During my last live session for my video editing course, one question kept popping up in the chat over and over: "What everyday stuff do you actually use outside of editing software that's worth buying?" I'll be honest, it caught me a little off guard because most of the time we talk about plugins, storage drives, or timeline shortcuts. But once I started rattling off a few things I genuinely use in my day-to-day life, I noticed people were screenshotting the chat and asking for links.
So here's the full list, cleaned up and written out for anyone who missed the session or wants to come back to it later. These are five things I personally own, paid for with my own money, and use regularly. None of them are "pro camera gear" or anything technical — they're the small lifestyle touches that make the editing grind a little more enjoyable, a little more you. I think it's worth saying upfront that this list isn't about productivity hacks or gear that will magically speed up your export times. It's about the stuff that sits around the edges of the job — what you wear, what you drink out of, what you glance at when your brain needs a five-second break from a timeline. If you've been editing for any real length of time, you already know those small things matter more than people give them credit for. Let's get into it.
1. The "Video Editor" Graphic T-Shirt
This is actually what I was wearing on camera during the live session, which is exactly why someone in chat asked, "wait, where'd you get that shirt?" It sounds like a small thing, but there's something I've noticed since I started wearing it. Editors spend a lot of time explaining what we actually do to people who think editing is just "cutting clips." This shirt kind of says it for you, with a bit of humor built in.
On the practical side, the fabric holds up well through long editing sessions or client calls where you're on camera for a while. And honestly, it's become a bit of a conversation starter. Whenever I wear it to a creator meetup or run into a client in person, people read the text, laugh, and then ask what I actually do for work. That's a pretty easy way to start a conversation, and for freelancers, small moments like that can turn into real opportunities.
I mentioned in the session that if you're not buying it for yourself, it also makes a solid gift for an editor friend or someone in your course. Anyone who's serious about this craft tends to appreciate something that "gets it" without needing an explanation. A few people in the chat asked whether it's worth the price for "just a shirt," and I get where that's coming from. But I'd compare it to any piece of merch tied to a hobby or profession you actually care about — a gym shirt for someone who lifts, a coding pun mug for a developer. It's less about the garment itself and more about the identity behind it. When you're deep into a craft, small signals like this remind you that you're part of a bigger community of people who understand exactly what you go through on a daily basis.
2. The "We'll Fix It In Post" Coffee Mug
This one got the most laughs during the live chat, honestly. It's basically our unofficial motto, right? Bad lighting on set, audio that's a little off, a shot that didn't quite land — somehow it always ends up on our desk to sort out. "Don't worry, we'll fix it in post" is a phrase every editor has said a hundred times, half joking and half not.
Every morning before I sit down to start editing, I make coffee and grab this mug, and there's something oddly motivating about it. It's a small reminder that this job, chaotic as it is, is something I actually enjoy. It doesn't sound like much on paper, but these tiny rituals are what make a long editing day feel less like a grind.
I also brought this up for anyone setting up a home office or editing desk — little details like this go a long way in making your workspace feel like yours. It's not just a coffee cup; it's a decent conversation piece too, especially if you're ever on a video call and someone spots it in the background. Someone in the live chat mentioned they keep a similar mug at their desk for the exact same reason, and a few others said they'd never thought about how much a small desk item like this affects their mood before a long session. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that your workspace mood matters just as much as your workspace setup. A cluttered, sterile desk doesn't exactly inspire creativity, but a desk with a few personal touches — even something as small as a mug — tends to make the hours pass a little easier.
🛒 Product: "We'll Fix It In Post" Coffee Mug
[Insert product image here]
3. The "Eat, Sleep, Edit, Repeat" Hoodie
This one's a bit more personal. Anyone who's pulled a late-night editing session to hit a deadline knows exactly what I'm talking about — at some point, comfort becomes non-negotiable. I mentioned in the session that on those late nights when my eyes are strained and I'm still color grading at 1 AM, this hoodie is basically part of my "focus mode" routine at this point.
"Eat, Sleep, Edit, Repeat" isn't really an exaggeration for a lot of us, is it? During crunch periods, that's genuinely the loop. Wearing something that pokes fun at that reality instead of stressing about it helps keep the mood light, even when the workload isn't.
On the practical side, if you're working long hours in an air-conditioned room or somewhere on the colder side, a good hoodie is more than just aesthetic — it's functional. Soft fabric matters too, since you don't want something restricting your arm movement while you're on the keyboard and mouse for hours. One tip I gave during the live session: double-check the size chart before ordering, since sizing can run differently depending on the brand. I also pointed out that this is one of those items that ends up getting more wear than people expect. It's not something you save for special occasions — it becomes your go-to "editing uniform" for late nights, early mornings, or those long weekend sessions when you're trying to hit a client deadline. A few students mentioned they keep one at their desk specifically for render-and-wait moments, when you're not actively typing but still need to stay near the computer. It's a small comfort upgrade that ends up paying for itself in how much more bearable those long stretches feel.
🛒 Product: "Eat, Sleep, Edit, Repeat" Hoodie
[Insert product image here]
4. The "Don't Bother Me, I'm Editing" Desk Sticker
This one got a lot of laughs too, mostly because so many people in the chat could instantly relate. I've got this sticker on the back of my laptop and another one on my editing room door. Why? Because if you work from home, you know the struggle — family or roommates walking in mid-render, asking "hey, got a sec?" right when you're deep in a timeline. This sticker doesn't magically stop people from knocking, but it does help set a boundary without you having to explain it every single time.
It's not something that directly boosts your editing speed, but indirectly, it protects your focus time, which honestly matters just as much. I talked about this during the session too — setting small boundaries is something a lot of us in creative, remote-friendly fields tend to overlook, and it's more important than people realize.
These stickers are usually made from decent waterproof vinyl, so they hold up well on laptops, water bottles, or monitor stands without peeling off after a few weeks. It's also just a fun way to add a bit of personality to your setup. What I like about this one specifically is that it does its job without being harsh. It's playful enough that nobody feels like you're snapping at them, but it still gets the message across. During the session, I mentioned that boundaries don't have to be dramatic conversations every time — sometimes a small, funny visual cue does the job just as well, and it saves you from having the same "please don't interrupt me right now" conversation on repeat.
🛒 Product: "Don't Bother Me, I'm Editing" Sticker/Decal
[Insert product image here]
5. The Framed "Definition of Video Editor" Wall Art
There's a small story behind this last one. A student once asked me during a session, "what do you do when your motivation drops mid-project?" I laughed and told her I actually have this framed print hanging right in front of my desk — it's styled like a dictionary entry, but the "definition" is written as a joke about what we actually deal with as editors day to day.
It has nothing to do with skill or technique, obviously, but there's something to be said for having little visual reminders around your workspace. On days when I'm stuck untangling a messy timeline or dealing with a picky revision request, glancing up at that print gets a small laugh out of me and resets my mood a bit. It sounds minor, but those small mental resets add up over a long editing session.
A few people in the live chat asked if this only works for a home office setup, and I said it honestly fits anywhere — home studio, shared office, even a content creation space if you're filming YouTube thumbnails or behind-the-scenes shots. Having something like this in the background makes the whole setup feel more intentional and a lot more "you." It's also a nice piece to have if you ever end up doing talking-head content yourself, whether that's course material, YouTube videos, or client testimonials filmed at your desk. A background that says something about who you are and what you do tends to look a lot more authentic than a blank wall, and it gives viewers a small detail to notice and connect with.
🛒 Product: Funny "Definition of Video Editor" Framed Wall Art
[Insert product image here]
Final Thoughts
I closed out the live session with a point I want to repeat here too: none of these products will make you a better editor. This isn't a tutorial, and it's not going to teach you a new skill. But for those of us who spend a huge chunk of our day staring at a timeline, small things like these genuinely make the work feel more enjoyable, more personal, more "ours."
I've always felt that as creative professionals, the environment we build around ourselves matters more than we give it credit for. When your desk, your clothes, and even your little daily habits carry a bit of your personality and passion, the work stops feeling like just a job and starts feeling like a lifestyle you actually chose. This is something I try to remind my students of often, especially the ones just starting out. It's easy to get caught up in learning software, chasing tutorials, and comparing your progress to editors who've been at this for years. But burnout is real in this field, and a lot of it comes down to treating the work as purely technical and forgetting the human side of it. Building a workspace and a routine you actually enjoy being in isn't a distraction from getting better at editing — it's part of what keeps you consistent enough to actually get there.
If you were in the live session, drop a comment and let me know which one of these was your favorite. And if you missed it, follow the blog so you don't miss the next one — I've got a few more practical (and personal) lists like this one coming up soon.
.jpg)
