The Complete OfficeNinjas HQ Go-To Tools & Gadgets
Communication, Collaboration, & Productivity | Content Creation, Social Media, Email, & Copywriting | Office Gear, Workspaces, & More

Feng shui, anyone? This ancient Chinese art examines how the placement of objects affects the energy flow in your living environment. And those same principles can also be applied to where you work.

Everybody loves to decorate the office, but before you can coordinate color schemes, you’ll need to commit to some fundamental office essentials first. You know—monitors, computers, desks, chairs, etc. All of that needs to be factored into your feng shui formula, which is we’re wrapping up our go-to tools series with a rundown on all of the above.

At OfficeNinjas HQ, we took the time to seriously consider how to arrange our workspaces by carefully picking out the best computer and desk setups, office furniture, stress relievers and more. Unlike the software tools and apps you read about in parts one and two, you actually get to enjoy these tangible recommendations.

Here are our 27 fave office products.

COMPUTER SETUP

Apple 15” MacBook Pro

Confession time: we’re huge Apple fans. You could maybe go as far saying we’re Apple fanboys and fangirls. We love using Apple products and this laptop is no exception. With the latest rumored update to the laptop underway, we’re stoked to see some serious upgrades, like the Touch ID sensor. Once you go Mac, you never go back.

Dell 27” Monitor

Of course, to maximize our productivity, we gotta maximize our display options. That’s why we use dual monitors. For that, we turn to Dell. Dell monitors have the ability to rotate the screen vertically, which is super helpful when looking at long web pages. Plus, compared to Apple monitors, Dell is a bargain (without compromising quality).

Mount-It Single Arm Computer Monitor Desk Mount

How do we combine our laptops and monitors for the optimum workspace? We use this monitor mount desk to ensure the monitor is at eye level. There’s nothing worse than looking down at a screen all day.

Rain Design mStand

If we have a stand for our monitor at eye level, we definitely need one for our laptop. Remember: dual monitors rule! This laptop stand does just the trick (and works well in conjunction with the monitor desk mount above). Also, did we mention that the tilt design brings screens closer and improves airflow around the laptop? Win, win, win.

Apple Magic Mouse

It’s no Magic Trackpad, but we have a fondness for Apple’s classic Magic Mouse. It’s a simple move, point, and click optimized for Apple products using either a lightning cable or bluetooth.

Evoluent Vertical Mouse

For a mouse upgrade that’s carpal tunnel-proof, we give two thumbs up to the Evoluent Vertical Mouse. It’s big and kind of pricey, but it’s built for comfort, longevity, and easy gripping. It’s a good option to look into if you’re trying to create an ergonomic workspace.

Kinesis Freestyle Keyboard

Again, we are staunch opponents of carpal tunnel and repetitive stress injury, both of which can be caused by bad typing form and keyboards. To keep your wrists relaxed no matter what they’re typing on—laptop, phone, tablet—we use the Kinesis Freestyle Keyboard. Its multichannel feature also allows you to instantly switch between your Bluetooth-enabled devices. Though the gap down the middle looks strange, it’s our preferred keyboard to get to work on.

DESK SETUP

Turnstone Bevi Modular Tables

We’re fans of the open floor plan at offices so ours is configured no differently. Because of this, it’s super important that we choose the right modular tables to complement our open (and compact) concept. We love Turnstone Bevi’s tables because they’re easy to configure and can be arranged in any area of any room. Plus, they have great pockets that hide computer cables. Clean, efficient, and stylish? Yes, please.

Turnstone Ninja Green Mesh-Back Chairs

Hands down, these Italian-imported mesh chairs have saved our necks (and backs). Lightweight style and comfortable adjustment settings make sitting in the office in these chairs a real pleasure. Plus, they come in Ninja Green, so they were basically made for us.

Fatboy Lime Green Adult Bean Bag

We are firm believers that there is no age limit when it comes to bean bags, and that’s probably why we have a few at our office. These super comfy pillow seats are great alternatives to desk chairs when we just want to plug into our laptop and get goin’.

Poppin Lime Green File Cabinet

Our HQ is pretty much paperless, but even still need a filing cabinet to store our most important docs, files, backup copies, etc. Enter this seriously poppin’ lime green file cabinet. It doesn’t look like that color is available anymore (sorry!), but it’s a stylin’ piece of furniture, no matter the hue.

CABLES & MICS

Moshi Keychain Charger

Too many charging cords = too many problems. Moshi’s Keychain Charger will help solve some of those problems. With a snap-hook design that easily latches and detaches from your keyring or bag, you can connect either a micro USB or Android/iPhone lightning cord to your computer or outlet to charge your devices. No muss, no fuss.

Moshi USB Hub

The ultimate portable charging station exists, and it’s this USB hub from Moshi. It allows you to add four additional USB 3.0 ports to your Mac or PC with transfer rates of up to 5 Gbps. AKA, it charges your devices, fast. Its small size paired with a six-foot cable for convenient desktop use makes it portable for working on the go or at the desk.

Post-it Dry Erase Surface

Do you like to draw on walls and other inappropriate items of furniture like a little kid does? Don’t worry—we do too. Luckily, our love for Post-it Brand’s dry erase surface, an easy DIY solution, keeps us from becoming total 5-year-olds. Simply cut up the paper-like surface, place it on a table, wall, or window and blam-o! An instant dry erase surface you can mark up, erase, and throw away without any damage to your furniture. It’s great for collaborating on projects or brightening up the space in our office.

Google Chromecast

You may know it as the device that makes streaming Netflix to your TV easy, but we know it as the device that streams Netflix and our desktop screens. With a simple setup and interface, it’s simple to cast our desktop screens and apps onto the nearest TV.

LEDU Halogen Arm Desk Lamp

Let there be light! We use these arm desk lamps to counterbalance the glow of our computer screens and natural light. With a two-foot reach and weighted base, we can light those hard-to-see places on and behind our desks. Think sleek, be sleek.

Monoprice Min DisplayPort to DisplayPort Cable

Ah, cables. You never want to see them in your workspace, but you definitely need them. To connect our monitors and laptops, we like this copper-based cable to keep our connections stable and secure. That’s what you really need from a cable.

Moshi TeraGlove

For the love of all that is holy, do not use a paper towel to clean your laptop, tablet, or phone screen. Trust us on this one! Invest in a nice microfiber cloth like this Moshi TeraGlove to remove dust, dirt, stains, and smears from any display or touch screen. It’s machine-washable, eco-friendly. and just plain friendly to your devices.

Sennheiser Wireless Headset

Enough with your iPhone headphones; it’s time to invest in a headset. This recommended headset keeps its charge for approximately 12 hours, works within a range of 400 feet and is 100 percent compatible with PC and Mac. Perfect for gamers or Office Ninjas, the headset is an essential part of juggling conference calls and kicking butt.

FOR FUN / STRESS RELIEVERS

Stress Buster Desktop Punching Ball

“I am too blessed to be stressed!” said no Ninja, ever. You want to think you won’t use a stress buster punching ball, but you’ll be thankful when it’s sitting there on your desk, minding it’s own business, waiting to be whacked.

Yankee Candle Lavender & Trader Joe’s Lavender Lotion

Lavender’s scent is a wonderful blend of fresh, floral, clean, and calm—which makes it the perfect essential oil to keep you calm at work. There are two reasons we recommend using it. One is the scent. If you want to get rid of any unpleasant odors or clear the air after lunch, we definitely recommend a lavender candle—refreshing but not overpowering. And reason two is for touch. Trader Joe’s Lavender Lotion is our go-to calming lotion that also happens to moisturize hands.

O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream

Who needs elbow grease when you have O’Keefe’s Working Hands Cream? We kid, we kid, though this hand cream does moisturize and smooth skin roughened by the dry conditions of office life.

Honeywell TurboForce Air Circulator Fan

We could say something funny about having a personal fan, but the product description for this mini-air circulator does it justice: “Use for intense personal cooling or energy-saving air circulation.” Did you get that part? Intense personal cooling. Honeywell TurboForce Air Circulator Fan is basically telling you to have at it, Ninjas!

Body Back Self Massager & Brookstone Shiatsu 3D Lumbar Massager

Not everyone can grab a massage between meetings. For those of us not lucky enough to work in an office like the one in The Intern with an in-house masseuse, we’ll just have to settle for portable back and lumbar massagers. These are designed by professional physical therapists and we definitely recommend them for getting that knot you can’t reach untied.

Inspire Functional Trainer and Smith Machine

We won’t lie—this one was a splurge, but an important health investment. We’re not advocating living at the office so you can work out there, but sometimes, a little exercise can clear the mind. Dumbbells also work just fine.

And that’s it for our favorite workplace furniture, gadgets, gizmos and more. What are some of your go-to products, Ninjas?