Girl Gives Gifts

To setup a minimalist home office and maintain it over time is a dream of any (aspiring) minimalist. A home office with minimalist set up not only looks clean and aesthetically pleasing, but it also boosts your productivity by helping you focus on your tasks with clarity of mind. The trick is to incorporate only essential items in your work space so that the clutter doesn’t build up quickly over time. With lesser items in the first place, it is easy to clean and organize on a day to day basis as well.

When it comes to minimalist spaces, clean lines and monochrome color palettes come to mind. While most minimal spaces are color contrasted with white and black/grey, you can be creative and curate your space as per your personal style.

If you have already established your home office and now want to make it look minimal, then with few modifications you can achieve your goal. Of course if you are planning to set up your new space, then you have more options to design it in a sleek and minimal way. Let’s discuss both scenarios.

IF YOU ARE SETTING UP A NEW HOME OFFICE

There are certain things which you can choose right from the very beginning of the office setup process to get a clean and minimal look of the final design.

ROOM COLOR SCHEME

The color scheme plays an important role to give the overall work space a desired look. If you would like your space to be upbeat and funky, then you can go for brighter shades like yellow or bright green (its preferable to have 70% of the area in the lighter tone of the color and the remaining with the popping hue). If you are inclined towards simple and clean outlook, then the good old all white will work for your desired minimalist look.

FURNITURE COLOR SCHEME

If you are setting up a new space with addition of the new office furniture, then making it color coordinated with room color scheme will give a very polished vibe to your space. Usually people opt for oak, grey or black colored furniture with the white painted room for a sleek and minimal look. You can be creative and look for inspirations. Pinterest is full of innovative ideas!

ERGONOMIC FURNITURE

Buying an ergonomic piece of furniture such as office chair (the best comfortable chairsnullare discussed here), office desk (check out these minimalist affordable desks), etc, will not only be good for your health, but it will also be a stylish addition to your minimal office setup. By default, most of the ergonomic office furniture items are very sleek and minimal in design. Since you will be using these items for a long time hence it’s a smart thing to invest in a premium quality and modern design item.

LIGHTING SET UP

It is best to choose a room for your new home office that have plenty of natural light. Of course not everyone has that option (I personally have a small set of windows in my home office with not ample lighting). So if abundant natural light is not a possibility, then you can go about having ergonomic lighting in your office space. A properly lit space will motivate you to work for long hours without causing any strain on your eyes. You can also include a modern desk lamp for your minimalist home office.

FOR ESTABLISHED HOME OFFICE : HOW TO SETUP AND MAINTAIN THE MINIMALIST LOOK?

If you are already working from home for quite some time, then you must have set up your space accordingly. However, if you are thinking to give it a clutter free, clean and sophisticated look, you have plenty of options to turn it into a minimalist home office. By following these tips, it will be easier for you to maintain the minimal look of your work space.

MINDFUL PURCHASING

Whether you have an established home office or are setting up a new one, be mindful of your purchases. Buy only items that are absolutely necessary for your workspace. For example, if you work full time on your laptop, then having a PC-monitor setup does not make sense. This way, not only you will be doing a favor to your own pocket, but will also keep your work space minimal with functional and useful items.

Also, try to minimize on office equipments by choosing one with multiple functions. For example, instead of buying three different equipments like printer, scanner and photocopier, look for a printer that has the functionalities of scanner and photocopier as well. I have HP Pro Laser Printer All in one M125NW in my home office. It’s a monochrome printer (I hardly ever need a colored printout) which has a built in scanner and photocopier feature in it, so it works perfect for me.

BE KIND TO ENVIRONMENT

Going paperless will not only be safe for the environment, but will also keep your office free from paper clutter. If you have large volume of paper that is not much useful for you in your day to day work, then try to gradually scan the papers and save them electronically. I had a huge pile of paper in the initial days of my home office setup, which I couldn’t just discard. So I started to scan all the documents in my free time and now they are stored in my e-Drive.

Another environment friendly practice that I have adopted over the years is to print as less paper as possible. Printing unnecessarily has detrimental impact on the planet and it also adds to the paper clutter which gets difficult to manage over time. Hence print something only if it’s absolutely necessary.

DECLUTTER REGULARLY

Go Marie Kondo on all the old, unused and unnecessary stuff piling up in your workspace! 🙂 A monthly or quarterly decluttering drive is good to keep your office clean and clutter free. Toss out the items that are totally not functional anymore, while you can donate the ones that are damaged but can be repaired or those that are in good condition but of no use to you.

I go a step further from physical decluttering, I perform quarterly electronic decluttering as well. I clean all my computer folders and email from junk items. Unsubscribe from any newsletters/magazines/websites that you no longer read to minimize your mental and visual clutter. A cleaner desktop screen with minimal useful icons is easy on the eyes and is also helpful for arranging your folders and files in a proper manner.

USE ORGANISATION HACKS

Who likes to work on a messy office desk? No minimalist would!

Even if you have a good number of items placed on your office desk, you can give off a minimalist vibe by organizing them efficiently. For items that don’t have use in your day to day work, keep them in a designated drawer. A reason why I like office desk with drawers is that it keeps additional items securely within your arm’s reach and keep the surface area of the desk clean. (You can read about the best desk organizers that will keep your work desk clutter free).

If you work with physical files, then only keep those on the table that are required during work hours and the rest should be stacked neatly in compact designed filing cabinets or drawers. Similarly, keep all your stationary in the stationary organizer.

If you have not gone wireless yet, then stack away the wires neatly and securely under the desk or where appropriate. It gives a clean spacious look to your work space, and reduces any chances of stubbing or tripping over.

DECORATE WISELY

If you are a minimalist that doesn’t mean you can’t have the luxury of decorating! You can add a decent plant pot in a corner of your room. This will be beneficial to your health, and it works as a good minimalist decorating item.

Another elegant yet useful item is a mood board. You can utilize it in a multiple ways like vision board, mood board or just a board for placing photographs of your cheerful memories. You can practice your goal setting with your vision board. In a similar way mood boards are helpful to express your creative side. This way instead of cluttering your work desk with photographs, to do lists, etc, you will stack them nicely on a board which will serve as a way of decoration as well.

CONCLUSION

Setting up a minimalist home office is not as much of a daunting task as it seems. With a few right choices while doing the new set up, you can achieve a sleek and minimal look. For work spaces that are already in use, a few tweaks and continuous smart practices will keep your home office retain the clean, polished and modern vibe in the long run!

This post is all about the best mesh chair for your Home Office.

Having a good quality mesh chair for your home office is a great option to curb problems like slouchy posture, sweating and exertion due to sitting for long hours. A mesh chair is a sleek, ergonomic and compact product in your essential items list for your workplace. Whether you are working in a conventional office setup or home office, you need a good quality , comfortable and sturdy office chair. The great advantage of mesh chairs over the fabric/leather ones is that they are not only ventilating and durable, but they are also more aesthetically pleasing. They come in modern space-saving designs. This makes them easy to move around the place and perfect for small office spaces.

For over a decade I used to work in a traditional office setup where I had the most luxurious, executive leather office chair to spend my work hours on. Though it was very plush and comfortable, I could not have thought to buy a similar one while I was setting up my home office. First, these leather chairs are pretty heavy weight and take a lot of space. (While setting up a home office, you need to keep the available space in mind). Second, since I live in a hot and humid region, I wanted my office chair to provide air circulation, for which the luxurious fabric/leather chairs are not suitable. Hence I turned my research towards finding the best mesh chair for my home office.

So after conducting a thorough research, here is a curated list of best mesh chairs for your home office. A quick shout out to the much talked about, every geek’s favorite Herman Miller Aeron Ergonomic Office Chair! While this is a bit of a high end option, no doubt it is the best of the lot. However, the list below contains premium quality products which are cost effective with equally great features.

BEST MESH CHAIRS FOR HOME OFFICE IN 2020

1. Funria Mid Back Mesh Office Chair
2. Sadie Big and Tall Office Computer Chair
3. Hbada Office Task Desk Chair 
4. HON HON2281VA10T Lota Office Chair 
5. SPACE Seating Breathable Mesh Seat and Back

BEFORE YOU BUY

If you consider these 3 factors before you select any product to purchase, then it will help you make an intelligent decision as a buyer.

Quality : Are the materials used to manufacture the item up to industry standards? Are they also environmentally friendly?

Design : What are your requirements of size, sturdiness, portability and aesthetics of the product?

Cost : Are you looking for a premium quality product which will last longer or you want to buy a low cost product with average quality?

Other important factors to choose the best mesh chair for your home office include: i) adjustability of different components like seat height, seat depth, back rest height, lumbar support, arm rests and head rest as per your frame; ii) tension control of the chair (chairs with swivel provides more comfort to the back); iii) quality of mesh fabric (tightly woven mesh is more gentle to the skin and does not wear down easily); iv) padded seat vs mesh seat. (The mesh seat will be more airy for your bottoms hence suitable for hotter climates, though it can feel uncomfortable because you can feel the seat frame. For a cosy and warm experience, the padded seat is ideal) v) maximum weight support (though most chairs in this category support around 300 pounds, however, if you have a heavier frame then look out for the products catering to your body weight).

LIST OF BEST MESH CHAIRS FOR HOME OFFICE

1. Funria Mid Back Mesh Office Chair

This mesh office chair is very comfortable by its design and easy to assemble. The waterfall seat edge is very good to release stress on the body. The wider seat size is also loved by many users. The S-shaped backrest fits the curve of spine that reduces back pressure and enhances comfort. Also, the mesh quality is great which provides users a cool airy experience. It has adjustable height and the arm rests are also adjustable; thus allowing the up and down movement of arm rests. This is a great product for a slim as well as heavy person as it supports weight of up to 300 lbs. Some users find the adjustable armrest option a bit bugging as arms can only go all the way up or down, there is no middle point.

2. Sadie Big and Tall Office Computer Chair

As the name suggests, this chair is made for heavy and big sized individuals as it supports 400 lbs weight limit. It has a wide seat which is suitable for heavier bottoms and it is a really sturdy built. The chair has a good recline, tilts a little bit (not all the way down). The arm rests are adjustable for height as well as width. The only downside of this chair is that the casters are not of good quality, so it becomes a hassle to move it around the place, as complained by many users. All in all, this is a heavy duty office chair with super comfy seat cushion and mesh back to provide comfortable sitting throughout the day.

3. Hbada Office Task Desk Chair

If you are looking for a chair with smooth and silenced casters that swiftly moves on different surfaces like carpets and floors alike, then this compact and stylish chair with great casters is an ideal option for you. The light weight built of this chair and arm rests that can be flipped up (as shown in the picture above) makes it perfect for storage in smaller spaces like home office. Its height can be adjusted easily to very low or very high level and it has a 120° tilt tension. The only disadvantage that some users felt was its all plastic, non padded arm rests. (I personally don’t think is much of an issue since they are movable and provide a good functionality otherwise). Overall, this is a great posh looking, affordable chair for average built people that comes with comfortable sitting and high density mesh back design.

4. HON HON2281VA10T Lota Office Chair

Usually most office chairs come with a few years warranty but this product comes with a life time warranty! It has great construction with heavy metals – doesn’t feel cheap at all. The chair has a sleek and modern design, with easy to assemble parts. With a geometric mash design, the back position is quite upright (you can also lock the back in an upright position). It has an intuitive weight-activated recline which makes it recline for about 45 degrees. The seats are very firm, which some may not like if they prefer the softer option. The users of this chair are all impressed with the excellent customer support from the company. All in all, this chair is a nice upgrade to the budget options as you are getting a premium quality product without having to spend thousands of bucks.

5. SPACE Seating Breathable Mesh Seat and Back

This chair is loaded with innovative ergonomic features such as optional headrest, Synchro-tilt of chair and Concave armrests (that provide better comfort than flat armrests). It has mesh seat and mesh back (comes with an eco-leather seat option as well) which makes it extremely comfortable to sit on for extended work hours. The adjustable lumbar support and one touch pneumatic seat height adjustment adds to the list of useful features. It is extremely durable and long lasting, a great number of users claim that they are using this product for more than 7 years! The only drawback of this product is that some users complained that the arm rests are not as durable as overall chair but even then they last a good time of more than 2 years on average. Hence it is safe to say that this is a high quality product which is worth the price.

CONCLUSION

The above list presents some great options to look for when buying a mesh chair for your home office. These products are equally suitable for traditional office setups as well as home offices. While selecting a product for purchasing, be sure to read the product details and check if they fulfil your requirements. Many a times, an overly hyped product is not the one which is suitable to serve your specific needs. Always look for quality-vs-cost balance, while keeping in mind the other factors described above to have a satisfactory shopping experience. Hopefully this curated list will help you choose the best affordable, high quality mesh office chair for your home office.

This post is all about the best water bottles for work.. Whether you work in a conventional office setup or work from home, keeping a water bottle handy at your work desk is a perfect way to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day.

It is recommended to have at least 8 to 12 glasses of water in a day for your body to function efficiently. Many of us get busy while working and neglect our daily recommended intake of water. Sometimes, we are too lazy to leave our desk to get water from a dispenser or a fridge. Other times we simply forget how many glasses of water we have had during the day and when to re-hydrate ourselves. In such situations, having a water bottle readily available at our work desk solves these problems.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST WATER BOTTLES FOR WORK?

While there may be dozens of water bottles available in the market, it needs a careful consideration to pick the best water bottle for your work desk that keeps you hydrated throughout the day. Here is the list of best affordable yet high quality water bottles suitable for workplace.

1. Hidrate Spark 3 Smart Water Bottle
2. Brita Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle with Filter
3. Corkcicle 60oz Canteen Classic Collection – Water Bottle & Thermos
4. Pure Zen Tea Tumbler with Infuser
5. Teabloom All-Purpose Beverage Tumbler
6. bkr Glass Water Bottle
7. Kablo 32 oz Glass Water Bottle

LIST OF BEST WATER BOTTLES FOR WORK

Here is a curated list of some of the best water bottles for work that are of good quality, sturdy, decent looking for office use as well as made of environmentally friendly materials.

1. Hidrate Spark 3 Smart Water Bottle

This bottle is great for people who need a reminder to consume water. It is equipped with a sensor stick and a hydration app to seamlessly measure and track your water intake. You can easily customise the settings on the app like how many times it can glow, glow type (low, medium, high) and your daily water goal.

Another interesting feature is that the sensor of the bottle is only designed to measure water in the bottle, hence keeps you committed to consume water rather than other drinks. The bottle has a silicone sleeve which makes the grip smooth and is leakage free. It can easily be synced to the fitbit. The bottle is BPA free and is easy to wash as the bottom portion and lid are dishwasher safe. It might seem a bit pricey at first but its a great investment to keep your daily water intake in check.

2. Brita Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle with Filter

This water bottle is great for people who need to filter out the water which may be contaminated by chlorine and other impurities. The bottle comes in 2 sized of 20 oz or 32 oz. It has a built in replaceable filter in its straw which makes the filtering process seamless and hassle free. The stainless steel body makes it a sturdy, environmentally friendly product. It is BPA free and double walled for insulation.

One of the possible problems is that some users find it difficult to suck the water from straw. So for that it is advised to keep the bottle vertical while drinking from it. The recommended water temperature to be kept inside the bottle is 100°F/38°C, which means this bottle is not suitable for hot water. However, as per the company information, you can add ice cubes in the bottle to enjoy cold, filtered water.

3. Corkcicle 60oz Canteen Classic Collection – Water Bottle & Thermos

If you are someone like me who likes to have their water bottle on the office desk all day in front of them, then you need a good sized bottle to store a sufficient amount of water. This Corkcicle water bottle is an ideal option with 60 oz size.

Another cool feature of this bottle is its triple insulation stainless steel body. It is claimed to keep the contents of the container cold for over 25 hours (and hot for over 12 hours). If you are constantly on the move you might find this 60 oz size to be a bit bulky. So you can choose from other sizes of 9 oz, 16 oz or 25 oz. The bottle is BPA free and has a sleek and modern design which is a bonus point. The only downside of this item could be that it is not dishwasher safe, but apart from that, it sure is one of the best water bottles for your work desk.

4. Pure Zen Tea Tumbler with Infuser

If you are tea enthusiast or love having infused water while working, this is the perfect product for you. The great thing about this bottle is its versatility for use. It can be used for hot and cold beverages alike. You can easily brew hot beverages like loose leaf or green tea, as well as fruit infused water or iced drinks.

This BPA free double glass walled bottle comes with rust proof stainless steel infuser and lids. The double walled glass not only keeps the contents of the container at required temperature for longer duration, but also keeps the tumbler scratch free. The infuser and both the lids are easy to remove hence it makes washing of the product very easy. This bottle comes with neoprene sleeve for extra insulation and better portability. The only downside of this product is that it has only one size available i.e. 13 oz, which some may find to be too small.

5. Teabloom All-Purpose Beverage Tumbler

Continuing with our love for tumblers with infusers, look at this pretty little thing! It is such a pretty sight sitting on your office desk. I have gifted this one to my colleague and she has been in love with it ever since. Not only is this product beautiful to look at, it has great features as well. The double wall borosilicate glass interior makes the bottle durable and also maintains the required temperature for longer. The infuser has 0.5 mm holes which makes extra fine brewed tea. You can use the infuser for fruits and cold beverages as well. This product also comes with a neoprene sleeve which makes it safe for travel.

For washing this bottle you will need a brush, since the bottle opening is a bit small for cleaning. Overall this product is one of the best water bottles for your work station.

6. bkr Glass Water Bottle 

If you want to eliminate the fear of breaking your bottle by accidentally dropping it, then this sturdy piece is perfect for you. It has glass material with outer silicone sleeve which comes in numerous colours. The silicone sleeve provides a perfect grip and insulation, while adding a luxurious feel and protective layer to the bottle. There is a spiked silicone sleeve version also available to give your bottle an edgy look. This product comes in different sizes i.e. 8 oz, 16 oz and 32 oz so you can choose as per your needs. It is very easy to carry around the bottle with its smartly designed bottle cap.

Since it is designed with smaller opening, you may need a thin brush to clean it in case it doesn’t fit your dish washer. Overall an excellent glass water bottle for work to keep you hydrated throughout the day.

7. Kablo 32 oz Glass Water Bottle

If you want a simple, no non sense glass water bottle for your work desk, then the 2nd generation Kablo 32 oz Glass Water Bottle is the right choice for you. The bottle is made from materials that are BPA-free, BPS-free, phthalate-free, cadmium-free, and 100% high-density borosilicate glass. The stainless steel cap is corrosion-resistant, leak proof and free from any toxic glues. The bottle and cap are dishwasher safe. The wide opening of the mouth allows to put ice cubes in the bottle if you like your drinks extra cold.

Since this glass bottle is 100% hardened borosilicate and resistant to thermal shock, it can be placed on a mug warmer. You can add boiling liquid to the bottle as well. It is available in 21 oz and 32 oz sizes. It is a bit pricey for a simple design but majority of users agree that it is worth it for its premium quality.

BEFORE YOU BUY

If you consider these 3 factors before you select any product to purchase, then it will help you make an intelligent decision as a buyer.

Quality : Are the materials used to manufacture the item up to industry standards? Are they also environmentally friendly? In the case of water bottles, do you want to opt for good quality plastic or even better options of glass and stainless steel which are safe for planet?

Design : What are your requirements of size, sturdiness, portability and aesthetics of the product?

Cost : Are you looking for a premium quality product which will last longer or you want to buy a low cost product with average quality?

CONCLUSION

The above list presents some great options to look for when buying a water bottle for your workplace. These products are suitable for traditional office setups as well as home offices. While selecting a product for purchasing, be sure to read the product details and check if they fulfil your requirements. Many a times, an overly hyped product is not the one which is suitable to serve your specific needs. Always look for quality vs cost balance, while keeping in mind the other factors described above to have a satisfactory shopping experience. I hope that this curated list of affordable and high quality products will help you choose the best water bottle!

The bottle comes with a spray nozzle and a tight cap so there is no fear of spillage. Since it holds 200 ml of the product, some might find it not so travel friendly due to its weight. (it is also available in 30 ml bottle)

PACKAGING AND QUANTITY:

                                  

TEXTURE AND FRAGRANCE:

CLAIMS MADE BY NIVEA NATURAL FAIRNESS ROLL ON:

IS IT THE BEST BUDGET ROLL ON AVAILABLE?

I would say probably yes!

For the pocket friendly price and easy availability, it is quite a decent product. I might be buying this again, or I might go back to my all time favorite Nivea Invisible anti-perspirant spray (detailed review here) 🙂

You can get this on Amazon here.

What’s your favorite antiperspirant product? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

xoxo

Today’s post is about the shortbread cookies which i tried for the first time yesterday. They were an instant hit in my home! So i thought to share the recipe with my readers. I love trying out new dessert recipes especially which require easily available ingredients and do not take much time for preparation! Lol talk about being a lazy person 😀

Okay so the actual recipe was taken from this blog ( https://inspiringsamar.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/shortbread-biscuits/ ). [thank you dear lady! 🙂 ] I made a few changes to the recipe though.

Let’s start with the ingredients:

INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING SHORTBREAD COOKIES:

2 cups wheat flour (You can use all purpose flour as well)
1 Cup brown sugar (grinded)
1 cup ghee or melted butter (I used ghee)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder (or more…depends on your taste)
1/2 Teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg yolk (for brushing)

RECIPE:

I started with grinding the brown sugar. I added cardamom seeds (not the covers, of course 😀 ) in the blender along with sugar to make a fine powder. I swear by this grinder for super quick and fine grinding. Next i took a bowl and added the flour and baking soda after sifting. Then I added the castor sugar with cardamom powder. Mixed them gently and added ghee along with the vanilla essence and kneaded into a dough. The dough was very soft and a bit oily to touch. By this time i turned on my electric oven to preheat it at about 180 degrees. After this, I started making small balls with hands, flattened them and placed on a baking tray covered with aluminium foil. Slightly brushed the egg yolk on the cookie balls and baked them for 7-8 minutes at 180 °C.

They came out like this.

This recipe made about 27 shortbread cookies…They were soft and crunchy and just the way i expected them to be! 😉

I hope you enjoyed reading the recipe and will enjoy trying it as well 😀

Until next time….xoxo