Eleven high-tech items to turn a park or backyard into your home office
Because sometimes you just need a change of scenery
If you’re thinking of taking your home office to the backyard, balcony or park, here are 11 useful gadgets to make the transition as seamless as possible.
A privacy screen
Belkin TruePrivacy screen protection, $60
If you’re worried about fellow park-goers snooping, this removable screen protector is perfect for privacy and available in different sizes to fit your laptop. Plus, it helps reduce pesky glare so you won’t have to keep repositioning away from the sun.
A Wi-Fi range extender
Netgear Essentials Edition N300 WiFi range extender, $40
This plug-in WiFi range extender by Netgear delivers a Wi-Fi speed of 300 mbps to ensure you won’t lose your connection in the middle of a Zoom call.
A condo-friendly workspace
Ikea Torparö balcony table, $25
This convenient table system hooks onto ledges—perfect for those with minuscule balconies.
A lap desk
LapGear Sidekick lap desk, $20
This cushion-table hybrid features a ledge and a non-slip silicone strip to keep your device in place, a handy phone slot and a smooth surface for laptop ventilation so your computer doesn’t overheat.
An outdoor extension cord
Woods outdoor extension cord, $43
This extension cord, perfect for yards and balconies, measures nearly eight feet long and features three outlets for all of your devices.
A gadget organizer
BentoStack tech organizer, $50
This organizing case is inspired by Bento boxes, with removable dividers so you can customize the configuration to your needs.
A portable chair
Quik Shade max shade folding chair, $58
This folding chair is easy to transport and comes with an adjustable canopy that can be lowered or tilted to block harmful rays.
A laptop stand
Aluratek Slim laptop cooling pad, $30
This super slim cooling pad will keep your laptop from overheating on sweltering days: it features two high-performance fans and a mesh surface for proper ventilation.
A pair of wireless headphones
Sony wireless noise cancelling headphones, $500
These quality noise-cancelling headphones are perfect for those who take regular calls. They have five built-in microphones and up to 30 hours of battery life.
A power bank
Anker PowerCore III power bank, $150
This Anker power bank holds enough juice to fully charge a MacBook Air and features two USB-C and USB-A ports each for your other devices.
A storage box
Rig-Tig Handy-Box storage box, $60
A handled container, like this one by Rig-Tig, keeps office stationery like notebooks and pens neatly corralled.