Office supplies and decor you can incorporate into newly designed remote workplace
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During the coronavirus isolation period, it can become very bleak at home without the little things lifting your spirits. Considering we spend so much of our time focused on work, it’s important to create an uplifting and productive workspace as we transition to a remote workplace in our homes.
Office supplies and decor are very small areas of our lives that can make a difference in our everyday lives while we work. While it’s not necessary to have everything on this list, finding a few of your favorite pieces of office supplies or decor will help you draw inspiration and help you focus on your everyday tasks.
For example: I have a favorite type of pen. I love writing with these pens throughout my day, despite having various types of pens at my disposal. It always makes me happier to write with this one specific type of pen.
This pen is small but makes it easier to get through my day. Of course, I can write in another, and often do and am required when in a hurry. That being said, being in isolation, I tend to rely on this type of pen even more to brighten my day and make it easier to work remotely from home.
It doesn’t take much to brighten your or someone else’s day. Try incorporating a few of these office supplies and decor items for your newly designed, remote workplace.
Favorite Writing Tools
This is not just exclusive to pens! Whether you prefer a color of highlighter or need another color of pen to black, find something that puts a smile on your face.
Personally, I like the Pilot G-2 pens. I have a collection in almost every color I can imagine but have a lot in black for work. I tend to stick to black while I’m working and get creative with my other color options (including metallic!).
Find a few of your favorites at Walmart during your next grocery trip or order a pack to keep in hand with your next online order.
Bright notepads and sticky-notes
I’ve always learned and retained more when things are written with or on bright colors. This doesn’t mean it has to be a novelty color but it does help.
Especially when things are stressful, like when you’re going stir crazy in isolation, it can help you retain and recall various parts of information. There might be other ways to keep track of things, like using Asana for project management, but for quick access note-taking, post-it notes and notepads work great.
If you don’t have extra money for new colored notes, try to use regular legal pads and post-its to brighten things up.
Reliable headphones
I usually try to be as considerate as possible to my coworkers. If you are starting to work remotely from home, you might have to be more considerate to your coworkers and housemates.
I personally prefer a pair of Philips, whether wireless or not, but it doesn’t matter which you incorporate into your workspace. You might want to watch something other than what your roommates or children are watching for thirty minutes or listen to some calming music for a change. No matter what you use them for, using them as a means of escape will be helpful for everyone in your life.
Comfy seating options
If you’re confined to a chair for most of the day, it’s important to pick a decent seat. This should also correlate to your guest chairs if you have them.
With isolation in place, you might not have many options at your disposal but you also might not need as many options either. I would suggest you find a chair in your home that doesn’t make you recline and relax. You don’t need to have a wooden chair but try not to get overly comfortable for creating a professional setting.
Most people are probably sitting at their kitchen tables or making a place within a room of your home. Try finding a way to have a cushion beneath you and a straight, if not cushioned, back.
Inspirational decor
I’m fairly partial to quotes or my favorite graphic designs for my own inspirational decor. This, of course, is different for everyone.
Keep some of your favorite decor items within sight while you set to your work. Whether you keep them behind you or in front of you to keep your focus going, your favorite decor options will help you stay creative and inspired to keep working.
Again, these pieces don’t have to be big but they should resonate with you. As a designer and a writer, I find these paper flower frames easy to move and nice to look at while I’m working.
Functional Calendar
Calendars will not only keep your projects on schedule, but they will also keep you organized when you’re trying to limit your digital interaction during the isolation period.
Calendars are also great to keep on hand when coordinating with your family. You might not be going out as often but you still need to create a schedule and routine with anyone in your home. Creating a calendar is helpful to keep everyone calm and coordinated with everyone’s priorities while working within the home.
You can keep a reusable calendar or a sheet calendar at your desk or in a public spot for your home office.
Inspirational and Favorite Books
I love reading, so it’s no surprise that I would feel more comfortable with a few current or favorite books in my industry around my office space. I would routinely bring in a few when I worked in an office, usually keeping books like CREATE Blog and Editorial Calendar or Creative Strategy and the Business of Design around my office to help me feel motivated and encouraged.
These don’t have to be large collections. Keep them in a stack next to your work station or find a place to keep an eye on them throughout the workday. They might help you find a new source of motivation or spark a new idea you’d like to try.
If you’re not much of a reader, try incorporating a few of your past projects or favorite types of projects to work on within grasp to keep your motivation going.
Flowers and plants
Floral arrangements can be troublesome for many people, especially when you suffer from allergies or have to be considerate of scented products.
Flowers and plants in this situation can be fake or real. I do not have a green thumb but you might find it calming to incorporate a touch of ‘fake’ natural elements to trick your mind into being outdoors. You might also find it vain, but flowers and plants are an easy way to beautify a room fairly simply, especially if you invest in a few fake flowers or succulent plants that won’t take any or sparse upkeep.
While many people associate flowers with feminine aesthetics, vines and darker plants can soften a masculine room if need be.
Organizational tubs, stacks, and filing cabinets
While you stay at home, many people are having to find ways to sort and file many internal projects without the help of a predetermined filing cabinet or filing system in place.
It’s important to set up an organization system within your home office. If you are sharing your home base as another room, such as a kitchen or living space, it’s imperative to find a way to keep things organized without dominating your space or where others can shuffle through things.
Try to find boxes or filing systems that will separate your work from the rest of your household’s influence. You might have to move your system at the end of the workday, but at least you have a process and space to organize your work while you wait until your main office space is reopened.
Designing a remote workplace in your home can be challenging. While we work through this bought of isolation during the coronavirus pandemic, it can be difficult finding ways to brighten up your workplace. These small office supplies and decor tips are recommended to make the transition to a home office easier and more productive.
Whether you use your favorite pen, work from a comfier chair, or keep motivating books, like Creative Strategy and the Business of Design, around your workplace, little things can help you stay productive and brighten up you day.
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