Create A Home Office That Gets Stuff Done

Whether you work from home, are looking to start a business, or you simply need a place to study, the home office is a must-have for those who need somewhere to really hunker down and get to it.

Here, we’re going to look at some of the most crucial elements of home office design and how to ensure you create a space that will improve productivity rather than simply get in the way of your home life.

Build it to purpose

When you’re choosing furniture for a home office, make sure you’re starting on the right foot by visiting office furniture stores. If you’re choosing the kinds of seats and desks used throughout other parts of the home, you could be sabotaging yourself.

You need an ergonomic office chair, for instance, that keeps your back supported and helps you sit and work for long periods without any aches or pains cropping up. Similarly, you need a real desk that offers all the space for your digital technology, as well as any resources you need to keep on hand as you work.

While having the office in the home does allow for a few more creature comforts than the average workspace, you have to ensure you are building it with work in mind, first and foremost.

Know where everything is

In that vein, you want to eliminate inefficiency from that workspace as much as it possible. If you run a home business or you simply do all your work from home, then you likely have plenty of paperwork, printouts, stationery and more to keep on top of.

You need to incorporate smart storage solutions that allow you to access whatever you need, whenever you need it. Office trays are great for quickly storing pieces of paper you’re going to need to keep referring to.

Choose stationery holders that allow you to separate the different tools you use most regularly, too. If you’re using filing cabinets, choose ones that are compact enough to be in reach without having to stray too far from your desk.

Organize and optimize

Your office space should help you organize not only your physical resources but your mental ones, as well. Design the space surrounding the desk so that it has plenty of visual cues and reminders of schedules, deadlines, and different duties.

For instance, keep a calendar in close view so you’re always kept aware of any important looming dates. A whiteboard, chalkboard, or corkboard on the wall can be a great addition, too. It gives you some space to pin notes and ideas that you don’t need right in that moment, but are too important or easy to forget to file them away with the rest of your papers.

Without a separate space for working, it’s easy for the boundaries between life at home and your working life (or studying life) to get blurred. Home offices let you set those boundaries, improving both your ability to get stuff done and your ability to switch off and enjoy your home afterward.