Docket & Decor: Things To Buy Instead of Going To Therapy

Back when I was a law student, I had a blog where I used to put up thrice-weekly posts of business casual outfits for young professionals (baby lawyers, interns, grad students) for under $100. This isn’t that, but sometimes I come across really cool things that suit my home office, or that my friends have in their offices, and I want to share so that we can all benefit. 

(Also, I’m only kidding, please go to therapy but also let’s talk about things to buy as the Horrors persist)

If you have any recommendation, email me or direct message me here with the link and why you love it, and I’ll include your recs and shout you out! And if the suits in Finance agree, maybe I can do a monthly raffle of a small prize for a randomly selected contributor. And if you don’t contribute, I’ll just have to keep giving myself the hypothetical monthly small prize, and what’s the fun in that?

As always, disclaimer: Neither I nor Smokeball are endorsing, guaranteeing, or taking responsibility for these products, and we're not liable for any issues, damages, or dissatisfaction that may result from purchasing or using them. None of these are affiliate links and I do not receive any benefit or compensation from posting them.

1. Lamps 
   
   I don’t know about you, but I hate the big overhead lights. We’ve got narrow artsy fluorescent tube lights here at the office, and I’m so glad that they’re not as bad as the huge glaring overhead ones. There are tons of options these days that offer all sorts of features and alleged benefits. Consider warm-neutral lighting, unless you prefer the grocery store freezer at 11pm look for your office. LEDs last longer and sometimes have adjustable color temperature. Consider if you want the power switch on the lamp or on the cord (for ease of use). Dimmers can also be useful, and of course you want a professional look for work.
   
   I am a huge fan of the bankers lamp, and here’s an option from Amazon. 

   

   
   For a space saving, lightweight lamp with heavyweight features, check out this one.
    

   

   If you are always stuck in front of a computer, make a BigLaw salary, and want a fancy one that offers soft, glare-free light with a touch bar for dimming and swivel/swing ability, you can drop about $500 on this one from 2Modern.
    

   

   
   I can be bougie, but not for work lamps, personally. I like the tried and true old stalwarts, such as this little guy from Ikea.
    

   

   
   
   As a bonus, if you want to reduce reflective glare on your monitor, which reduces eye fatigue, and want to save space on desk lighting, consider a monitor light bar, like this one from Xiaomi. These don’t work for everyone, though - some people say that it reflected off their eyeglasses and drove them insane, and worsened eye fatigue. If you’re curious about this product, keep the receipt. 
    

   

2. Apothecary jars
   
   Hear me out! Apothecary jars are beautiful and classy, offering a sophisticated way to store whatever you want. I use mine for assorted tea bags, little snackies (pre-packaged nuts, peanut M&Ms, anything you like), and even personal items. If your drawer or filing cabinet real estate is all taken up and you want a place to discreetly stash menstrual products, first aid and other medical items, prescriptions or toiletries, etc, all it takes is washi tape or lining the jar with adhesive fabric or paper, and there you have a little hidey hole. It’s also a nice ice breaker and community builder - keep it on your desk and invite coworkers in to snag mini chocolate covered pretzels or Werther’s Originals. 
   
   There are tons of options like these smaller ones from Target that stack conveniently.
    

   

   
   I love these that are currently on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond (weren’t they a private equity casualty? I could have sworn they went out of business). They’re hand blown and pointy.
    

   

   
   BB&B also has this chunky 2qt one for a STEAL.
    

   

   
   I also highly recommend eBay. I found this set of vintage stacking beauties there for a pretty great price. 
   
    
3. Throw blanket
   
   I love a good throw blanket; I’m sitting on an orange Smokeball branded one right now, which I have spread across my large swivel chair to drape over myself when the AC is cranked up. Right now it’s 95F outside in Chicago with like 117% humidity, so it’s not as cold in here as it can sometimes be. 
   
   There is no shortage of places at which to get great throw blankets. If you prefer a twin size, go with that. If you like sherpa blankets because your boss keeps it at 62F in the building, those are a great option. I’m going to be a bit bougie and throw up my favorite - this gorgeous Pendleton inspired by Yosemite national park. 
    

   

    

I’m keeping it light and basic this week, since I know we all have offices and desks of some sort (I say that as if I wasn’t doing international diplomacy and immigration lawyering from my couch for most of the past 5 years). 

Next time, I might do clothing, house or office decor, the best videogame ever made (Pokemon Snap) - you never know what you’ll get with me! Never let ‘em know what to expect. But, if you prefer a little predictability, you can always suggest something you love and can’t imagine working or traveling or existing without. 

Honorable Mentions:

• Toothpaste you can swallow! $15 for a 60-pack on Amazon, and there are plenty of alternatives. Some days you just can’t resist the garlic-stuffed olive in your lunchtime martini (are we still doing those?) or the tabbouleh you door-dashed from the local Arab place gets stuck in your teeth. These are an easy and discreet way to handle oral health at the office.
• Loop earplugs! From $25-50, they have lots of options for what you need. They reduce the annoying hum of background noise without muting people nearby who may be talking to you, provide hearing protection, are reusable and easy to clean, and come highly recommended by my friends with young children who can’t afford to miss the sound of a burgeoning brawl over magnatiles, but need a break from the hums and gibberish. These are not bluetooth enabled and you cannot listen to music or podcasts with them. They’re purely earplugs 
• Anker 2-in-1 portable battery/charger! This plugs into the wall so it can charge both your device and itself when plugged in. It’s $30 and I like it because of the versatility of a wall plug, and there are so many options like this in lots of different price points.