriously, this has become a thing now. Again, another on the “nice to have but don’t be silly list”. Plus I know my mom is reading this rolling her eyes. I need bath mats, not gaming headsets. But still – it is so pretty!
A sleeper couch
I always have random friends staying over at my place. They tend to sleep in the lounge but now that I have a second room it seems only fair that they get their own space. BUT, this space is meant to be my office as well. Having a double bed in there doesn’t really make sense because it will limit the space I have to get stuff done. The only option? A sleeper couch. The problem is sleeper couches are inherently ugly. Or so I thought. Coricraft has a new website that allows you to shop online and also customise your purchases with other fabric, finishes and the like. I took a little look around and they have some great sleeper options that don’t actually look crap at all. They’ll make for a great space to film videos (as opposed to my bed) but also have a functional role because I can fold them down and they’re a bed. I can also customise the fabric to make sure they match with my whole interior design of the room. Winning!
Right, that’s my dream home office shopping list. I’m well aware some of this stuff is completely impractical but I can’t help it. I’m so excited to start decorating and design a space ideal for me. Do you have any must haves in your home office that I should add to my list? Share them with me in the comments below.
