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Original poster

Tips for home office & wfh

91 replies

moveoverhogger · 02/01/2022 18:07

I'm changing role in the new year & it's 100% remote so am busy turning our spare room into a home office. I have a desk, comfy chair & have ordered new monitor/keyboard/mouse.

What other things should I get for the home office to make working from home easy?

Might be a silly question but what do others wear on their feet? Normally at home I just walk about barefoot or in socks, not sure this is suitable for the majority of my time though 🤣

OP posts:
Blondeissimo · 03/01/2022 15:58

@Chewbecca

Height adjustable monitor to avoid hunching and a jabra speaker to avoid my ears being squashed spending all day on calls.
Yes! The Jabra speaker has been my best buy since WFH. Highly recommend.
Original poster
moveoverhogger · 03/01/2022 15:58

@StCharlotte & @hernamewasrio we're sorted with the Wi-Fi, DH has his man cave on the same floor with his PS5 so he's made sure of that 🤣

OP posts:
FrenchyQ · 03/01/2022 16:04

I find my legs get quite cold sitting down all day, I bought some thin thermal leggings to wear under my trousers and I feel so much more comfortable now.

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Moiraroseswigs · 03/01/2022 16:27

I've a Deskboard Buddy that I find helpful, it's an organiser for pens/post its etc and the lid is a glass whiteboard with a phone/tablet stand.

reluctantbrit · 03/01/2022 16:52

I would never. think of wearing fingerless gloves or have a heat throw/lap blanket when working. I prefer a decently heated house.

On your desk have enough space for a glass/mug/water bottle. Space for pen and paper if you like to make notes/write lists.

I find a calendar at the wall helpful and also dedicated space for my headset. DH has a magnet board on a wall next to him for notes, it's also a whiteboard so he writes on it as well.

Bluetooth speaker if you like to listen to music?

Are there sockets near enough for a phone charger?

Can you add a desk lamp if needed?

Do you need shelf space?

Onlyrainbows · 03/01/2022 18:40

Get a Portal! It's a dedicated video call device. I've always WFH and this time I'm trying to move away from the double monitor.

LittleBearPad · 03/01/2022 18:44

I would never. think of wearing fingerless gloves or have a heat throw/lap blanket when working. I prefer a decently heated house.

Agreed - just put the heating on!

M4857493 · 03/01/2022 19:04

Agreed - just put the heating on

I'm not heating a whole large house to be warm in my little 2mx2m office, it's neither financially sensible or environmentally friendly.

Youcunnyfunt · 03/01/2022 20:09

I did a few things to my setup last year… I used a riser for the laptop and got a proper keyboard, mousemat, mouse and a second monitor. Helps loads!
I also got a comfortable second hand office chair, and then got some plants and artwork for the wall. I have a stack of post its and notepads handy 😊
Also worth getting a floor protector for the chair, and consider “house shoes” or trainers. I use trainers just for the house. I didn’t realise until after a few months that I was stretching and scrunching my feet under the desk without realising, I was getting bad foot cramps every evening when I stopped work. It was not wearing shoes at the desk that did it!

I also have a good plugin microphone, really handy.

reluctantbrit · 04/01/2022 08:44

@M4857493

Agreed - just put the heating on

I'm not heating a whole large house to be warm in my little 2mx2m office, it's neither financially sensible or environmentally friendly.

Well, it depends. I do leave my home office to eat lunch in the dining room and potter aroundin my lunchbreak. No pointin heating the rest for an hour or. freezing during down time.

Being wrapped. up. all the time is not good for sitting. properly and if. the air in a room is too cold you are not in the best. position. to work either.

Also, since we invested in a programmable thermostat and set the individual radioators. depending how a room is used, our bill went down significantly.

There is a huge difference to blazing heat in all rooms and freezing while wrapped like you are in the artic. It feels like there is a competition on MN how to be the most uncomfortable. when at. home alone.

M4857493 · 04/01/2022 09:16

@reluctantbrit I live in a new build and my house doesn't ever get below 16C, I'm not wrapped up, I have a little heater in my office if it does become uncomfortable (usually 30 mins of heating will heat the room for the rest of the day- as I say, new build!) I have HIVE but again isn't worth buying every radiator an individual thermostat for one room, as when not working the whole house usually needs heating as everyone else is in doing their own thing. I go for a walk at lunch so don't need any other room warmed.

It's just applying a bit of common sense isn't it?

LtGreggs · 04/01/2022 09:29

Check how your background looks for video calls. Try to position things so that it looks fairly neutral - I find that helps give me confidence and looks more professional. I don't think that it matters if people can tell that you are at home (rather than an office), but try and keep it professional looking. Eg I don't really like having a bed in the background - I am mainly selling IT projects to middle-aged men and a bed in the mix seems pretty odd Confused. Things to avoid that I've seen on other people's calls include piles of washing & a fully laid dining table. Also one call where my client was wearing a blouse and somehow the laptop camera position (possibly she had laptop on her lap?) meant I kept catching glimpses down to her underwear...

reluctantbrit · 04/01/2022 10:07

[quote M4857493]@reluctantbrit I live in a new build and my house doesn't ever get below 16C, I'm not wrapped up, I have a little heater in my office if it does become uncomfortable (usually 30 mins of heating will heat the room for the rest of the day- as I say, new build!) I have HIVE but again isn't worth buying every radiator an individual thermostat for one room, as when not working the whole house usually needs heating as everyone else is in doing their own thing. I go for a walk at lunch so don't need any other room warmed.

It's just applying a bit of common sense isn't it? [/quote]
Well that very different to people living in drafty houses.

M4857493 · 04/01/2022 10:27

@reluctantbrit hence my comment about applying common sense!

shetlandskies · 04/01/2022 11:10

Surely if you don't want people to see your background you just use one of the many free filters?

WhoWasDat · 04/01/2022 12:17

A good quality mouse, keyboard, webcam and lighting would be very important. Please take the time to organise cabling, power points, etc.

My workspace degrades into a bit of a mess over a few weeks, but then I do a BIG tidy up. So clear up/dust at end of day is a new year resolution for me.

LittleMy77 · 04/01/2022 17:02

A Wifi router extension set up, wireless headset, 2 screens, a good office chair with lumbar support, good / bright light. Also, cafetière, nice mug and water bottle

Put in 2-3 breaks of 15/20 mins (depending on your schedule) and leave the house and walk for a bit. It’s a game changer, and I find if I don’t leave the house except for school drop off, I go crazy

ChristmasPlugholes · 04/01/2022 17:07

mouse jiggler ! Keeps you logged in when away from your desk so the connection doesn't drop (if you are logged into a remote machine). Also makes it looks like you are there when not. Very handy:

www.amazon.co.uk/mouse-jiggler/s?k=mouse+jiggler&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

ChristmasPlugholes · 04/01/2022 17:08

And a bright light for video calls, will make you look more professional. Esp if facing a window.

LtGreggs · 05/01/2022 18:48

@shetlandskies re the video call backgrounds - yes you are right in theory but in practice I think they are quite distracting. For one, they can't cope with my curly hair (bits of my hair keep appearing & disappearing). Also they lead people to wonder what it is you are disguising. So I think the easiest way to lose the background distraction & feel closest to f2f is to have a neutral real background (if possible)

BigSandyBalls2015 · 05/01/2022 18:58

A mouse jiggler … how did I not know about this!! Shock

CouldThisReallyBe · 05/01/2022 19:11

Definitely an electric throw to save you having to put the heating on on a cold day. And I'm on Zoom calls all day so I created a photo wall behind where I sit. Initially it was to make my background look pleasant, but an unintended consequence is that rather than looking at myself a lot I can see the photos of my family and friends in the camera (it's a small box room so the pics are quite close).

shetlandskies · 05/01/2022 21:34

Using a standard background is very standard in my line of work.

I’d like to think that no one is looking at my hair but whatever 🤷🏻‍♀️ if they are.

BarbaraofSeville · 06/01/2022 09:38

@BigSandyBalls2015

A mouse jiggler … how did I not know about this!! Shock
Quite a few people where I work were given stern words about using these, also altering the time before the green light goes yellow on Skype/Teams.

A few people had repeatedly failed to answer when called and apparently at their desks....

I'm sure the OP isn't looking for tips in lead swinging and piss taking in her new job. Smile

Bunce1 · 06/01/2022 09:44

Foot rest/riser.
Jabra speaker
Ring light
Jotter pad
Whiteboard
Really bloody good chair. Invest in a good chair.