I have a confession to make: I love home office supplies and gadgets. I really, really do. While others might swoon over a new pair of strappy sandals, skinny jeans, or the latest handbag, I salivate over staplers, highlighters, and desktop organizers. I can’t help it. I think it’s because I’m an eternal optimist who is constantly seeking to minimize the mayhem in my life, always hoping that the next gadget or gizmo will help me to create an organizational oasis in my home office space.
Recently, some members of the accounting community shared some of their favorite home office supplies/gadgets with me, and I wanted to share them with you. Enjoy! If you have a favorite office supply or gadget, tweet it to me at @mindy4intuit, and we just might add it to this article.
”I have a Belmint Shiatsu Foot Massager I really love. It’s perfect for under the desk!” – Lori Zibulka Knight, Bookkeeper
“My favourite tool at the office is my Rocketbook! I love the act of writing, but my goal is to be paperless. With the Rocketbook, I can write to my heart’s content, upload my pages to the cloud, erase the book, and start all over again! It’s magic!” – Lisa Channell, Bonfire Bookkeeping
“I have a stationary cycle under my desk. I like to use it when I’m on webinars and meetings, when we’re all just sitting around watching or something similar.” – Kathy L. Grosskurth, Bookkeeping Clean and Simple
“I have a VersaDesk Power Pro Sit-To-Stand Height-Adjustable Electric Desk Riser on my table in my office, so I can stand when I want to. It isn’t cheap, but it’s cheaper than a full-on standing desk.” – Cathy Iconis, Podcast host and QuickBooks Online Trainer for accountants and bookkeepers
“All of my monitors sit on industrial quality Lazy Susan base. They are relatively inexpensive on Amazon — $10-12 each for my 24” monitors. With the lazy Susans, I can turn my monitors to show clients their tax return and when training clients on using QuickBooks® Online in the office.” — Becky Neilson, Neilson Bookkeeping & Tax Services Inc.
“My favorite office gadget is a simple STAMPER that I purchased almost 20 years ago. People still send me paper. Now I can STAMP it. Once I see that stamp, I know it’s been processed. Plus, I love using it. It’s like checking an item off the list.” – Debra Kilsheimer, Behind the Scenes Financial Services
“My favorite office product has become my Google Home-Special Assistant. I love it because I am working from home and sometimes I leave my 10Key in the office. There is nothing like having music playing, then being able to ask my assistant for the solution to a quick math problem so I don’t have to stop typing.” – Jeff Wilson, The W2 Group
“The best office product I have ever bought is the Quartet Glass Dry-Erase Desktop Computer Pad. I no longer have Post-its all over my work space or mounds of paper with reminders, phone numbers or notes. Best part, it’s equally stylish and efficient.” – April Miller, Sand Dollar Bookkeeping
“My favorite? My Ember Mug – keeps my coffee warm until it’s gone and allows me to stagger my 12 cups of coffee every day.” – Caleb L. Jenkins, RLJ Financial
“As a small business consultant, it is not uncommon for me to schedule new client meetings on their home turf. While these onsite visits can be very beneficial for evaluating the company’s current processes, it often made it very difficult to conduct a proper presentation. Fortunately, we discovered the one tool that every small business owner should have, the ScreenBeam Mini 2. This $50 video adaptor will project the display of any Android and Windows based devices to a second monitor with an HDMI input (Mac & iOS not supported). Now, instead of huddling around a little laptop monitor, we use technology to help sell our tech driven accounting services.” – Matthew Fulton, Parkway Business Solutions
“My favourite cool, little-known office supply product is a “bell” because it helps me/others stay on track during my Zoom meetings, webinars, and when I’m speaking at sessions/events. I make sure I have it highly visible and if I/someone start(s) to get off topic or rattle on too long, I ring it to end my/their road trip. Usually it’s me … at live sessions/events I give a bell to someone I don’t know (my friends can’t be trusted not to over ring). Sometimes I let them keep the bell as their own, fun rambling-ender. Now people give me interesting bells to use!” – Kellie Parks, CPB
“I have a yoga mat to stretch often during the day. I use the muse device for meditating. This is part of my work routine at the office.” – Carmen Manrique, Accounts Pro
“I use binder clips to clip on the edge of the desk to manage cords. My phone charger always seems to slip off the desk when it’s not plugged in, but not anymore!” – Stacey Byrne, CPA
