6 Essential Items You Should Have At Your Desk At Work

Food- Photo credit - Eatwell101.com

1. An Office Jacket
No, I don’t mean a formal blazer-like jacket—unless you’re a fancy businessperson, in which case, you do you. I mean a sweater, a sweatshirt, a pullover, or a snuggie (we’re just mere years away from those being ironic) that you can pull on when the office AC wars get crazy.

2. Deodorant
In contrast to your office jacket, you’re also going to need deodorant. You’re an adult, so I don’t need to explain to you the ins and outs of sweating, but sometimes it happens at work and it’s a smart thing to have handy. Because when you need it, you probably need it.

3. A Few Grooming Items
Whether you’re meeting an important client who just stopped by the office on the fly or spontaneously going out for happy hour drinks with your co-workers, it always feels good to spruce yourself up a bit. From flossing and dabbing on lip balm to brushing your hair to giving yourself a full-on extreme makeover that makes people say, “Whoa, you look so different with eyeliner!”— having a few items on hand makes it easy to make yourself look (more) professional in minutes.

4. Food
At any given time, I have between one and 100 non-perishable items in my drawer. Seriously, if there’s a natural disaster in New York City, my best advice to you is to find my desk—granola bars for days. (On a related note: Perhaps, I’m not the best person to dole out natural disaster advice.) Whether you suffer from hanger—which is very real—or you’re the kind of person who gets so caught up in your work that you don’t have time to pop out to lunch, it’s always better if you can grab something quick. At least until you do have time to eat something more substantial.

5. Slippers
I know, it’s getting weird now—but hear me out. Winter is coming. And that means you’re going to wear boots and other large, clunky footwear to the office. Sure, you can keep a pair of nice flats or sneakers under your desk. Or, you can indulge your feet in pillow-y softness. Speaking from personal experience, it’s a dream come true when you come into the office covered in slush and get to put these on instead. Just know, that no matter what brand you get, they all come with free stares from confused co-workers.

6. One Dress-up Item
No matter how casual your office may be, there will one day be an occasion when you need to look a little bit more dressed up. Maybe an investor’s stopping by your startup, or a PR person wants you to drop by an awesome event, or your friends want to head to a fancy new bar. While you most definitely don’t need to have a back-up black tie wedding outfit ready, you should have one item that makes you look more put together. Be it heels, a blazer, a tie, or even a statement necklace—don’t be caught unprepared. After all, a shoe change could be the key to making yourself look more presentable.