Maybe you thought you’d be working from home for a few weeks, but then you blinked — and now, it’s been almost five months since COVID-19 prompted workplaces across the country to go fully remote. Although some employees are gearing up to return to the office, many others have been told to keep working from home until further notice (for some, that’s until a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available). And even if you’re in the former camp, chances are your company will significantly expand its remote work policy.
All of that boils down to the need for a work-from-home setup that prioritizes comfort, focus and productivity. In this three-part series, HerMoney will explore how to transform your home office — whatever the size of your budget. (Here’s our piece on how to spruce up your home office for just $200!)
Read on for the best WFH buys that add up to $1,100.
Standing desk
If you’re looking to stop slouching and put your health first, a standing desk can be a great investment — and with a $1,100 budget to revamp your home office, you can go with a desk that offers both style and function. The Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk from Fully, starting at $519, has a toggle handset to adjust height and a max height of 50 inches.
Chair
Everyone’s bodies (and back pain levels) are different, so it makes sense that if you’re sitting on something for eight hours a day or more, it should be customizable for your needs. The HON Exposure offers adjustments for arm height and width, seat depth, lumbar support, reclining levels and more for just over $281. (Added bonus: This model was Wirecutter’s top budget pick in this category.)
Monitor
Tired of craning your neck toward your laptop screen, constantly maximizing and minimizing windows and trying to make sense of a laundry list of browser tabs? It may be time to amp up your work-from-home desk with a connected monitor. Currently listed at $139.99, Samsung’s 27” SF354 is an LED monitor that gives you a lot of bang for your buck as far as display quality and screen size. (Digital Trends also named it a top pick in the budget category.)
Laptop-to-Monitor Connection Cable
This section is more about necessity than form or function, so it stays the same no matter your budget. Before purchasing a cable, it’s important to check the types of connection ports on your laptop and monitor. (WikiHow has an explainer.) Your monitor likely has a HDMI port, while your laptop could have a USB-C port (Mac laptops and some other brands), HDMI port (offered by some PCs) or another type of port. This $17.99 Uni cable connects USB-C to HDMI and should work with most Apple laptops, as well as some Microsoft and Dell products. AmazonBasics offers a $7.23 HDMI cable that should work if your PC has an HDMI port.
Keyboard and Mouse
If you’re getting frustrated with your flat laptop keyboard and one-dimensional trackpad, it’s time to introduce two new devices to your desk. Logitech’s K380 bluetooth keyboard goes for about $39.99 and consistently collects positive reviews (on Amazon, it’s got a 4.4-star average out of over 3,000 reviews). And although the keyboard and mouse combination on the listing is sold out, it’s possible to purchase Logitech’s M720 mouse separately for $38.58.
Headphones
Whether you’re sharing your space with roommates, loved ones, noisy apartment neighbors or nonexistent sounds made up by your distracted mind, a quality pair of headphones — especially wireless, noise-canceling ones — could do a lot for your at-home productivity. At $59.99, the E7 Active Noise-Canceling Headphones from Cowin have rave reviews: a 4.4-star average after over 32,000 ratings. (Plus, they won top billing from The Strategist as the budget pick in this category).
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