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If you've been working from home for the past two years and are returning to the office, or you've gotten a new job recently (congrats!), this post on what essential items to keep at your work desk is for you.
We've had lots of office supplies and office decor posts over the years, but it's been a while since we did a general post on what to keep at your desk. After seeing this comment thread about what to bring to a new office and this one about how to get ready for a new job, we figured it was time for a new post about what to keep at the office!
Readers, what are your essentials to keep at your work desk, office, or cube? What would you bring on the first day? (Are any of your employers moving to hot desking?)
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{related: how to make your office more comfortable}
Essential Items to Keep at Your Work Desk
Food & Drink Items to Keep At Your Desk
- Mug or travel mug
- Water bottle (We like Ello and Vmini, for example)
- Tea bags
- Snacks: nuts, granola bars, trail mix, etc.
- Mints & gum
- Napkins
- Reusable or disposable utensils
- Favorite condiments that are hard to get — check out Minimus if you need/want to stick to travel sizes
Cleaning Items To Keep At Your Work Desk
- Disinfecting wipes and/or baby wipes
- Hand sanitizer
- Lint roller — although note that you can always use a mailing label pouch
- Stain stick
{related: 10 uses for office supplies in a pinch}
Hygiene Items To Keep At Your Work Desk
- Toothbrushing supplies (note that there are disposable toothbrushes and “no rinse toothpaste tablets” designed for camping)
- Tissues
- Pads/tampons
- Q-tips
- Deodorant/antiperspirant
Beauty Items/Hair Items to Keep at Your Work Desk
- Comb/brush
- Hair supplies like elastics, bobby pins, clips, headbands, and more
- Nail file — this is our favorite!
- Lip balm / lipstick
- Any makeup you may need to touch up
- Lotion
- Tweezers
Eye Care
- Glasses case / extra glasses
- Contact lens supplies: solution, case, extra lenses
- Eye drops
- Reading glasses
Health/Medical Items
- Extra face masks
- OTC meds (Advil, Tylenol, Pepto Bismol, etc.)
- Band-aids, including for shoe blisters
- Maybe: a COVID rapid test
Tech Stuff
- Earbuds/AirPods/headphones
- Phone charging cord
- (If you have problems with focus, try this fancy Pomodoro timer Kat likes.)
- (Depending on your office situation: Kat always loved her mini fridge.)
Comfort/Seasonal Items
- Cardigan/pashmina
- Small fan
- Umbrella
- Comfy backup shoes/commuting shoes
- Sneakers — good as gym shoes, and good for any evacuation emergency at the office (e.g., 9/11, blackouts, earthquakes)
- A spare suit if you might need it at the last minute (e.g., courtroom appearance, meeting with VIP)
Office Decor/Personal Touches
- A small mirror
- Wall art
- Wall calendar/page-a-day calendar
- Pictures of family/friends
Misc.
- Sewing kit, or at least a few safety pins for clothing mishaps
- A spare black blazer
- Ergonomic items if you need/want them
- Any favorite office supplies, like specific pens or fun folders
{related: how to decorate your workspace}
Readers, what are your essentials to keep at your work desk, office, or cube? What would you bring in the first day?
Stock photo via Stencil.
khc
I live in NYC and was working both during 9/11 and the black out of 2003. I keep socks and an old pair of sneakers at my desk so I can walk home if necessary. Also keep a pair of black tights and a pair of underwear.
Anon
+1 to the sneakers. I’m in earthquake country. Always have a pair of shoes at your desk you can walk down the emergency staircase wearing. At my last office, that staircase was constructed from wire mesh, and lots of women found out the hard way that the mesh openings were exactly the width of a stiletto heel.
I have flipflops in my car too, which I used to say were for emergency pedicures, but really they’re for plain old emergencies.
(Flip flops are the California version of sneakers)
Senior Attorney
I have a whole set of clothes and shoes at the office in case I need to walk hte 6ish miles home after a big earthquake. Including a sun hat.
And agree that flip flops = sneakers. I walked 12 miles around the neighborhood in mine over this past weekend.
Anonymous
Stuff to clean my office: Swiffers, keyboard cleaner and electronics wipes.
In-House in Houston
After what happened to me last week, I will always have some super glue in my desk. Last week the sole of my shoe started to separate from the rest of the shoe so every step I take made this obnoxious flap. I had to to to Target and lunch to buy some glue. I suppose if I had another pair of shoes at work I could’ve changed, but that might’ve looked worse than the flapping shoe.
anon
Really essential are tea bags and Advil. But I do keep other stuff, such as a black blazer, semi-formal shoes, water bottle. I can’t keep food in my office because I would just finish it in five minutes.
Anon
Comprehensive list.
I’d add:
Eye make up remover. A little swipe with a cotton tip under the eye cleans up any wayward mascara after a long day or a little cry. Also good if reapplying while eye makeup for evening event, but I usually just add more.
Chocolates. Need a favour? Boss in a bad mood due to blood sugar levels? Last minute leaving gift? Always came in handy.
Sloan Sabbith
To add to this:
Non-specific box of cards- thank you/greeting/sympathy, whatever is necessary.
Nebulizer and inhaler.
Small towel- this was actually because I showered at work one time and left it there but it came in handy after I got stuck in a downpour outside the office so I left it.
Extra pair of pants, socks, and a pair of sneakers.
Extra set of headphones.
Dryer sheets for static.
Anon
Please do not use dryer sheets, otherwise I will need my inhaler and also oxygen mask and tank.
Charlotte
Would love to know of any suggestions for small mirrors. Tempted to drop the money on the chanel cosmetic mirror but am looking for a more affordable one.