As more and more people are now working from home, the popularity and convenience of a home office has become more of a necessity than a dream. Whether you are working fulltime from home, or just a couple of days a week it is a good idea to dedicate some space to be created into a workspace. If you provide a distinction between your work life and homelife your productivity is likely to increase, as you will be able to focus on tasks more easily.
What should you include in your office and how can you create a home office when space is at a premium?
Assess available space
Most people don’t actually have a room spare to dedicate as an office. This means you need to be very creative with the amount of space available. Carefully look at every nook and cranny, alcove, available wallspace and even hallways to see where your office could be potentially situated. To make a distinction between work and home you could add an interesting wallpaper behind your desk.
If you have available funds it may be good to invest in expert design advice from Office Refurbishment services from OzoneInteriors they can help you maximise usage of your available space. There are really cleverly designed concealed desks that can be positioned in any room of the house, they have the benefit of being able to hide away work at the end of the day.
If you have a garden another potential area for an office would be to have a garden room built, you would need to consider the cost of heating and lighting, but you would benefit from no distractions. You would have a clear distinction between work and home. Many hairdressers and beauticians have used this option to have a home salon.
Lighting
One of the main considerations in designing your home office is lighting. Good lighting is essential, especially if you are utilising dark corners within your home. Natural lighting is the best solution, but if natural light is restricted you can purchase daylight replicating light sources. Position lighting so as not to cause glare by being too direct or cause eyestrain by being behind equipment.
Storage
It is important to remember that storage doesn’t have to spread out horizontally around your workspace, this is likely to cause clutter and infiltrate into your living space. Storage can be positioned vertically so that you use all available wallspace. Try to keep your storage solutions to a theme so that boxes, shelves and cupboards easily blend into surroundings and boxes can be stacked without the fear of toppling over.
Ensure your storage is plentiful, so that everything can be stored away at the end of the day. Certain businesses may require safe storage of documents due to data protection. Lockable filing cabinets especially designed for home offices would be perfect.
Finally, ensure your equipment such as computers can be easily placed and that power is accessible. Purchase an ergonomically designed chair to protect your posture and you’re ready to work!
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