Most of us have more on our desks than our laptops, monitors, and keyboards. Gamers will have a high-end microphone and/or camera, not to mention their various consoles and keyboards; tech enthusiasts have video setups, Stream Decks, and multiple monitors; and many of our desktops are covered in a variety of things from a bullet journal and favorite mug to a cool wind-up toy.
We asked the staff of The edge what they keep on their desk. Here are some of the answers we got.
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Pen holder
Years ago (more than I can remember), a freelance writer who was both excellent at her craft and one of the nicest people I’ve known gave me a Christmas present: a wooden pen holder from Levenger with a quote on the side from HG Wells: “No passion in the world equals the passion of changing someone else’s design.” I’ve kept that on my desk at home ever since because it’s a perfect place to keep my better pens, because it reminds me of my boyfriend, and because it makes me laugh—as an editor, I know how true that quote is. – Barbara Krasnoff, Review Editor
Amazon Echo spot
Don’t laugh – I’m still using the 2017 OG Amazon Echo Spot. It has a cute and friendly watch face, but doesn’t take up nearly as much space as some other smart alarm clocks. It alternately shows me the weather, time, and news, which are really the only things the clock on my desk needs to display. It plays my music library when I need a quick pick-me-up. And if I need anything from Alexa, Alexa is there for me.
I’m sure the comments section will point out that there’s actually such and such other alarm clock I could use instead that offers the same benefits, but shh. I love my old Echo Spot. – Monica Chin, senior reviewer
SAD lamp
Like many people, I struggle to get through the dark winter months in my home office. My in-laws gifted me a full-spectrum light for my desk, designed to mimic sunlight and help with seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—although SAD lights aren’t regulated by the FDA, I can’t swear it provides actual medical benefits . But a surprising bonus is that my SAD lamp provides incredibly flattering zoom lighting, like bathing in an influencer’s ringlight. – Helen Havlak, Publisher
Wooden etched tweet
I’ve written about this before, but my all-time favorite desk accessory is my wooden tweet. I chose to get mine in honor of what I consider the greatest tweet of all time: Post Malone’s legendary “is meatball a fruit” tweet from 2018. It’s a nice conversation starter, of course, but it also reminds me of it every day The edge‘s audience manager to take social media only so seriously. – Kaitlin Hatton, audience manager
Anchored headphone hanger for under the desk
Tried this for one of ours TikTok Videos, and it hasn’t disappointed me yet. I use it to hold my Razer Kraken headset and some extra cords. It’s small enough to stay out of the way, but big enough to hold more than the headset itself. It has a pretty strong grip and doesn’t give way even when I move my standing desk up and down several times a day. It is not the prettiest accessory one can attach to their desk, but it is very functional. —Kaitlin Hatton
Google Nest Hub
As a smart home reviewer, I have a lot of smart speakers and smart displays at home. But the only one that gets a permanent place on my desk is the Google Nest Hub (first generation, without a camera). Ever since I got this smart display in 2018, it’s been a staple there thanks to its matte screen that provides uncluttered information without being distracting. I mainly use it as a clock – the full screen clock display is easy to read out of the corner of my eye during a video call. It’s also useful as a Pomodoro-style timer — I can set a 40-minute timer with a voice command to get on with some focused work. But perhaps my favorite feature is that I can connect it to a video doorbell so that if someone comes to the front door I can see and talk to the visitor without having to get up from my desk. – Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, reviewer
Retro kitchen timer
I also love the Pomodoro method, and sometimes I even think about using it. My office has about a dozen devices that can set a 25-minute timer, but they can also do a thousand other (distracting) things. Even Pomodoro apps do too much.
This one retro looking analog kitchen timer lived on my desk for five years. Are only a timer. It ticks as it counts and ends with a hideous mechanical ring, like the alarm clocks of old. No beeps, no bloops, no notifications, and no confusion with anything else. It’s perfect. — Nathan Edwards, senior review editor
Belkin “BoostCharge” 3-in-1 wireless charger
Got this as a birthday present from my partner this year after arguing over our sleeping arrangements for several months. Something about me dragging the charging cables for my devices in bed is “dangerous” and “extremely uncomfortable”… Anyway, after grudgingly acknowledging my bad charging habits, I must admit having this on my desk benefits beyond not strangling myself in the middle of my sleep.
My iPhone, Apple Watch, and wireless earbuds rarely run out of power, as I no longer fall asleep before plugging them in. small display for Slack or Discord, and as a hub to remotely control the various smart devices in my home. It helps me separate the device from my phone and instead helps me get into the habit of using it as another tool to boost my productivity. – Jess Weatherbed, news writer
Desk mat
I’ve been working on setting up a second desk in my home, and meanwhile I’ve done that now two different desk mats that I love. Keeb-heads (keyboard enthusiasts) swear that a desk mat improves the sound of their mechanical keyboards, and while it may make a small, faintly audible difference, a desk mat is just a fun way to decorate and personalize your space – and they are also. cooler than just a stand-alone mouse pad.
Desk mats have become fairly ubiquitous, so if you have a penchant for certain styles or themes (geometric, room, cute things, superheroes, anime, gaming, etc.), you can probably find something you like there. Some sites and small sellers include desk mats as part of limited edition group buys so you can get something really unique, but there’s always plenty of cool stuff to buy from Amazon, Aliexpress, or sites that sell keyboard stuff. Keep in mind that for any cool design, there are probably just as many ultra-cringey out there – some of which venture into a weird obsession with orientalism. (Don’t have to have everything katakana on it, folks!) So yes, maybe steer clear of that, but find the right size and design for your space, preferably 3mm or thicker so it doesn’t feel cheap and flimsy. – Antonio G. Di Benedetto, trade writer
Cat
Listen, I work from home, and of course there are other benefits – no commute, for example – but as I type this, the cat has settled into my lap, after walking back and forth behind my monitor several times. She is purring. You may think, but i’m a dog person and dogs are fine too, but they won’t get on your desk unless you’ve made a mistake somewhere. In my experience, they’re also less likely to hover over your keyboard and send strange Slack messages. I could tell you that pets low bloodpressure and can have other Health advantagesbut who cares, honestly. Give you a little buddyand I promise it will make work better and funnier. – Elizabeth Lopatto, senior reporter
Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.