The recent pandemic really threw a wrench into the established machinery of the world, both office and school. Never mind how unprepared most people (especially bosses) were to bring their work home with them, many didn’t even have a spare table to use as a work desk. Sure, you could temporarily use any table, usually the dining table, as your home office, but the mess and cleanup that such an ad hoc system entails only adds to the stress of an already stressful situation. Although the world has largely gone back to normal, work-from-home arrangements have become just as normal, even if less available, so the need for a portable workstation hasn’t exactly gone away. Accordingly, there are quite a few products designed to address that need, but this rather sizable briefcase probably takes the cake in terms of versatility and oddity.
Designer: Worky
Taking work home is nothing new, of course. Attache cases and laptops were designed to make it possible to carry your work with you, but those still required that you have some sort of office setup to be productive. Yes, you could technically put some laptops on your lap, but not all work can actually be done on a computer. That’s not even considering how some people need not only other tools but also sources of inspiration to get them into a more productive and creative mood. If only you could actually bring your office desk anywhere with you, without actually bringing your office desk.
The Worky Home Office is a product that attempts to do exactly that, within some saner limits, of course. Not only can it hold your 15-inch laptop, it also has plenty of space for your important stationery. There’s even a built-in magnetic dry-erase board for notes, sticky notes, and photos. There’s also an LED strip around the edges of the top half to light up your face during video meetings, and a four-port power strip for charging your devices.
The idea is to have a miniature version of your office desk or at least some semblance of it, that you can quickly set up on any table without worrying about leaving a mess that you need to clean up afterward. Simply close the laptop (and put it back in the strap), close down the lid, and you’re good to go. Any space in your house can become your temporary office, including the bed and the couch.
Admittedly, the Worky Home Office isn’t exactly as portable as a laptop in a big bag, and some wouldn’t be caught dead using such a gargantuan contraption in public. Of course, it can hold and do a lot more than a regular bag or briefcase, and the heft and awkwardness are the figurative price you have to pay for that convenience. As for the literal price, the Home Office goes for $149.99, which is a serious investment for such a portable but quirky office desk.
