Unlike many of you, I have worked from home for the past several years, so I was already accustomed to the discipline it required before the onset of this pandemic. We are all now WFH pros, aren’t we?
One big change, however, has been sharing “office space” with my husband, which means that sometimes I lay claim to the big desk and enormous Mac screen and other times, I sit on the couch or at the dining room table with my laptop. One thing that has helped me stay organized in spite of these (sometimes multiple-times-a-day) dislocations is keeping a portable pouch of office essentials at my side. It means I am never guessing where my Airpods are, or forgetting something essential in the bedroom when Mr. Magpie is on an important Zoom call. Below, my top picks for creating your own portable office essentials kit:
STONEY CLOVER OR TRUFFLE POUCH
ULTRA FINE-POINT PENS: I LIKE LE PENS AND STABILO FOR LIST-MAKING AND MY BRUT ROSE CARAN D’ACHE FOR NOTE-TAKING/NOODLING
DOTTED OR SQUARED LEUCHTTERM NOTEBOOKS
ELIZABETH ARDEN 8 HOUR CREAM (I USE THIS ADDICTIVELY AS LIP BALM; ALSO WORKS ON NEARLY ANY CHAPPED/DRY SKIN OR ABRASION)
WALLET (<<THIS IS THE EXACT STYLE I OWN)
A COUPLE OF CARDS AND ENVELOPES FOR PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE
GUARD YOUR IDENTITY STAMP ROLLER
CHECKBOOK IN A FUN COVER
LITTLE JEWELRY POUCH — WHO ELSE TAKES OFF HER EARRINGS AND OTHER JEWELRY WHILE WORKING?!
I also usually keep my Kindle in there with the best intentions of reading while eating lunch, but alas, it has not yet happened — not once. Oops.
P.S. Gap has some very cute items out right now for low key WFH-on-the-couch vibes — I love this pullover and this tie dye sweatshirt (also comes in the sweetest baby set). I know tie-dye feels like the stage of the pandemic where we were all baking banana bread and designing charts for our children’s days, but I still like the look. Haha.
P.P.S. I positively live in these Birdie velvet mules at home, which are sadly now totally sold out. These are a ridiculously chic upgrade, but the thought of slipping my feet into cashmere is…dreamy. All are the perfect complement to your Nap Dress.
P.P.P.S. In case you’re looking for bath mats…
You’ve nailed it with this post! I have worked at home for 5 years now and I, too, keep many of these essentials close. I work from our dining room table (ha) so I keep a small bag for my larger daily items like laptop, notebooks, etc. — that way I can move them to a different spot if we want to eat in the dining room for sliiightly fancier occasions! I also keep two little vessels at my desk: a Japanese ceramic dish for hair ties, AirPods, glasses cleaning cloth, and stray jewelry (though I tend to keep mine on when working!), as well as a HAY metal mesh trinket tray for pens, highlighters (Stabilo Boss are also my fave!) & lip balm/gloss.
xx
Love it – love the idea of having your two little trays at your side at all times! Handy. xx
I have a little dish at my desk for jewelry or hair clips that I take off, but may have to upgrade – those embroidered pouches are so sweet!!
I have definitely adjusted to working from home part time (in the office two days a week) and there’s parts I will miss when I’m back in the office full time. Trying to enjoy and savour this extra time at home
I know – that will be such a strange transition for so many of us! Not the same, but I also find myself cringing while watching movies where people are in crowded spaces. I am instinctively worried about no one wearing masks / people being too close together! Ahh! Will that ever change?! xx
Yes! Oh my goodness Jen I have the same reaction! Crowded mall shots especially. I can’t imagine when that feeling will pass quite yet, but I trust that one day it will.
I know — we’ve been watching lots of movies set in NYC lately and the shots of the crowded streets by Rockefeller Center always get me…YIKES. No thanks.
xx
Stabilo pens! A former coworker used to bring me a supply from Germany since I loved them so much while there. I’m running low, so thanks for the link to re-order.
I also have a pouch at my desk that I used to have at the office (tear! when we will go back?!) and hadn’t thought to stock it with anything but lip balm. Love the ideas, even if my reasoning for it is only to have them handy when I’m too lazy to get up from my desk!
I love those pens, too!! Yes – that’s certainly part of it. So convenient not to need to get up and go anywhere…
xx
I’m so glad you posted about the Guard Your Identity Stamp Roller. We take bigger things to be shredded but this will be handy for prescriptions and and envelopes.
On a side note, I love my Hedley & Bennett apron! Perfect size, weight, pockets. I do hope they do more print collaborations.
Yay on both fronts! I saw the Hedley & Bennett collab with Madewell and thought the same thing. Would be fun to have more feminine prints…!
xx