Home Office Solutions for Small Workspaces
If you regularly work from home then you’ll know that trying to squash yourself and your workload into a small space where you have to try and get the job done without getting in anyone else’s way is an uncomfortable, inconvenient and frustrating experience.
You’re not alone.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) there are now officially more people working from home than ever.In the last five years, millions of British workers have become self-employed or taken the opportunity to work remotely from their employers.
Working from home means being able to avoid the rush hour, office politics, tedious meetings and even the task of getting dressed; it’s supposed to be brilliant!
With a little imagination it can be.
These tips will help to make your home office a happy one:
Don’t try to recreate an actual office
Where space is a premium, you need to throw-out your ideas of what an office looks like and get creative.
Look at the work you do and the tools or equipment that really are vital to getting the job done and then build a home office around those items.
More often than not, people try to squeeze a full-sized desk into the house and only use a portion of it for actual work. The rest gets cluttered with piles of paper, pots of pens and stationery that do little but gather dust.
Be brutal. If it’s not essential then put it to one side for now.
Use height
When it comes to making the most of the space you have available, height really is your friend.
All those nik-naks or items you use occasionally can be stowed in file boxes, containers or pots out of the way on shelves to free up your workspace. Build or install bookshelves into alcoves that go all the way to the ceiling and if need be, buy a small stool or step-ladder to access the ones out of reach.
Tuck things you use rarely out of sight at the back of those shelves and for a clean and tidy appearance, fit doors or a curtain over the front so you can hide it all away when you want to entertain or just switch off.
Choose office furniture that doesn’t look like office furniture
Working from home presents many challenges and finding enough room to work in is just one of them; being able to separate your working life from everything else takes organisation and self-discipline.
Unless you have the luxury of a spare room that you can transform into a dedicated workspace, you need to make your home office work around your home life.
If you work in the corner of your lounge, on the landing or even in a cupboard, opt for furniture which blends easily into its surrounds or is made from light, muted colours.
This makes your home office feel more spacious, but also makes it easier to pack work away or just ignore it when the workday is done.
Get Storage
When it comes to organising a small office space and making it functional, storage is your best friend. Steer clear of clunky filing cabinets or office-style kit in favour of items that look more at home, in your home.
You can find inspirational ideas on sites like Pinterest, but for great advice on getting the perfect office set-up, contact the UK’s friendly home office design, supply and installation team at Planscape.
