Do you ever feel like your home office isn’t meeting all your needs? You’re not alone. The best home office setup is unique to every person’s work style and budget.
If you’re looking for tips on how to create a home office that’ll fit your budget and lifestyle, you’ve come to the right place.
Whether trying to save space or get creative with your design, many different factors go into creating your home office setup.
Discovering how to create a work-from-home space like a professional will help you create an office that’s practical and good looking.
Here are a few things you should consider if you’re going to create the best home office setup for productivity and working more efficiently from home.
Creating the Best Home Office Setup for Your Lifestyle
A great home office begins with a layout that’s customized to fit your needs.
This guide is geared toward people who spend at least 40 hours a week in their office—but if your spouse, partner, or children need to use the office too, then make sure there’s enough space for everyone!
You may need to rearrange things several times to get the best home office setup to meet your needs.
What to Consider When Creating Your Home Office
Once you’ve determined what’s best for your needs you’ll want to map out where all of your furniture should go.
It’s also a good idea to make a list of everything you must have in your home office. This would include things like a printer, filing cabinets, and other items.
Creating a list of what you must have versus what is unnecessary will save you money and ensure that you’ll have a clutter-free highly functional office.
Your Home Office Layout
You should begin by assessing the room you have available.
Many people convert a spare bedroom into an office. But, it’s very common to find home offices sharing spaces with almost any other room in a house or apartment.
Is your home office going to occupy an entire room? Or just a portion of another space such as a living room, kitchen, or bedroom?
Remember that you can still have a highly functional home office in a small area.
If so, what is the area which can be dedicated to your remote office?
If it’s sharing space in a room that’s traditionally used for other purposes (living room, den, kitchen, bedroom, etc.), then you’ll want it to blend in with the décor.
It’s wise to select the colors, window treatment, and décor that match the rest of the room.
Homeowners have the option of remodeling or creating a completely customized home office.
If that’s something you choose to do, then you’ll want to consider how much natural light will be in the room, and how to arrange a working space.
When selecting flooring, you’ll need to choose the type that specifically suits your home office. Wood floors (hardwood floors or engineered wood) are rugged and stylish.
Carpet feels great underfoot, is great if you’re using a standing desk, and is a good noise insulator. But if you plan on having an office chair with wheels it may not be the best choice, unless you purchase a wheels made for high-pile carpet. Or, you can use area rugs to dampen the sound and add character to your room.
If your workspace is located in the basement, consider using tile flooring. Tile floors are very durable, easy to maintain, clean up quickly, and office chairs roll over them easily.
Once you determine where your home office will be located, you’ll need to consider the room’s layout.
Selecting a Desk For Your Home Office
Regardless of your home office location, your desk is the centerpiece.
Depending on the type of work you’re doing, your home office desk can be as simple as an inexpensive small table to a complete workstation setup.
So, think about whether you need a traditional style desk, a sit/stand desk, or a corner desk setup.
Would it be best to place it against a wall or have it freestanding? And, what type of backdrop it will provide for Zoom calls.
When it comes to selecting a desk size, you’ll need to think carefully about the type and size of the computer you have. Is it a laptop or desktop computer?
How much area do you need for items like notebooks, reference materials, and other work-related items?
Do you need only your cellphone? Or, do you require several pieces of equipment positioned on your desk to do your job?
Are you going to upgrade your equipment in the near future? Will you add additional monitors and other peripherals?
What about audio equipment? Do you have desktop speakers?
What about recording audio interfaces, microphones for meetings, and voiceovers?
Will you use a dedicated webcam or DSLR-type camera for meetings and video? How much area will they take up on your desk?
Thinking about all this helps you determine how large a desk you’ll need and how much area you’ll need to place it in the room.
Selecting Home Office Furniture
When selecting furniture, think about your work style and the importance of having a comfortable chair.
A good rule of thumb is to take care of your body first and then worry about other things like décor later!
Of course, the layout of your home office will determine the amount of furniture that’s needed.
For some, simply having a desk and a comfortable chair is sufficient.
If you need access to paper files and folders, it might be helpful to have them located in a small filing cabinet where you can immediately access them.
Thanks to cloud storage most of us no longer need to use physical file cabinets for paperwork and documents.
If you can eliminate unattractive file cabinets, it’ll give you more room if you only have a small space for your office.
However, if you need to use physical files allow enough room for cabinets, bookcases, and any additional tables so that you can move around quickly and easily.
Make sure you have effortless access to other office peripherals like printers or printer/scanners. And, if space permits, you might also wish to include additional office seating for family members or clients.
Lighting Your Home Office
The lighting in your office is very important. Does the space receive good natural daylight? Depending on the natural lighting from windows and skylights you’ll have to make color selections more carefully.
If you own your home and you’re concerned about having enough natural light, try installing a skylight. It’ll make any space feel more open and airy.
When it comes to lighting, you’ll want to balance the natural and artificial light as much as possible.
Controlling the light is crucial if you’re going to be occupying your office for long periods of time.
I suggest using Venetian blinds, shades, or light-filtering curtains to adjust the natural light that enters your room.
Often overhead lights in your home office can produce unwanted glare or create shadows.
So, purchasing a desk-mounted light or adjustable floor lamp allows you to have light exactly where you need it and will reduce eyestrain.
Home Office Computers and Peripherals
Depending on what type of work you do (i.e., writing or design), an upgrade might not be necessary.
However, if there’s one thing I’d recommend upgrading, it would be your computer and software.
Keeping your operating system, and your audio and graphic cards up-to-date allows you to work faster and with fewer problems.
So, you’ll want the latest laptop or desktop computer with the newest operating system so that you’re able to work efficiently.
While you’ll often get the best internet speeds by plugging directly in a modem, most home offices use wifi for accessing the internet.
While this is great, too often the wifi signal is weak or sporadic. One way to fix that is by using a good wifi booster.
How to Save on Upgrades and Furniture
Upgrading your furniture to match the aesthetics of your home office is always a great idea. But it can be an expensive one, too.
Fortunately, having the best home office setup doesn’t mean breaking the bank.
There are ways to upgrade or buy new furniture without sacrificing quality.
Here are some tips for how you can save on furniture and upgrades in your home office.
One way to save on furniture or upgrades is by shopping used.
You can find great deals at thrift stores or garage sales, but you should also consider checking sites like Craigslist or eBay.
These sites offer heavily discounted items in good shape—sometimes even new!
Another option is to buy floor models from retailers like Ikea, who sell slightly damaged goods for much less than the original price.
The only catch is that you’ll have to assemble them yourself—but that’s just more time spent in the perfect home office!
Conclusion
If you want to get more done at home and have a better work/life balance, it’s essential to set up your home office correctly.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this article and found some helpful tips to create the best home office setup and consider joining my mailing list.
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