When Cory joined Team PF in December 2020, he had already been working from home since 2013. That year, he had a young business that wasn’t making much money, working from home using the kitchen table as an office in a 1-bedroom apartment.
Eventually, he got a desk in the corner of the living room. Since then, he’s gradually added quite a few items to make his work-from-home setup much more robust. Read on for part 1 of his essentials to making his house a home (office):
MacBook Pro 2020: I love new electronics, and I especially love the new MacBook Pro with the M1 chip. Keeping a new machine means I’m always running at optimal speed and learning new interfaces, which delights me and brings me little bits of joy throughout the day. Seriously, the new toolbar is ? (I typed that emoji with the new toolbar).
Dell S2817Q Monitor: The model I have is actually a few years old and no longer available, but the updated models typically run $400 – $500 and are still stellar. An external monitor is perfect for having a shared document on a second screen while I do video calls with colleagues – or for watching Season 7 of Vikings while I do administrative work.
Logitech HD Webcam: Having an HD webcam isn’t necessary for everyone, but between webinars and videos recorded for clients and colleagues it brings an air of professionalism that makes me look like I know what I’m doing.
Blue Snowball Microphone: I have a lot of audiophile friends who will point to more expensive microphones, but the Snowball has served me well for years, through video chat, podcast recordings, and even pandemic-inspired remote karaoke.
Sennheiser Momentum 3 Headphones: I listen to music most of the day in the office. Sennheiser makes the best headphones in the world. These Bluetooth headphones have great quality for music or video chat (with the exception of the built-in microphone, which is bad in all Bluetooth headphones). They also have the ability to plug in with a wired connection for the highest sound fidelity.
HP OfficeJet 8170 Printer: Even when you’re an all-remote company that primarily exists online, you still need a printer (mostly for tax forms and other formal documents). The OfficeJet line just works.
These are all just a few suggestions for how I get my own work done. I’ve seen all kinds of home office setups, and I’m especially appreciative of people who can be surrounded by plants and/or scented candles (my allergies make it way too hard for me to have those kinds of things in my office.) I’m always looking to up my game, so if you have suggestions please let me know in the comments.