Hey friends, Andrew here – hope you’re well.
Desk setup upgrades can be very costly. I believe we can all agree on that.
A good chair, monitor, and computer are all necessary, but we frequently overlook the smaller desk accessories as part of a productive desk setup.
These extras add up to make your workspace more enjoyable to be in and your workday more productive.
I’ll share what I believe to be a truly unique list of desk accessories that I’ve been using and that you should look into to help take your desk setup to the next level.
1. Plaud Note
The first is something truly unique – the folks at Plaud sent me the first-ever ChatGPT-powered recorder!
So, if you, like me, need to take notes in meetings or at your desk and want to save time by automating this, an AI voice recorder will record and transcribe your calls into text, to-do lists, and mind maps!
I use this credit card-shaped recorder at my desk when I’m on a video call or when I have a private phone call. I’ll slip the Plaud into this case and snap it onto my phone, and it records my phone calls without being on loudspeaker! I believe it does this via a vibration conduction sensor – it’s pretty cool!
There’s 64GB of storage for 480 hours of continuous recording, but I hope you don’t have to sit through a 480-hour meeting.
The companion app is nothing special and leaves me wanting more, but for $99, I’m impressed with what it can do, and it’s a helpful tool for auto summarizing calls at your desk or when working remotely.
2. Desktop Vacuum
Next is a $15 desktop vacuum I purchased on Amazon, which is one of the best investments, especially for keeping your desk clean and dust-free.
It’s a hand-held vacuum, and with a click of the button here, it sucks up dust and other grime on your desk.
I feel like there is an infinite supply of dust in this world, and no matter how often you clean your desk, it gets dusty again in a matter of hours. This small vacuum cleaner lives on my desk and keeps it relatively dust-free.
The Amazon sales page claims to have 1,000 PA suction power, but I doubt it’s even half the power of a full robot vacuum cleaner.
But, for $15, it’s a cheap desk accessory that makes tidying your desk a breeze.
3. Dyson Zone
This is the Dyson Zone, and it’s fascinating.
Not only is it Dyson’s first pair of headphones, but it’s also the world’s first air-purifying headphones. I’ve been wearing them a lot at my desk, and these, indeed are a unique pair of headphones you’ll want to know about.
The Zone’s eight-microphone array provides excellent noise cancellation for quiet “zone” work periods at my desk.
Active noise cancellation is always useful for distraction-free work; these headphones do it almost perfectly. It cancels out a massive amount of background noise.
Then there’s the sound quality, which is impressive, considering this is Dyson’s first pair of headphones. The custom 40mm driver provides a low distortion frequency response of 6 to 21 Hz for crisp treble, rich vocals, and adequate bass.
When combined with its custom EQ setting and ANC, it’s ideal for both desk work and public use.
Not to mention the visor attachment. This is where we get a breath of fresh air thanks to a 2-stage filtration system from the earcups that spins at over 9,000 rpm, and funnels filtered air to the visor with the click of a left button.
The airflow sensation is something you have to experience in person, and the electrostatic filters block particles as small as 0.1 microns in size and even neutralize bad smells – going through construction sites notorious for dust and fumes, there is a difference made with the visor on.
If you have the opportunity, I recommend trying out the Dyson Zone in person. Here is a link for more information.
4. reMarkable Tablet
The reMarkable e-ink tablet is a great working companion.
Some notes I find belong on my laptop and need to be built out onto pen and paper, and recently, for me, that job has been done by the reMarkable tablet as a sort of digital notebook that mimics the feel of paper.
Manually writing thoughts, storyboards, and other such things helps me stay grounded and focused on the tasks at hand.
It also converts my scribbles to text, syncs to the cloud and doubles as a large e-ink reader, which is a plus.
It’s simply a beautifully designed device. It claims to be the world’s thinnest tablet, and I mean really thin. It’s a joy to hold and use. It basically lives beneath my desk and serves as a useful writing device without all the distracting apps and notifications.
5. JOTO Headphone Hanger
The following desk accessory I like is a simple headphone hanger, which helps free up valuable desk space.
It’s a simple 3M adhesive that sticks under your desk and can hold two pairs of headphones thanks to the non-slip silicone material. I sometimes leave charging cables within easy reach to keep cables off the table.
There’s not much else to say about this; it’s just a headphone hanger, but it’s an excellent buy for a few dollars on Amazon.
6. Bellroy Tech Kit
Next, I have a tech kit organizer that I use religiously to store my cables and other tech necessities, such as chargers.
This is Bellroy’s Tech Kit, which I’ve been using for over a year now. After trying a few different tech kits, I have to say that the Bellroy Tech Kit is definitely my favorite and one of the better ones.
It’s straightforward: It has a slew of pockets, magnetic slips, and a solid construction of sustainable woven fabric.
I use it as much at my desk as I do on the road, and it still appears to be relatively new.
It’s a great addition to a desk and a stylish way to keep EDC items organized. Small details like this and the headphone hanger make keeping an organized desk so much easier!
7. Kinto Tumbler
The Kinto Tumbler is a high-quality Japanese-made tumbler that keeps my drink cold or hot at my desk.
And, because I know how hard you all work, let’s remember to stay hydrated by keeping a good mug or tumbler on our desks.
I use this tumbler as a portable desk mug; I take it with me if I have a meeting outside the office that day. Otherwise, I use my previously featured Hasami porcelain mug.
It’s a great way to start the work day with some tea or coffee and then top it off with water to stay hydrated at my desk or on the go.
8. Coffee Table Books
Coffee table books are also great inspirational items to have in your home office and desk setup, in my opinion.
Not only do they look great on display and allow your personality to shine, but I also enjoy picking them up and flipping through them when I need a little extra creativity and inspiration during the workday.
My favorite books are those about photography and travel, as well as this brilliantly funny one about perseverance and embracing failure.
They are displayed on my desk, bookshelf, or openly in this cool transparent book holder.
It’s worth looking for coffee table books that represent your personality or hobbies on Amazon or at your local bookstore and displaying them as part of your desk setup.
9. Yamazaki Tower Organizer
The Yamazaki Tower Organizer is up next.
If you’re a regular here, you’ll know I’ve shared this piece a lot on this channel, and it’s just so elegant!
It’s nothing out of the ordinary, but it’s one of those pieces with both form and function, adding warmth and aesthetics to a room.
I’m a big fan of design and aesthetic, so small pieces like these that not only look great but also function as a functional organizer make my desk setup that much more comfortable to work in.
I bought this off Amazon a few years ago for around $30-40, and it’s been well worth it.
10. Opal C1 Webcam
And here’s a newer desk accessory: the Opal C1 webcam.
This is, without a doubt, one of the best webcams I’ve used.
It promises DSLR-quality webcam performance in a webcam form factor, and for the most part, it delivers.
This now sits on my desk for professional-looking video calls, and it’s small enough to throw into a backpack and travel with if I’m working remotely.
Unfortunately, it costs $250, but if your job requires you to make a lot of video calls, investing in a high-quality webcam to present your best self will pay for itself.
Conclusion
So let me know if you’ll be incorporating any of these into your setup or if there’s anything else I’ve overlooked that I should include.
Here’s a link to my current desk setup video, which I’m about to update because we’re bringing in new people to the office, which means this space will change drastically. Keep an eye out!