At work, my co-worker Becky has everything you could absolutely need in her office. From Tide-to-go pens to plastic knives, batteries to a mini hammer to hang a clock in the lobby (I’m not kidding), Becky truly has it all. I lovingly call her my “office mom” because of this. Any time I need Advil or a packet of instant oatmeal because I forgot my breakfast (again), I go to Becky’s office because I know she’ll have it on hand.

^Becky

Becky’s signature preparedness got me thinking of the random things I’ve often needed/ specifically bought to keep in my desk at work in case of emergencies (or simple everyday occurrences). These things are beyond your typical office supplies that might just come in handy. Keep on reading for ten random things you should always keep in your desk.

travel size wrinkle release spray

I’m not sure about you, but I hate hate hate ironing. Because of this, I always buy Downy’s Wrinkle Release spray. It’s so easy, IDK why anyone irons. You just spray it on your clothes, stretch them out a little bit & let them hang. Wrinkles gone. This past winter, I found that my clothes (even the ones that I took time to iron!) always ended up wrinkly when I got from work from my coat/sitting in the car. So I decided to get a travel sized wrinkle release spray to keep at my desk. Now I have wrinkle release spray literally wherever I go & can probably get rid of my iron.

lint roller

On a similar note, I keep a lint roller at my desk too because scarves + wool coats + gloves = a loooott of fuzzies (another reason why I love the summer, you don’t have to deal with all these wardrobe issues). Mini lint rollers are so cheap so I just stock up and leave one at home, in my car & at the office. See ya fuzzies.

peppermint tea

Although I’m a coffee addict enthusiast, I also love tea. I have a variety of teas in my desk because I love drinking it on cold or rainy days, but I always make sure I have peppermint tea on hand. Peppermint is great if you have an upset stomach (and can’t find any ginger ale) or if you run out of gum and need to freshen up. Twinings Pure Peppermint is my absolute favorite, but I also love this mint medley tea as well. If you want to get really fancy, you can get an electric kettle for hot water on demand (Becky has one & it’s the best. See, told you, she has everything).

neutral flats

Look, heels are great & hella cute, but let’s be real, your feet die 30 minutes into wearing them. Sort of like those adorable shoes you just bought but realize that they give you terrible blisters midway through the morning. For these reasons, I keep a pair of neutral flats (nude or black) at my desk just in case of a shoe emergency. They’ve really come in handy when I wear crappy flip flops to work, forget my nice heels and have a meeting at 9:30 a.m.

floss

Because we’ve all tried to be healthy & eat a salad for lunch and get repaid by getting lettuce stuck between our teeth.

peanut butter crackers

I’m a big believer of having a snack-stash at your desk (I get really hungry at work okay??). My most important snack item, though, is peanut butter crackers. I really like the (healthy-ish?) whole grain ones because they’re a more substantial snack in case I forget my lunch or need a good snack before I work out. Plus they’re non-perishable, so you can get a couple boxes and won’t have to worry about them going bad/stale.

safety pins & bobby pins

Aka the things I’m always losing. Keep a small stash of safety pins & bobby pins at your desk just in case you have a wardrobe/hair fiasco. Throw some extra hair ties with them because you know you’re always misplacing them too.

phone charger

For those times where you want to go to a spontaneous happy hour after work and you’re at 8% battery.

A Coaster

This is a kinda weird one, but my desk coaster has become one of my main work necessities. I keep a reusable water bottle at the office because I try to drink a lot of water throughout the day, but it always sweats and leaves a ring of water all of over my desk. I started putting my water bottle on a packet of sticky notes which was kinda dumb/ruined perfectly good sticky notes so I got a coaster instead. Works wonderfully & now I have a dry desk.

Thank you notes/stationary

For that co-worker’s birthday you forgot. For the hiring manager who just interviewed you. For your work bestie who’s just having a sh*tty day and could use a pick-me-up. I love handwritten notes in general & I can’t tell you how many times I’ve needed to write a quick note to someone while I’m at work. This set is great because it has cards for every occasion. Never underestimate the power of a handwritten note.

Beyond pencils, pens, notebooks, staplers, etc. etc. some of these random things may come in handy at work. What do you keep at your desk that’s an absolute lifesaver? Leave me a comment below! &.