Over the past few weeks, most of us have been working from home or spending more time at home during this unprecedented quarantine. I’ve rounded up the best items that you can find online now to make your home a more productive and comfortable place to be!
To work:
It is likely that a big difference between your home and office set up is the use of multiple computer screens or monitors to help you do your job more efficiently. If you’re missing that second monitor, the SideTrak Portable Monitor is the best solution around! It plugs right into your laptop and allows you to set up a dual screen workstation in seconds. You even have the flexibility to use the screen in portrait mode, on the left-hand side, or rotate it 270 degrees.
We’ve all had to compromise our usual desk set up, and this may mean your dining room chair isn’t quite as comfortable as your office chair was. You can use this desk chair cushion to fix that painful dilemma.
If you’re spending the majority of your day sitting, it’s also very important to pay attention to your back so you don’t cause any long term damage. Adding lumbar support to your chair will make a big difference. Also, since your back is so important to take care of whether you are sitting or standing, a posture corrector will make sure your muscles stay in check throughout the day!
Some people may not have the luxury of having a nice desk or table surface to use during these extra long work days, and so a laptop lap desk would be the perfect solution. This is also a great product if you’re tired of working from your desk and need to change up your working location in your home.
If you suddenly find yourself in a home with children or other loud distractions while you are trying to get work done, you need to treat yourself to these noise cancelling headphones immediately!
To be cozy:
It is so important during this time to try and be as comfortable with the uncomfortable (or unusual) situations around us as we can be. I absolutely love finding the perfect throw blanket to cuddle up with on the couch while I enjoy a great movie or tv show. I personally own a few of these, and not only is the quality incredible – no shedding – but the price is right and it’s the softest blanket I own.
Another type of blanket that I love is a good weighted blanket. These blankets help you feel less stress, are proven to reduce anxiety, and actually give you the feeling of being hugged, which is something we could all use right now.
Once you’ve settled into a comfortable spot on the couch, you’ll need to find the perfect thing to watch. This Roku device helps you connect to Apple TV, Prime Video, Netflix, Disney, The Roku Channel, HBO, Showtime and Google Play to cable alternatives like Hulu with Live TV. It’s so nice to have all these streaming options on one device.
Let’s be honest, we’re all spending much more time in our pajamas these days. I recommend investing in quality pajama sets that are comfortable to live in throughout the day, and also look nice enough to wear during a Zoom call!
When you can’t go outside as much as you’d like, why not bring the sunshine inside? This light therapy lamp will emulate a sunny day and elevate your mood instantly. It’s been proven to help people who’ve been diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder, but now that we are all spending more time in our homes, this can help even everyone now.
Another great item to help lower stress is a Himalayan Salt Lamp. Many people might not have enough natural light in their homes, so these lamps illuminate your room with a natural amber glow of salt crystals from the Himalayan Mountains.
Everyone has been constantly washing their hands so much that it’s likely your hands have become almost permanently dry and brittle. You can restore moisture and leave hands healthy and smooth with hand masks like these.
To plan:
Something that always helps me get out of a rut is planning fun things for the future, or even just for the week ahead! This quarantine won’t last forever, so why not treat yourself to a pretty planner to start organizing your adventures and meals to come?
Other times it feels like the future is so uncertain that all you can do is focus on the present. This One Line a Day journal helps you write just one line a day, every day for five years, that you can look back on and have as a keepsake forever.
To eat:
A productive way to use some of this free time at home would be to try some new recipes you’ve been meaning to try. A kitchen staple like the Ninja Foodi will help you make things quickly in the instant pot function, or crispy in the air fryer function. This all-in-one device takes up way less space than having an air fryer, instant pot, and crock pot all on your kitchen counter.
If you’re more inclined to cook something a little easier (while creating less waste), you can use a service like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron. You can choose which recipes you like the most on their websites, and they will send you all the ingredients straight to your door! We should all be going to the grocery stores a lot less, so this also helps us do just that. *Please note that these services may be delayed due to influx of orders during these times*
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Rakib Islam
April 25, 2020 at 5:09 amNice article
Carmen Edelson
April 25, 2020 at 9:27 pmThanks, much appreciated 🙂
Sammy
May 19, 2020 at 8:34 pmGreat list Carmen! My family recently picked up an outdoor projector to have family movie nights in the backyard. Most are compatible with the streaming devices you mention above and are much less expensive than you think. It’s great for hours of family fun on nice summer’s evenings.
Carmen Edelson
May 20, 2020 at 5:13 pmThanks! And that’s a great idea, Sammy. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Jamie
June 20, 2020 at 10:36 pmI am going to buy a projector, a switch and some indoor exercise equipment! It is so boring during lockdown. I need movies nights, game nights and some exercise to relax! Thanks for sharing your ideas!
Carmen Edelson
June 22, 2020 at 6:17 pmThat’s a great idea, Jamie! Thanks for reading. Enjoy.
David Ross
August 5, 2020 at 3:32 pmThanks for this amazing list. I have recently upgraded my projector and I believe that it would be compatible with the streaming device that you have mentioned above. Keep it up!
Carmen Edelson
August 7, 2020 at 5:20 pmThat’s great to hear, David! Enjoy 🙂
Michael Steele
October 16, 2020 at 5:42 amWhat a nice timing. I’m preparing my home office for 2021. This would be much helpful 😀 Keep up the good work.
Carmen Edelson
October 19, 2020 at 6:08 pmThanks for reading, Michael! 🙂
Juliya
January 8, 2021 at 2:12 amthis article is very useful for all survivor. this article tells us about the necessities of life and it would be very helpful for all people.. this is very useful for all readers love to read out this article..
Carmen Edelson
January 11, 2021 at 7:33 pmI’m glad you found it useful!
John S. Mastin
January 27, 2021 at 4:32 pmI love this article..!! very interesting and beneficial list for all who are stuck in lockdown, I hope covid-19 will end soon.
Carmen Edelson
February 1, 2021 at 1:48 pmI hope so too – fingers crossed!
Chris Gergiou
January 30, 2021 at 12:03 pmI loved reading this and find this very helpful. Thank you so much for sharing!
Carmen Edelson
February 1, 2021 at 1:49 pmNo problem, Chris!
Emla
March 31, 2021 at 5:46 pmThis very informative and much needed article for me, thank you for sharing this list of necessities things.
Carmen Edelson
April 6, 2021 at 6:37 pmAlways happy to share!
Arina
July 6, 2021 at 7:30 amthank you! in England we are in another lockdown and I was kinda feeling a bit lonely… This makes me feel motivated !!!
Carmen Edelson
July 7, 2021 at 7:35 pmArina I’m sorry to hear that but I’m glad this helped! Take care.
Temonsale
October 8, 2021 at 9:43 pmThis is really useful article, and really help me a lot.
Carmen Edelson
August 24, 2022 at 7:25 amThanks for reading!
Paul
November 4, 2021 at 8:48 amA projector would be a great addition to anyone who wants to enjoy home cinema in this quarantine period.
Carmen Edelson
November 9, 2021 at 12:46 amDefinitely, even now!
Scarlett Nelson
February 9, 2022 at 5:02 amGreat Post. Thanks for sharing these wonderful ideas.
Carmen Edelson
February 13, 2022 at 7:14 pmAlways happy to share!
Ben Hartsfield
February 25, 2022 at 3:32 pmI love this post. We did our best to get out of the house so we bought a kayak. It took forever to deliver but it was fun, if not funny (watching us).
Carmen Edelson
February 26, 2022 at 4:01 pmThat sounds like a lot of fun, Ben!
Jas
July 27, 2022 at 10:11 pmGreat tips for sure. Another suggestion would be a home theater as it transforms the movie watching experience dramatically. They’re also highly customizable which is nice.
Carmen Edelson
August 2, 2022 at 4:27 pmI totally agree, Jas!
Ryan Chase
September 26, 2022 at 7:36 amGreat tips! I’ll be sure to switch up a few things as I work from home. Thanks for sharing!
Carmen Edelson
September 26, 2022 at 2:38 pmThanks for reading, Ryan!