The Verge’s favorite home office keepsakes

Back in the mad Men Nowadays, the only thing that brightens up the boring office atmosphere is a family photo or a coffee mug with a funny saying. But these days, especially when we work from home, we can have some pretty interesting, strange or just plain good-looking things on our desks.

We asked the people here at The edge what they have on their desks or in their offices and just keep it – because they like it, because it means something special or just because. Here are some of the responses we received.

Antonio G. Di Benedetto, author of commerce and business

A year ago, my wife and I had to say goodbye to one of our two beloved cats, Pouncey. She was a loving companion for over 11 years, adopted as a kitten by my wife shortly before we started dating, and is now an integral part of our relationship. It was all the more traumatic when our departure came more suddenly than expected due to her declining health. But in addition to all the photos and videos reminding us of our very best girl (sorry to our eight-month-old daughter), every time I sit down at my desk, I am confronted with a heartwarming memory of Pouncey.

When I got my Meletrix Zoom75 mechanical keyboard from a long-awaited pre-order last year, I opted for the built-in LCD add-on because, well, why not? And, perhaps not surprisingly, once I built my board with that little screen in it, I asked myself, “Okay, what do I do with this thing?” So I made it display something boring, like battery level.

After Pouncey's death, I reconsidered the GIF looping feature and decided to put a sweet clip of our girl there. The GIF was just a series of pictures from a random day, and if you look closely, you can see her eyes widen in delight when she notices me taking her photo. We now call it the Pouncey Keyboard, and although it's bittersweet to see her snuggled at my desk without being able to feel her soft fur or hear her gentle purr, I love seeing “our Pouncey girl” every day.

Sean Hollister, Senior Editor

When I'm feeling a little exhausted, I have an extra life on my desk. My family bought me this one. Legend of Zelda Heart Container a year ago, so it embodies her love too! (Less meaningful if you're buying it for yourself, so I'd recommend giving it as a gift instead.) It lights up when you press the front button, and that's it. Two AA batteries won't power it for months, so turn it off when you're feeling cheerful again! You can also get a Tears of the Kingdom Version based on the newer game.

Allison Johnson, Reviewer

I get cold feet when I hammer nails into the wall of my office (which is also my bedroom, by the way), so I end up with a bunch of little things I really want to hang on the wall but never get around to, like something my kid drew or the jumble of tech event badges in my desk drawer. But lately, I've been on a Command Strip spree, hanging little hooks and clips around the house, and I've started using them to decorate the wall behind my desk.

The clothespins are perfect; I can always replace them with a new cute piece of kid's art and not have to commit to where they'll be placed. This is handy when I want to remodel my office – er, bedroom – and I've never had a problem removing them from the wall without damaging them.

Adi Robertson, senior technology and politics editor

I have a paper planner and notepads for keeping track of stories and meetings, and the TWSBI Eco (in cream rose gold with burgundy Noodler's ink) is my go-to writing instrument for all of that. It's a reasonably priced fountain pen that looks attractive, isn't hard to fill, and feels good to fiddle with.

I'm not really one for desk decorations, but I love this Link amiibo for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. I'm inspired by the way Link seems to use his Ultra Hand powers to create a better world around him. If he can do it, maybe I can too – although I might have to make things happen without a magic arm.

Kylie Robison, senior AI reporter

I keep track of my entire life in my tiny Moleskine notebook – I go through about two a year. I keep my weekly and monthly calendars in there, as well as all source and general meeting notes. I use Micron pens because they are simply the best, and I keep them in a Kirby pencil case that I have even used in edge Videos (see above). I just redid my entire home office and that involved a lot of decorations, my favorite being a Majora's Mask with LED lighting.

Barbara Krasnoff, Reviews Editor

I love Dorothy Parker, both for her writings and her snarky personality. I even bought a bottle of gin once because it was named after her (and, to be honest, it wasn't that bad). So when I spotted it among a variety of famous people's finger puppets at a book fair a few years ago, I just had to buy it. The Parker doll has a little magnet on the back of her head so she can easily hang on any metal surface. In fact, I took her with me when I started working at The edgeand when I accidentally left it in the office during the 2020 lockdown, I was distraught. Thankfully, Dorothy stuck it out throughout the pandemic, and now she's back in my home office, grinning sarcastically at me.

Victoria Song, lead reviewer

A while ago, a friend gave me this adorable cat-shaped note holder as a souvenir from Beijing. At first, I didn't know what to do with it. Then I started putting motivational notes in it and surprisingly, it worked. After a while, I started printing or writing down a meme every now and then. (Yes, I did (Once a week, write Vice President Kamala Harris' entire coconut tree speech on a Post-It note.) When I really need strength, I stick a photo card of my favorite K-pop singer on it.

It only holds one note at a time, which helps me stay creative from week to week. Most importantly, it reminds me to take breaks and laugh at myself when I get too serious. I don't know where you can get this exact desk note holder, but there are plenty of fun ones on Amazon and Etsy.