The Unexpected Space-Saving WFH Accessory I Always Get Asked About

Earlier this year, I wrote about the items I bought with my WFH stipend, and I included several finds that you might not immediately put on a home office checklist. There was a rug, an hourglass timer, and a humidifier/diffuser, among eight other items.

But the single most useful item that made an impact on my WFH setup is, drumroll please, plug-in wall sconces. They’re also the item I’m most often asked about whenever I post a photo of my home office on Instagram. 

Plug-in wall sconces are a hack I’ve used before (welcome to living in a tiny space), but previously I’d used them as a table lamp alternative in the bedroom, trying to eke out just a few more inches on my nightstand. 

In my home office, I have a secretary-style desk, which means it resembles a chest of drawers more than a standard desk. There are three drawers and, on the top half, a desk surface that flips out when in use. When I fold the desk in, which I do whenever I’m not actively working, the only flat area is a shallow area at the very top. There’s enough room for a lamp, but I didn’t want that to dominate the entire surface, knowing that I’d often use that area for stashing notebooks, bills, and anything that would need to be shuffled out of the way while I’m trying to focus on a call or find a flow zone.

The answer was the plug-in wall sconces, and here’s why they’re a game-changer in my WFH space.

As I mentioned, conserving every possible square inch of surface space was necessary with a small area. Wall sconces hang, as the name would suggest, on the wall, freeing up room for desk items.

I love any opportunity to add another styled touch to my space, and I chose the most darling brass sconces with pleated white shades. In my dark navy office, they’re a bright and whimsical accent.

Ring lights are great because they light you from the front. That’s the most flattering, illuminating way to light your face on a Zoom call. And, since I’m still on Zoom nearly every day even though I’m now full-time freelance, proper lighting matters.

I am firmly a member of team anti-overhead lighting. That’s why I need a lighting option that provides ample wattage for task lighting, but also provides a cozy ambiance. I chose sconces with multiple settings so I can select what’s right for the moment, whether that’s a Zoom call or catching up on reading.

Lastly, this is why the plug-in part is key. Hiring an electrician to install a hardwired sconce can get pricey, and it’s not something I’m up for doing right now. But installing a plug-in sconce is incredibly easy as long as you know your way around a power drill. I can be guilty of passing these types of tasks off to my husband, but my impatience got the best of me, and I installed these easily and quickly on my own.

Buy: Aokinround Plug In Dimmable Wall Sconces, Set of Two, $71.99