career

The 17 insanely handy desk items to make your Monday morning that little bit easier.

Whether you’re starting a new career, switched jobs, or just want to make life a little bit easier, here is a curated list of the essential desk items to keep at work.

A charger and cable, the ultimate saviour.

A spare charging cable to leave at work is an absolute godsend if you forget to charge your battery overnight. Further, a power bank is a very useful addition to your desk or handbag to get some extra juice on the go.

Take in your heels and leave them at your desk.

Save your feet and keep a good pair of heels in the office (or snazzy business flats if that’s your jam). This way, you can make your commute easier by wearing shoes of your choice and elevate of your outfit if the situation arises.

Wet wipes For any spills.

Wet wipes are a god-send. Stash a travel pack in your bag and a large one in your desk. For any drink or food spillages, or even to freshen up at work, these are the perfect solution.

A Keep Cup because hot coffee is happiness.

A Keep Cup will keep your coffee hot and will contribute towards reducing the estimated 1 billion takeaway cups in landfill each year in Australia. As a bonus, some coffee places will give you a small discount if you bring your own cup! Here’s to the dual pursuit of being an eco-warrior and financially savvy.

A healthy snack for the mid-afternoon munchies.

Good for your health, good for your pocket. Avoid grabbing sugary snacks by having healthy nibbles on hand. Nuts are wonderful, but make sure you stick to a handful for a portion controlled energy boost. Protein balls can be another great option. Avoid unhealthy snacks – many purport to be healthy but are often perpetrators of high fat and sugar content (muesli bars I am looking at you).

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Dry shampoo and a brush (for post-gym or pre-after-work drinks).

Dry shampoo is great to keep in your desk to pep up your hair after a workout or before you head out to dinner after work. As for a brush, the original Tangle Teaser is the bomb – it is small, won’t rip all your hair out and will stand the test of time.

The following items will save your life at one point or another. (Well, okay, not literally.)

  • Reusable drink bottle (save the environment, your thirst and walking to and fro in front of your bosses office)
  • Stockings (stress less with a spare pair in your desk)
  • Umbrella (a MUST for Melbourne)
  • Tissues (if your workplace doesn’t supply them)
  • A tailored black blazer (for unexpected meetings)
  • Mints (kill the lunchtime kebab garlic sauce breath)
  • A well-stocked makeup bag with all of your essentials (if you’re a makeup wearer)
  • Hair ties and bobby pins
  • Headphones (a spare pair to leave at work)
  • Any drinks you drink regularly that your office does not provide (tea, coffee, milks, etc)
  • A pair of runners/slip on sneakers (for a lunchtime stroll or work-related messages)

Oh, and if you’re starting in a new workplace, wait until the end of your first week to take in these items – focus on settling in to your new environment first. Same goes for decorating your desk.

This post originally appeared on Navigator – a site supporting young female professionals to thrive in the Australian workforce. You can read the original post here.