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5 Items to Make Your Office Desk Cosier
If you're missing working from home, these little comforts will bring a slice of home to the office.
After what seems like an eternity of changes in the way we work (thank you pandemic), it’s clear that the days of working from home in our pyjamas are dwindling. If you’re back working from the office full time and missing those homey comforts that made you feel at ease, we are happy to report that homey-fying your desk space isn’t as hard as you think. Below you’ll find some corporate-appropriate personal items that will soften the return to work, considerably!
Words By Brittany Lyons
Water Bottles and Mugs
The phenomenon of the emotional water support bottle is something we’ve learnt more and more about thanks to social media (namely TikTok) and the concept basically places emphasis on the important role and support a reusable water bottle holds in our lives.
Not unlike the irrational but real emotional attachment we develop with a hair tie that migrates between our wrists and our hair or a pen we’ve had for months, the comfort a drink bottle or mug carries, can really hit deep.
Let’s be honest, the ritualistic gift of the morning coffee always tastes better from your favourite mug, and things do seem a little off when you can’t find it or when it’s in the dishwasher. Us humans are creatures of habit and we shouldn’t apologise for it when it comes to something as sentimental as a drinking vessel we’ve shared many memories with.
To bring the quotidian comfort of your favourite mug or water bottle with you to work is the perfect place to start when making your desk more homey. We recommend a nice one to look at too, Frank Green and Ferm Living make liquid vessels that are fun to drink out of!
Plants and Pots
Ahhhh nothing makes us feel more calm or tranquil, quite like being in the presence of nature.
If you’re anything like me, you have at least 2 indoor plants in every room of your home. Bringing vibrancy, purification as well as a rewarding relationship when you’ve mastered keeping them alive and growing, the benefits of brining plants into your working space are hefty.
Yes, we know a plant on the desk isn’t anything ground breaking, but we think it’s an integral element to a workspace that will bring a sense of softness and help take the corporate-ick out of your daily tasks. Every time your eyes look to it you should feel a pang of pride that you’ve kept it alive for so long.
If starting from scratch, we recommend an easy to grow plant like a monstera or umbrella plant, and a pot that is clean and chic. A go-to brand creating simple planters and pots perfect for the office are (again) Ferm Living, and the selection at Amara home is very good.
For a choice a little more playful and fuller of colour, the range of small pots and vessels at Typo are a lot of fun.
Zakkia Charcoal Handle Planter, $33.00 – available at Aura Home
Soft Furnishings
If you’re like us in the Monde office and a Victorian who questions the thought behind their locality come wintertime, then chances are you get a little chilly in the office.
It may seem silly to someone who hasn’t yet experienced the pleasure of draping a blanket over their legs at their desk, but don’t knock it till you try it! The option of a blanket at work brings a comforting warmth that might honestly be necessary if your space isn’t adequately heated, and the best part is that nobody can see it hidden away under your desk. We love a knitted iteration like this one from Country Road made from recycled materials.
Of course, there is always a case for the introduction of a pillow, whether it be for your lumbar or not, to properly support your body whilst sitting at your (probably not even ergonomic) chair 8-10 hours a day. Luckily for you there is no shortage of cute, sassy and chic cushions and pillow options that are also office appropriate.
Some of our favourites for work or home are from brands like Hommey, Aura Home and Adairs also have a very generous offering of sizes. Sorted!
Country Road Recycled Cotton Wilson Throw, $189 – available at The Iconic
Picture Frames
An obvious strategy in bringing a slice of home to anywhere away from home is to bring your family with you. BUT nobody wants to work AND live with their loved ones and family, do they? So, the next best thing? A picture.
A portrait of your partner, kids, dog or Hollywood crush on your desk can be a lovely reminder of the important things when you’re up to your ears in emails. Whether you see it as a source of motivation to why you work, or a constant reminder of the ones you hold dearest, we think the addition of these familiar faces to your desk will assuredly make you feel more at ease.
To house these sentimental moments, choose a picture frame that feels right for you. We’re really impressed with the selection available at Amara.
Images of your nearest and dearest on display for your colleagues to see not your thing? Fair enough. Showcase prints or art that hold sentimental value and motivation instead.
There is a fabulous range of prints available through The Iconic (some of the Indigenous ones are a particular favourite!) and if you’re partial to something a little fancier, look no further than Net-a-Porter.
Inka Arthouse Black Coral by Henri Matisse, $60 – available at The Iconic
Journals & Stationery
A little more obvious when it comes to necessary items to properly complete your work and necessary tasks, stationery is important but can certainly be made more personal.
Moving away from bland and generic pens, notepads and other forms of stationery means you bring a sense of your own style and preference into your routine. Just like bringing a particular mug or type of drinking vessel from home because you prefer the way it functions, bringing your choice of journal or writing utensils is essentially the same.
We all have a preference when it comes to planning and organising our day and workload, and giving ourselves the best chance at productivity will often mean having the tools to facilitate our desired workflow. That’s why I’m a big advocate for a good notebook or journal.
Cotton On’s Buffalo Journal is extra special as it can feature your own initials or any letters of personalisation can be added to the front! Add your name, your job title, or have a Buffalo Journal for a specific task at work, the possibilities are absolutely endless here!
For a selection of pens so good you’ll have them for years and years to come, check out the fountain pen category chez The Iconic, the perfect ‘treat yourself’ moment.
Montblanc STA Notebook 146, Lined, $100 – available at The Iconic
