Setting up a home office does not require buying a lot. It requires buying the right things in the right order. This guide breaks down what is essential, what is useful once the basics are covered, and what is not worth buying for a standard remote work setup. For the step-by-step setup process covering desk, monitor, lighting, storage, and cable management, see the small home office setup guide.
The essential purchases
Essential home office purchases by priority
| Item | Why it matters | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Desk | Everything else sits on it — size and depth determine what the setup can support | 100–120 cm wide, 50–55 cm deep minimum for a monitor setup |
| Chair | You sit in it all day — discomfort compounds quickly | Adjustable seat height, lumbar support, armrests |
| External monitor | Laptop screens alone create poor posture and are too small for full-day use | 24–27 inches, 1080p or 1440p, IPS panel |
| Full-size keyboard | External keyboard allows correct arm position when monitor is at eye level | Wireless for less clutter; wired for reliability |
| Mouse | Trackpad is not ergonomic for full-day use | Wireless; sized to your hand |
| Desk lamp | Room lighting alone is usually too dim and too far away for focused work | Adjustable brightness and colour temperature |
| Surge-protected power strip | Multiple devices need power; protection against surges | At minimum 4 outlets; 6 is better for a full setup |
What to buy next (useful, not essential)
Once the basics are in place, these additions improve the setup significantly:
Monitor arm. Recovers the monitor stand footprint, improves height and angle adjustment, and makes the desk feel larger. Useful on any desk under 130 cm wide.
Laptop stand. If using a laptop as a second screen, raising it to match the primary monitor height removes the neck tilt from looking between screens at different heights.
Webcam. Worth buying if you are on video calls for more than 2 hours per day and your laptop camera is poor quality. Not necessary if the laptop camera is adequate.
USB hub or dock. Useful if you have multiple peripherals and only a few USB ports. A laptop dock allows one-cable connection for power and all peripherals.
Headset. A headset with a close-range microphone delivers better call audio than any room-level microphone and eliminates echo for other call participants.
Desk organiser. A small tray or organiser keeps the desk surface clear without requiring desk drawers. A single pen pot and a small tray for daily items is usually sufficient.
What to skip
What order to buy in
The order matters. Buying accessories before the desk is a mistake — the desk size determines what will fit. The right buying sequence:
- Desk first. Measure the room and buy the desk before anything else. Everything else is sized around it.
- Chair second. Your comfort depends on the chair more than any other item.
- Monitor, keyboard, mouse third. These are your input/output tools — get them before accessories.
- Lamp and power strip fourth. These complete the basic functional setup.
- Monitor arm and cable management fifth. These tidy and improve the setup you now have.
- Everything else. Webcam, headset, hub — only if your workflow needs them.
Budget guidance by setup tier
Home office setup tiers by budget
| Tier | What it includes | What it skips |
|---|---|---|
| Minimal (desk and chair only) | Desk, basic chair, existing laptop | Monitor, peripherals, lamp — add over time |
| Functional (full working setup) | Desk, chair, monitor, keyboard, mouse, lamp, power strip | Monitor arm, webcam, headset |
| Comfortable (optimised for full-day work) | All functional items plus monitor arm, cable tray, webcam, headset | Dock, printer, specialist accessories |
The functional tier is sufficient for most remote work. The comfortable tier makes a difference if you spend 6–8 hours at the desk daily. The minimal tier is a starting point — useful if you need to start working quickly and intend to add items over time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important thing to buy for a home office?
The desk is the most important purchase because its size determines everything else in the setup. A desk that is too small limits what you can place on it and forces uncomfortable monitor positions. Measure the room before choosing a desk, and prioritise depth (at least 50 cm) as much as width.
How much does it cost to set up a basic home office?
A functional home office — desk, chair, monitor, keyboard, mouse, lamp, and power strip — typically costs between the price of a modest desk and chair combination plus the peripherals. The range is wide depending on quality and brand. The most important principle is buying the right size desk first, then filling in the rest.
Do I need a standing desk for a home office?
Not initially. A standing desk is useful if you already know that you want to alternate sitting and standing during the day. For a first home office setup, a standard desk is simpler, cheaper, and covers all core needs. Add a standing desk later if you find you want the option.
Do I need to buy a separate webcam for a home office?
Only if your laptop's built-in camera is poor and you spend significant time on video calls. A better approach for most setups is to improve lighting first — a small LED panel in front of you dramatically improves how you appear on camera without changing the camera itself.