Whether you're a blogger, a writer, a work from home mom, or someone that gets to telecommute a couple days a week, you will likely find yourself in need of a home office. Most people envision an enormous room that's basically a giant office cubicle but that isn't always the case. If you're like me you don't have a lot of space. Our home is only 1,100 square feet and we have 3 bedrooms. That means that I use 2 as actual bedrooms and 1 for an office. Actually, it's not JUST an office, it's where I store off-season table cloths, books, and it has my pet rat and the dogs' pee pads.
Some people say "Oh I don't need an office, I can just use my laptop on the couch" and that's great but honestly I speak from experience when I say that if you actually dedicate an entire area to your work, you will concentrate better and produce better results. When I am in my office I am in the zone. I don't have distractions or a TV to look at. I often keep my cell phone in another room.
So do you want to create the perfect home office? Well here's how to do it and what you'll need.
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A Work Desk or Work Surface
When we moved into our house I was ecstatic that it had shelving built into the wall. I noticed there was an area I could probably use as a desk top but I wanted to utilize the floor space underneath for file drawers and needed space for my printer. I already had a desk that I acquired back in 2006 or 2007 so I decided that would be my primary work surface. Make sure you also have a comfortable chair and any other ergonomic requirements you may need. I have a wrist rest and I keep a blanket over my office chair so if I'm chilly it's not an excuse to stop working.
Good Lighting
Our office has an overhead light but I also placed my desk right next to the window so there's always a source of natural light during the daytime. This also comes in handy for blog photographs. Being near a window may seem like a distraction but it's actually easier for me to concentrate because I don't feel like I'm locked away in a box wondering what it's like outside.
An Inbox or Routing System
I went shopping for office supplies years ago and realized an inbox/outbox would be crucial. The inbox in my office is actually the central routing system for anything that comes in the house. If something comes in the mail like a bill, I set it in the inbox so I can pay it. The inbox means ACTION. There's an outbox below it which I use for things that are done and need filed. I also have a desktop organizer that contains envelopes and items needed for shipping and mailing things as well as my regular office supplies like a tape dispenser and stapler.
A Library + Office Supply Storage Space
Books are great for reading for enjoyment and for reference. So I keep my books in my office so the overall is more like an office/research environment. I don't own many books because I like to have less stuff but I do get a ton of books from my local library on a regular basis so I keep those on the book shelf as well. I also have my printer and my drawer of office supplies like pens, tapes, paperclips, and cords. If you don't have built in storage for this like I do you can easily get a little stand or set of drawers. I add décor in between all of my items so that I have created an enjoyable environment that I want to work in.
A Lounge Area
Yes, this is what I call my lounge area. It's actually an ottoman that transforms into a single bed (if I needed to use this as a temporary 3rd bedroom) but I keep a decorative blanket, pillows, and magazines on it. In fact sometimes when I get tired of working at my desk, I flip around and use the ottoman to rest my feet while I type on my laptop in my lap. I also have extra seating so that if I need to sit somewhere else or need space for someone else to sit with me, it's there. I like to use this little nook for reading books too. A lounge space should be comfortable.A Whiteboard
I have a whiteboard wall decal that I use to keep a running to do list or a fun checklist. I usually keep my goals for the year up and a countdown for any big occasion. Even if you don't have a whiteboard, you should have something to display or write your ideas like a chalkboard or even a bulletin board.Do you have an office area set up in your home?
All great ideas! My home office is actually a corner in our guest room.
ReplyDeletethis could technically be used as a guest room too if we needed it I suppose :)
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