Work from home: Build a super-functional home office for $1,200

This article was originally published on March 16, 2020. Back then, we were just entering the pandemic and we're saying things like "More and more companies are sending workers home, possibly for two months or more."

Two months or more. It seems so quaint now. Here in early August, we're immersed in a debate about whether school children are going back to physical classrooms and both presidential conventions have been cancelled (at least for most in-person activities). For those fortunate enough to both have a job and have a job that lets them work from home, we're looking at digging into a new normal.

For those of us who have worked from home for years,even decades as I have, it's mostly business as usual. But for those newly sent home to set up shop, it's an uphill climb. Back in March, I put together this list of working from home resources for those with a moderate budget.

But here's the thing: In March, these exact items clocked in at just about a buck over $1,000. Just four and half months later, inflation has definitely set in. These same items total $1,231 -- more than a 20 percent increase!

There were a few items that didn't go up in price and two that actually went down by a few bucks. But then there are the items that had huge increases. You'll see: for each item, we've listed both the March and August pricing. It's not pretty, but I guess it could be worse. Or maybe it will be. We'll come back in another few months and see whether the cost of building a home office goes up even more. Stay tuned.

Also:How to build a budget home office for under $300

In this build, we're assuming you're starting with a laptop and a smartphone. Beyond that, we've chosen items that will get you going.

Disclosure: ZDNet may earn an affiliate commission from some of the products featured on this page. ZDNet and the author were not compensated for this independent review.

There's a lot of additional gear you might want, especially if you want to do video conferencing from your home office. That gear didn't fit into our budget, but we'll be back with more extensive home office options and some specialized gear builds for specialized projects.

In the meantime, stay safe. We're all a bit freaked out about COVID-19, but I've been impressed by how many people are not only just taking this seriously, but taking the steps necessary to stay safe.

So there you go. These items will get you up and running quickly and keep you on a $1,000 budget. Once you get settled, tell us how you set up your space. Feel free to share any ideas, comments, and suggestions in the comments below.

You can follow my day-to-day project updates on social media. Be sure to follow me on Twitter at@DavidGewirtz, on Facebook atFacebook.com/DavidGewirtz, on Instagram atInstagram.com/DavidGewirtz, and on YouTube atYouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV.