7 Must-Have Accessories for Your Home Office in 2023: A Work from Home Setup Guide

Introduction: Working from Home

The year is 2023 and pandemic recovery is nearly complete, but one thing that’s here to stay is remote work. Many companies now offer remote and hybrid work options, and even startups are operating out of PO boxes with flashy contracts that require broadband. Whether you’re rocking pajamas with a button-up shirt for the snooty boss or dressing to impress your pets, you need the right accessories to turn your makeshift workspace into an actual home office.
But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. From noise-canceling headphones to the crispiest monitors, here are my top 7 recommendations to transform your corner of the guest bedroom into a professional office space for your remote work setup, assuming you’re already sporting a Mac or PC. I won’t bore you by getting deep into every little detail on the spec sheet, I’ll just give why every pick is the best option for your home office.

Monitor – Best All-Rounder For Work and Play

LG 32” UltraFine™ UHD 4K (LG 32UQ85R-W)

First on this list and the most important next to your workhorse of a laptop is the beautiful display that you stare at all times of day. In my opinion, the only suitable size for our high-tech world is 32” displays. This gives you all the screen real estate you need for multiple tabs, the Zoom meeting in the corner, and of course your favorite YouTube channel playing front and center. At this size you need the right resolution to enjoy your media but more importantly, for crisp text that won’t strain your eyes after your long work sessions. 4K is the only way to go. My recommendation, the LG 32” UltraFine™ UHD 4K (LG 32UQ85R-W) will deliver the performance you need whether you’re running macOS, Windows of all flavors, or you’re the 1% of Linux ultra geeks. With 90 watt power delivery over the USB-C input, you can charge your MacBook or compatible Windows laptop and carry the display signal with just one cable. On a desktop it has all the inputs you can dream of as well. A first-class winner in my books.

Sit Stand Desk

Vari Electric Standing Desk

Next up, is the sit-stand desk that you heard of from annoying colleagues and influencers alike. It’s time to join the club because between my eye rolls, I reluctantly grabbed a sit-stand desk myself and it was an absolute game changer for more reasons than I thought. The flexibility to change the height of your desk in a seated position for maximum comfort is enough to justify this upgrade. I never thought I would work standing, but it makes pacing and blood flow creativity all the more accessible. Here, I recommend the Vari Electric Standing Desk (60”x30”) because it’s large, premium, programmable, and easy to assemble. The construction is super sturdy, the controls are intuitive, and you can save height settings (I have 4 of my own, guess why). They have larger and smaller versions as well with an array of top finishes so you’ll definitely find one that tickles your fancy.

Wireless Headphones – Best Bluetooth Set

Sony XM4 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones (Sony WH-1000XM4)

Let’s set the scene: You’re at your desk with a hot cup of tea (with honey and of course a squeeze of lemon), you have just warmed up to your early tasks, it’s quiet, serene, your inner peace will flow into your early workday. Down the hall the door bursts open with your spouse or partner laughing and talking louder than they did at last week’s concert date, the dog is barking, and the chaos throws you into a distraught mess of irritation. Too far? Either way, you need a good set of Wireless Noise Cancelling headphones but I’ll do you one better, this one is arguably the best. The Sony XM4s (Sony WH-1000XM4) is a masterpiece at the price point. At time of writing, the newer version XM5 is actually a little worse so avoid that one and go with the XM4. They are comfortable, have multipoint connectivity allowing 2 devices connected at the same time, with all the bells and whistles of features you can ask for including touch controls, adaptive sound control, a speak-to-chat feature, and 30-hour battery life! Most importantly, the sound quality is superb, and the noise cancellation is excellent. Hit mute on the noise around you, whether you’re at your home desk or you decide to travel and take the work on the road. In my opinion, the Sony XM4s will be relevant for years to come.

Keyboard Mouse Combo

Logitech MX Master 3S and Logitech MX Mechanical Full Size

Let me admit, I cheated a touch on this recommendation. I combined my favorite Keyboard and Mouse since through Amazon magic, this is sold as an incredible bundle. First, the easier of the two: The Logitech MX Master 3S. The ergonomic design of its predecessor (MX Master 2) nearly cured my tendonitis, so this one is close to my heart. Logitech redesigned the mouse to an even more comfortable and premium offering with the MX Master 3S. There are an array of buttons, vertical and horizontal scroll wheels, everything is programmable with their easy software, and it works seamlessly both on macOS and Windows. You can connect through their USB dongle or just use Bluetooth, and you can program it to up to 3 devices. I can on for pages, but the bottom line is that is the best of best productivity mouse on the market today.

Now let’s move on to the Keyboard du jour: The MX Mechanical Full Size. This is a full size mechanical keyboard as the product name suggests. If you go down memory lane and you’re a millennial like me, think of those bulky keyboards in the library of your elementary school. Although cumbersome, the buttons were so satisfying and accurate. Modern mechanical keyboards have a huge space in the market bringing that old typing feel back but with way more options and features. Logitech took that and made it nice and slim, keeping the mechanical technology, just more compact. It’s the perfect marriage of your slim keyboard and the feel of those switches (buttons). There are 3 variations called red, blue, and brown. The reds are very quiet but don’t have much of a tactile response, the blues are super clicky, so get those if you like annoying your housemates, and the browns are in the middle, a bit quiet with a bump as a response. The browns are my absolute favorite. Thank me later. This works perfectly on macOS or Windows, having both styles laid out on the keys, and like the MX mouse, the same software makes this keyboard just as versatile connecting up to 3 devices over the dongle or Bluetooth. This combo of Logitech MX Master 3S and MX Mechanical Full Size is the Crème de la Lemôn Crème in my books; an easy recommendation.

Office Chair

Steel Series 1 Chair

The Office Chair is one of those products that I have seen too many skimp out on when I worked at a computer store. Too many customers opted for the cheapest option, later dismayed that the store had a final sale policy for chairs. Although many places like Amazon accepts returns (read their policy just in case) you don’t want to pack up a chair you’re dissatisfied with. The most important features from all the chairs I tested in my sales days were comfort and durability. That’s why I can easily recommend the Steelcase Series 1 Chair. It’s comfortable and compact, perfect for a home office setup. SteelSeries is a brand I trust so you know you’ll be enjoying this chair for years to come. This chair has the adjustability you crave like height, seat depth, armrests, and most importantly lumbar support. Not to mention, 35% of plastics used are from recycled sources which will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Here’s a tip from an ultra nerd like me: change the castors. The included ones are good enough, but for just a little extra get a set of glide casters which makes any chair, even the most expensive on the market, so much better. I’ll drop a link for those as well. And for the chair, you will love the Steelcase Series 1 Chair.

Webcam

Logitech C920e

I’ll be the first to admit, Webcams never excite me. I’ll try to shoot some positivity in the world though by at least recommending one that just works, all while transmitting your upper half crisply. Remember, your boss does not need to know you’re wearing pajama bottoms. The Logitech C920e is a clear winner in this category. It has a decent microphone built-in, it’s 1080p which means it is clear, and Logitech did their due diligence to make sure it works with most software, even the pesky Microsoft Teams. The one linked is great because it includes a camera cover. This is essential for security because webcams are notoriously hackable. Again, Logitech provides easy-to-use software, but you don’t need to use it if you don’t want to. It’s plug-and-play for both macOS and Windows. There you go, easy purchase, you won’t regret it.

Wireless Charging Station

Anker Foldable 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station

Now for my last recommendation to round out that dream home office. It may seem like an oddball of a boring accessory, but a wireless charging stand completely changed my office feel when I added one. It keeps my phone within reach when I need to answer important family text messages, who am I kidding, when I want to scroll through Instagram. We need breaks, don’t we? I love this one, the Anker Foldable 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station, because it has all the options I need. It keeps my phone charged, and I usually slip off my Apple Watch when I’m working, so I keep that topped up as well. It folds as well, so when traveling you can take it with you easily, or even have it next to you when working away at a coffee shop. It USB powered, so versatile. Another reason for this recommendation is its price is comparable or even the same as the no names ones on Amazon, and Anker has grown a great reputation as a great and reliable brand. Pick this up to round out that office of yours.

Conclusion

There it is, all laid out for you, nice and simple. The best options to transform your makeshift workspace into a bona fide battle station of a professional office. From the Sony XM4s to the LG Ultrafine 4K, you will be the talk of the town or the office water cooler for the poor spirits going back to the office because of their lack of a set-up like yours. And with the Steel Series 1, Vari Standing Desk, plus the Logitech Master 3S, you will have unbeaten ergonomics keeping you healthy and happy for the long term. Now, enjoy and always remember to click my links. It’s just a small kickback with no extra cost to you. So go ahead and invest in yourself, invest in your work. Remember, the best gear is the gear you have so you don’t need to shell out for everything all at once. The journey is just as fun as the destination.