Your home office setup should make you happy, which is why I am sharing 9 essential (and pretty) home office supplies that make work fun!
These are the things that I would buy again, and some I have, or the things that can help you love the space you work in.
From the best felt tip pens to a lovely daily planner, I hope these ideas inspire you to make your home office a nice place to work each day!
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Even something simple, like desk accessories, can make your work from home setup feel more special.
When I began working from home, I wanted my office supplies to be functional but pretty. Pens and other items that sit on a desk may as well make you happy to look at if they have to be out.
Tip:
I recommend a little planning before you buy anything, including:
- Take your time - Know that it may take time to find things that you like. You can curate office supplies slowly over time to ensure you get exactly what you want.
- Assess what you have and what you need - Make a list of office supplies you need, but rarely have on-hand, so you make sure to get them.
- Choose a style and color palette - If it is important to you that things look like the rest of your home, take note of what color palette and style you want to have. For instance, I like soft colors throughout our home - blues, blush pink, creams and white, soft green - that I also stick to in my office space.
Pretty Home Office Supplies
As I mentioned, it may take time to find the supplies you need and want. That was definitely the case for my home office, and that's okay. I like adding a little something to my desk here and there.
#1 Writing Utensils
We live in a digital world, however I still like to write some things down. Studies have even shown hand writing increases retention.
If you have not used a felt tip pen, you are missing out. I have the most beautiful felt tip pens from one of my favorite shops, Sugar Paper. The pens come in a variety of colors, including pale pink, blue, green, and white, and the ink is black.
Why use bright highlighters when there are much better looking highlighters available today? These aesthetic highlighters (I have the "Happiness" set) not only write in soft colors, they also look good in a pen holder on a desk.
Lastly, all of us can use a pencil from time to time. I prefer mechanical pencils than those that require sharpening. This mechanical pencils set that I have comes with erasers, lead refills, and 6 pencils.
Store them in a nice pencil cup on your desk with the aforementioned pens and highlighters.
You can use practically anything to hold pens and pencils, such as a cute mug you like. I use a small marble pencil holder (similar).
#2 Laptop Stand and Phone Holder
Holding your cellphone while taking a call can get tiring. I am not sure about you, however I also do not want to use headphones for every call. I bought this phone stand some time ago that I wasn't sure I needed, but now I use it all the time.
Where the phone sits is adjustable to be more ergonomic for various viewing angles. It also has an anti-slip silicone backing to make sure the phone doesn't slide around a lot. I have the pink one, but it comes in a few other colors.
Another very helpful office accessory is a laptop stand. Maybe you solely work on your laptop, or perhaps you have it off to the side hooked up to a monitor like I do. Whatever configuration you have, a laptop stand is essential.
My laptop is connected to a monitor. I use this clear acrylic laptop stand (similar) to elevate the laptop in order to bring it to a better viewing height.
I check email on my laptop, while focusing on my core work for the day on my monitor.
#3 Journal and Agenda Planner
Do you like to use a daily agenda planner? Ever since my corporate days I have used a planner. I find that it helps me plan my days/weeks much better.
Sugar Paper, the same shop I buy my pens from, makes stylish planners from spiral bound to fabric bound. I prefer their daily or weekly fabric bound planners. The brand also has a collaboration with Target, which is where I buy a new planner from each year like the pink block print agenda I got for 2026. Target sold out of this specific agenda, though they have a few other styles.
Recently, I purchased a pink gingham journal from Sugar Paper's website that I will use to jot down notes. Right now I am using a pale pink small notebook, so it will be a little while before I use the gingham one. It sits under the tiny lamp on my desk until then.
I am of the opinion you should have a couple good notebooks in your home office supplies stash.
#4 Pinboard or Bulletin Board
Depending on what type of work you do, having a pinboard/bulletin board in your home office can be useful. Interior designers, marketers, creative ad agencies, and anyone who works best visually will appreciate a pinboard.
I made DIY Pinboard a few years ago for my office. You may be able to buy a pinboard today for less than it costs to make one, especially if you get it at HomeGoods.
My pinboard is mostly decorative, but I love it. I pin up paint and wallpaper samples to see how they look together. I also recently found these cute clear round push pins to pin all the things. I will admit they are challenging to push in due to the spherical shape, so keep that in mind if you get them.
#5 Laptop Case and Pencil/Pen Pouch
On a recent trip to Target, I stopped over in the office supplies section to take a look at their collaboration with Sugar Paper. They went over and above this year!
If you like soft blue stripes and block prints you will love this collection. I ended up getting the blue floral laptop case for travel as well as the blue floral/blue stripe fabric pouch set and the mousepad.
With the pouches, one is a pencil/pen case and the other is a larger pouch to hold tech accessories, a notepad, or anything you want.
#6 Desk Lamp
Working from home means you may need to level up your lighting. A good setup is a combination of overhead and task lighting.
You can easily find a small desk lamp at any number of stores. I have this light grey mini lamp that sits on top of an alabaster trinket box and some books to give it height.
If you don't like cords cluttering your space, use a small rechargeable lamp instead.
#7 Sticky Notes
Once in a while a sticky note is all you need. I know, I know, we live in a digital world, but I use them sparingly. I like being able to quickly jot a note down as a reminder.
Keep your color palette in mind and opt for a shade of sticky notes that works with it. I have the Pink Salt sticky notes, though they are more of a vibrant pink than I was hoping for. Or, just get white sticky notes in the "First Snow" color, as it's called. White goes with everything!
You can skip this for your office supplies list if you don't need them, but I find sticky notes to be very useful.
#8 Gorgeous Scissors
Having a pair of sharp beautiful scissors around is not to be underestimated. Cutting tags off clothes or cutting ribbon or wrapping paper to size all call for scissors. Why not have beautiful scissors?
I keep a pair of gorgeous blush pink stainless steel scissors in my pen holder at my desk. I use scissors for various craft projects here on the blog, such as a No-Sew Book Cover and cutting the peel & stick paint sheets for the DIY Intaglio Wall Art, and so many more.
They no longer seem to make the scissors I have, but Sugar Paper has these nice gold scissors I recently bought at Target. These rose gold scissors look nice too.
#9 Decorative Tray
Corralling items on your desk is much easier if you have a tray. Trays make things look organized, because they contain all the things together.
You should be able to find a tray in a style and material that you like at places like Amazon, Target, and HomeGoods.
For my desk, I have a stunning large marble tray from HomeGoods in soft shades of pink, white, and sage green. The sides are fluted which makes a subtle statement. Here is a similar but slightly smaller fluted edge marble tray that may work for you.
Decorative trays serve many purposes and can move around your home for styling a shelf, coffee table, or kitchen island. I have moved the marble tray from our living room to our nightstands and now it lives in my office.
What supplies are essential for your home office? Leave a comment below!
Read more home office posts to get inspired:
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