The Best Home Office Upgrades for 2021

BY Jeffrey May 31, 2021

This Post is Sponsored by BigLots!

2020 was an interesting (and chaotic, confusing, stressful, uncertain) year for all of us. The way we shop, eat, socialize, and even how we work changed drastically over the last year and a half. For many of us, this changeup with work came in the form of learning how to work from home.

As we adapted to our new work environment, however, we soon learned that kitchen tables and folding chairs weren’t going to cut it. We needed something a little more…office-y for our home offices. Whether that was a new desk, lighting, laptop stand or fancy new gaming chair, we all made some tweaks to improve our WFH experience.  

As we move through the middle of 2021, it might be time to upgrade those home office furnishings. Here’s a helpful list of the best additions you can find to keep that office space fresh and friendly.

Invest in a Quality Office Chair

Whoa! What a revelation, right? Who would’ve thought you needed a good office chair? Joking aside, many of us didn’t think the change to WFH would be permanent. We probably found a good, but cheap, office chair. After 12+ months of sitting in that discount office chair you’ve probably begun to notice its discount features are wearing out.

Consider investing in a quality office chair. Something that offers a little more support, better cushioning, and a decent headrest. You definitely won’t regret it. Neither will your back, neck, arms, and legs. If you need some suggestions, check out the full selection of office chairs from BigLots!

Consider a Standing Desk

Working from home has taught us a lot about our habits, where we excel, where we need to improve, and (goodness) our posture. Many of us have become acutely aware of how we sit while working. Much of this can be attributed to that discount office chair we bought, but we also need to consider where our head sits while working.

It’s often recommended that we keep our screens on level with our eyes while working. We don’t do this. More likely, our screen is set lower than our eyes, causing our heads to dip while we work. This puts a lot of stress on our neck and head, further messing with our posture. 

Might we suggest using a standing desk. These versatile office tools offer a number of healthy perks, including better posture, the ability to stretch, increase blood flow, improve energy levels, and help reduce back pain. These is quite a few benefits simply from standing while you work, and the best desks are adjustable. Stand while you work, sit when you need. It’s the perfect tool for an improved home office.

Enhance Your Lighting

As we mentioned in another post, lighting is essential to creating the perfect office space. Sure, you’ve got that nice ceiling light positioned right above you, but what about natural light? If you’ve got windows in your office, you’re all set (just be use you open them). If not? It might be time to pick up a corner lamp, desk lamp, or both.

Even better, you can find plenty of bulb options that replicate natural sunlight. 

With a good lamp setup and the proper bulbs, your home office lighting will provide a better experience for your eyes, a more pleasant office space, and even save you some money if you use LED bulbs. 

Go Nuts with Ergonomics

This isn’t a tip that’s specific to working from home, but if you’re out of the office you’re less likely to have access to things like ergonomic keyboards, mice, and mouse pads. The great thing about these upgrades is they’re relatively cheap. Sure, some come with a wealth of features and gimmicks, but you probably just need something that works.

Pro Tip: One size definitely doesn’t fit all. Just because your mousepad has a raised bump for your wrist doesn’t mean it’s going to be helpful. Try out a few keyboards and mouse pads before you settle into one for good.

Relax a Bit

Ok, so admittedly this is your home. It’s probably filled with places to relax and furniture to relax on. However, the moment you switch from office mode to home mode, you’re likely to lose a bit of that productive energy.

A simple fix to this possible dilemma is adding something to your office that allows you to take a quick break and just relax. This can be anything, really. Bean bag chair, futon, rocking chair, even a yoga mat for some mid-afternoon stretches can be helpful. Whatever you decide on, it’ll add a little more personality to your home office while helping maintain your energy (and sanity) on some of those big projects.

Find Everything You Need at BigLots!

From desks and office chairs, to lamps, sofas, recliners, and more, BigLots! has everything you need to optimize your home office experience. Whether it’s an ergonomic chair for a particularly stubborn back, or just a place to rest during your lunch break, you can find everything you need at BigLots.com.