It’s time to admit that this working from home thing is going to stick around. Whether you love it or miss chatting with coworkers or simply wish your neighbor mowed his lawn after business hours, you owe it to yourself to make some updates to your work from home space.
Working from home likely began very quickly and without advance planning. You probably didn’t imagine how long you would be camped out at the dining room table. Many of us will be working from our homes for the foreseeable future, so now is the time to make some changes for the better.
Not everyone has the luxury of a dedicated home office, but most of us can carve out a spot to work that does not necessitate pushing everything to one side, so you have to stare at your laptop while the family eats dinner.
Revamped storage is the magic key to finding space. Perhaps you’ve got a storage closet under the stairs where decorations, bins full of hand-me-downs that never get handed down, and small kitchen appliances that don’t fit in the kitchen go never to be seen again.
That storage closet can become your dedicated office in two satisfying steps: clear the clutter by getting rid of things you don’t use and finding space for things that belong in the kitchen back in the kitchen.
Apply this critical eye to any workspace candidates throughout the house. Could the guest bedroom closet be cleared of linens and winter coats by maximizing storage space in the linen closet and the mudroom? Use customizable wire shelving systems to use your storage space more efficiently and create space in the process.
Once you’ve found some space for an office, congratulate yourself and get to work. Creative organization and storage are the secrets to turning a closet or a blank space into a workable office.
Remove the hanging rod and standard high shelf and envision a custom laminate cabinet system with drawers, a desktop, slots to hold files, and more. It is worth getting an electrician involved to add a dedicated outlet, so you don’t have to snake an extension cord across the room.
A neglected landing at the top of the stairs is another candidate for a workspace. Employ the same technique. Install a desk you won’t mind seeing when you go up and down the stairs, and don’t forget a file cabinet and shelving.
Well, no, you can’t send the kids outside all day or ask your spouse to stop talking, but you can try to eliminate the distractions that naturally arise when you’re working from the place you live. Resist the temptation to procrastinate or lose focus by giving yourself a space that’s just for work, at least during work hours, and creating a visually calming environment.
Custom shelving or cabinet systems allow you to move things out of your line of sight when you’re ready to focus on another task. Minimize the interaction between your work and your household by keeping paperwork, sports permission slips, and mail locked away during the workday.
Resist the urge to overly decorate your workspace. Instead, stick with a low-maintenance plant for a pop of something beautiful and maybe a piece of art or a photo you never tire of looking at.
There is a magic formula in a calm environment leading to a calm mind. When you organize your workspace with creative storage that suits your needs, you’ll give yourself the gift of a calm, focused mind ready to get to work. It’s hard to concentrate on work when you have to look at the pantry all day, and of course, it needs to be cleaned.
It is essential to make sure your office is comfortable too. Without our companies providing desks, chairs, and everything else, many of us have been making do with what we had at home when the work-from-home situation began.
However, companies large and small spend money to set up their workspace ergonomically. If you’ve noticed your wrist hurts by the end of the day or your neck is killing you, invest in some ergonomic solutions. Talk to your company if you have the option.
Buy an adjustable desk or desk riser so you can spend part of your day standing instead of hunched over the laptop. Buy an anti-fatigue mat and put it under a beautiful rug in front of your desk.
Look into technological solutions like wireless headsets so you can walk and talk on long phone calls or alternative computer mice so you can switch the position of your hand in the middle of the day to prevent tension.
It can be intimidating to start on a home organization or renovation project, big or small. Working with an expert can help you unlock the possibilities. At Harkraft, we’re familiar with custom storage solutions, including wire shelving and custom-built laminate systems. Get in touch today to talk to one of our designers about the options for updating your work from home space.
