23 cheap (but expensive-looking) desk accents

Stocking up on desk accessories generally doesn’t rank high on the priority list. But in our opinion, it should: Most Americans spend some 40 hours a week sitting at office desks, which tend to be situated under grim fluorescent lights, framed by grim, gray separators. Is a USB-powered humidifier that looks like a succulent going to change that fact? No. Will it improve it? A little, we tend to think!

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While some living plants can do well in offices, a simple silk orchid like this one is foolproof and mess-free. We like that it comes with a white vase, so you don’t need to worry about finding a pot.

Or for the succulent fans out there, the aforementioned USB-powered humidifier.

Besides giving it a design-y look, we’d like to think that this clock’s curved edges and subdued design help contribute to a more relaxing workday.

A whimsical tissue-box cover to make you smile, even when there’s a cold going around the office.

This matte-black–and–wood guy would be great for brightening (and sprucing) up a windowless cubicle.

Three ceramic vases for under $25, in case someone sends real flowers.

This compact memo pad with a built-in pencil holder will save space and keep everything you need to jot notes in one place.

Give that stack of business cards a proper home. This can hold up to 90 cards.

This little, all-steel whale stapler is made in Cologno Monzese, Italy.

We love the Lucite handles on these brass Poketo scissors.

The most cheerful ballpoint pen. For other options, check out our extremely in-depth ranking of 100 pens.

And the perfect (gridded) notebook to test it out in. (This one made the top ten in our list of the 100 best notebooks.)

This classy little brass pencil sharpener comes with a small genuine leather case.

A lunchtime essential: desk-sized tins of Maldon, the best salt ever.

This little concrete guy will keep your chargers and headphones from tangling.

A real upgrade from those drab metal ones.

Or if you’re more of a Lucite-type person.

And for storing all your little tchotchkes and random items that don’t quite know where to go, we love this minimalist desktop unit from Yamazaki Home. It’s made from steel and wood.

If you want something a bit less expensive and with an even smaller footprint, this three-tiered jewelry organizer fits the bill.

Or if you just want a nice-looking to tray to dump everything into.

A pleasantly uncluttered desktop calendar that can also be fastened to the wall.

Bookends are actually kind of fun when they’re bright green.

So your phone can have its own little stand.