Guide to working from a cosy home office: Part 5 – Headphones, Holders & Accessories

Headphones deserve their very own post. There are SO MANY options out there, including various kinds of holders for them (aesthetic ones of course), and of course, accessories that go with said headphones, namely their covers. I won’t mention the charging component because that has a post all on its own.

Psst! If you have missed the first of the series, I fell down a literal rabbit hole a month ago, and am gathering all my insights into multiple part posts, with examples and actual product links, plus my take on them.

• Series: Cosy + Minimalist Aesthetic Desk Setups

I will give you what I see repeatedly pop up over and over again and what has endured through their hundreds of videos. I sometimes see paid partnerships or sponsorships from brands for certain things, but by the next video it is gone.

So I am also looking out for longevity in choice. I will also note afterwards, what I personally use / do and why.

——-

HEADPHONES

Many, many headphones out there.

You probably already have a pair or a few like me. I don’t think this list will come as a surprise of what hit the top best headphones for working and gaming, etc.

Of course, if you work and they provide you specific headphones to wear, you have to wear them if it works on all company software, etc.

But in case you need a pair, here are the most common ones:

• Apple Airpods Max – comes in cute colours too, but is effing expensive. There is the Lightning (Apple) port charging version the USB-C version that is $100 more right now. They are heavier, for sure. I would suggest trying them on in-store before dropping all that money on a pair. You may decide you want the Sony ones instead as they are lighter.
• Apple Airpods 4 is their newest version. They also have a Pro version with an inner ear silicone that is much better for noise cancelling (but I personally hate inner-ear silicone).
• Sony WH-1000 Headphones – FINALLY they have started coming out with colours other than black and navy blue. There are cheaper versions too if you don’t need all the bells and whistles. Here is the on-ear WH-CH520 version, or this white Sony ULT Wear Over-Ear version.
• Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth headphones – Bose is an excellent brand for headphones as well though they aren’t cheap either.

My take on headphones

I own the Airpods Third Generation (no silicone tips), and the Airpods Max because I replaced my Bose over-the-ear headphones (the fake leather started peeling and it was starting to see its last legs after a solid decade of use).

I like the Airpods because they just WORK. And they are simple. I use them for work and personal.

I use the Airpods Max when I need to be on calls and to concentrate, and I also like that you can snap the ear foam cushions off (and have a spare pair nearby), scrub them every week with warm water and soap in the sink (and to let them dry), so that they stay clean and tidy.

Headphone covers

Lots of options for covering your headphones (IF YOU WANT!) but a lot of them come out of the box pretty cute and aesthetic to boot.

Unfortunately, covers only really exist for Apple items. The other brands don’t merit a set.

AIRPODS MAX

• Burga Airpods Max Covers – These are hard plastic and fun; I own a set, myself and they are really beautiful
• Silicone Airpods Max Covers – These come in solid colours to switch out the colour or to protect it
• Glitter Case
• Bow embossed covers

You could also just buy plain hard plastic covers like these, and superglue whatever you want on them – any kind of decal, a silk flower, any decoration or decor.

AIRPODS

I highly recommend NOT buying a fuzzy Airpods case because it gets ruined quickly and gets dirty (very hard to clean). Stick with hard or silicone cases that are easy to wash.

PART I

• Casetify Stone case – It is ridiculously cute. Honestly.
• Plain coloured silicone cases – A nice, simple way to update your case, and still let it Qi charge without a problem
• Burga cases – Again, super cute. You could coordinate this one with your Airpods Max if you owned both
• Purse case – The black one is super chic. Orange is fun too but black is better for me.

PART II

• Embossed floral case – comes in various colours as well
• Bear + cookie case – It is adorable, all the 3D characters you can have for a case
• Mini camera case – This one is for the Airpods 4 (soon more will come out)
• Angel statue case – I really think this one is so elegant and classic

PART III

• Music speakers – These stand up nicely on your desk as they are a rectangle shape.
• Polaroid case 
• Pocky case – Comes in matcha or strawberry!
• Hard suitcase – This luggage one is ADORABLE. I have it, and love the stickers that came with it.

My take on headphone cases and covers

I have cases and covers on everything. It is a stupidly simple way to add colour to your items without having to shell out too much money in many cases.

HEADPHONE HOLDERS

There are many options out there. Some even have a charging dock attached to it, but I find it looks quite cluttered and it may not keep your headphones in a spot that you need (e.g. near a plug or an outlet), and/or be hindered by a cable to keep the charging going.

MINIMALIST STANDS

You can actually use these stands for something else if you don’t have headphones any more, or store them in another way. I use mine to hang very delicate necklaces so that they don’t tangle.

• Rose gold minimal stand
• Sculptural gold stand
• Acrylic and metal – very sleek
• Another sleek stand that comes in multiple colours with a little spot for your items at the base (though I prefer the look of this one better to be honest)

WOODEN STANDS

Some of these wooden stands add a nice warmth to a desk, and are beautifully made as well as functional.

PART A

• Beautiful wood stand with a gorgeous gold bird perched in the corner by the tray
• If you want a more bird-like shape, this one is sort of doing it for the headphone hook itself
• An angled wooden stand that has a cool look
• Hang it on this hook against a wooden stand instead

PART B

• Sleek Lululemon-like logo wooden stand in various shades and here is another version of it with a shelf at the bottom
• A kind of Dyson-fan like shape wooden stand with a metal base
• Sturdy with a pop of colour and can fit many headphones rather than being shaped to one or another
• A sleek metal stand with a walnut wood base that looks expensive

METAL STANDS

• A retro (comes in black and white too) fun stand
• Sleek Lululemon-like logo metal stand in black and silver only (but you could spray paint it)
• Metal and wood mix with a charging stand in wood at the bottom
• A simple metal structure for the headphones

MONITOR / DESK HOOKS

If you want something with a lower profile, hooks are the way to go.

• Hook them to the side of your monitor and free up desk space
• You can also hook your headphones to the side of your desk with this clip
• This one is like a little shelf with the headphones hanging underneath it
• And this one is a super simple metal hook that adheres under the desk

You can also take other items and get creative, like this idea from @carolina.cozygaming, who uses an art mannequin sketching model. They also have those hand mannequin models that could work perfectly as a stand for headphones.

My take on headphone STANDS

I have a simple minimalist metal one. I am considering a more substantial solid wood option or a wood stand because the metal one is a little too thin and flimsy for my heavier headphones (Airpod Max).

They wobble a bit and that isn’t very reassuring especially since I am not particularly careful when I put the headphones on the stand.

My pick would be the acrylic and metal stand because it has a stronger, heavier base, or the beautiful wood one with the headphone hook that is shaped like a bird on top. I have to first get my new 2-laptop situation set up before I commit.

—–

WANT MORE?

This is the series that has all of the posts: Cosy + Minimalist Aesthetic Desk Setups.