How to Create The Perfect Home Office Of Your Dreams
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Last Updated on April 5, 2023 by Katherine
Whether you continue to work from home post-covid or just want a productive space to work a side-hustle or two, it’s important to put some thought into the design of your home office. Working from your own home has many rewards, but it’s not without challenges and it’s important to put together a workspace that you love to come into.
In this blog post we will cover:
- How to map out your perfect home office design.
- Selecting that perfect location.
- Places to go shopping.
- What furniture to consider buying.
- Organizational hacks that will help you do your best work.
Ready to get started? Let’s dive right in!
Start With Portioning Off Your Room
When you have a full room (or at least an area available) for work, you’re going to want to start by mapping out three main areas for your home office.
- Work–where you do your work, keep it clutter-free
- Reference–where you store your manuals and other reference material
- Supplies–where you keep your office supplies
Location, Location, Location
No matter where you decide to set up shop, you’ll need to make sure you have some natural light. I don’t recommend a super sunny spot as that can sometimes distract you from being your most productive self, but a window that allows the daylight in will work wonders on your mood.
I also like to ensure that I have adequate electric lights for the days where the weather isn’t that cooperative.
You also want a location that is relatively quiet in your home. If that’s not workable, a good quality pair of noise canceling headphones can work instead. I recommend buying a pair that goes over your ears, as they can be more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time.
Color Can Help Your Productivity
If you are thinking about more permanent terms, you can paint your work area. Painting is easy to do, but it takes a bit of time, and it can be quite exhausting. Considering this, I recommend you spend some time thinking about the color of your walls. The last thing you want to be doing is getting caught in an endless cycle of painting.
I like lighter colors for an office. I find they inspire positive thoughts and focus. However, everyone is different.
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Also Consider Scents
Something most people might neglect is considering a scent for their home office. Some studies have shown that certain scents might boost your productivity.
I like to experiment with fresh scents and it’s easy to do this with a beautiful scented candle or an air freshener. Peppermint might help you focus, but you can also pick a milder scent like vanilla or jasmine if you don’t want to be overwhelmed.
Where Can I Shop?
You can likely find many of the items you need at your local stores, such as Staples or Walmart. Ikea and Jysk are also great places to get decently priced furniture.
For decor pieces, this is where the fun can begin and I love changing up a room with just changing pillows or art work.
Some beautiful places to consider shopping:
- Lush Decor (Affiliate Link)
- John Robshaw (Affiliate Link)
- Homesense
- Wayfair
You can also visit your local lighting and furniture stores as they sometimes have wonderful accent pieces that are sure to add to your home office goals.
The Furniture Of Your Dreams
The right furniture in your home office will allow you to work comfortably for a long time. It’s not entirely just about your chair and desk, either. If you set up your home office in a busy part of your home, it can affect your ability to work, for example!
Start With A Desk
There are loads of kinds of desk to suit a wide variety of personal tastes and functions. I could write an entire article on the different desks and one desk will probably not work for every single person, so it’s more important for you to figure out what you need rather than focus on a type of desk.
Some questions to ask yourself:
- Do I need room for computer cables?
- Do I need storage?
- Do I need room for my computer or more?
- Do I want a standing desk or a treadmill desk instead of a regular one?
- Do I want a desk that adjusts its height?
Once you have some of these questions answered, then you can head to the store and explore different desks and narrow down what will work best for your own unique needs and wants.
Don’t Neglect The Chair
Your chair is just as important as your desk, as the wrong chair can ruin your productivity if you can’t stand to sit in it!
Some things you will want to consider ensuring your chair has:
- Height adjustable
- Adjustable backrest
- Lumbar support
- Adjustable armrests
It’s important to figure out exactly what you want before venturing out to the store, because once you see all the shiny new desk chairs, you might get something that looks cool, but doesn’t work for you at all.
Other Decor Items To Consider
Besides your basic “office” furniture, like a desk and chair, if you have room, you might also want to consider a comfy sofa or chair to add into your space.
You also do not want to miss out on adding personalized touches to your space, like pillows and pictures. One of my favorite ideas is to buy inexpensive frames at the dollar store and use Canva to create a pithy saying to add into the frame and hang it on my wall.
If painting the walls to your desired color is not in your budget, another easier way to add color to your office space is to change the curtains and artwork to that beautiful, inspiring color!
Organizational Hacks
When working from home, it’s essential to find ways to keep everything organized. It’s already incredibly easy to be distracted at home, so it’s important to set yourself up for success. Here are some design ideas that might just work for you!
Wall Calendars Are Your Friend
I like a good wall calendar because it can help you keep track of your month, as it’s immediately visible in your office.
I especially love a reusable one, such as this adorable DIY Acrylic Wall Calendar Tutorial from Jen Woodhouse.
Multi-Purpose File Cabinets
File cabinets are not just for storing all your important papers and documents. You can also DIY a gorgeous chalkboard one to create a place to write out important notes from time to time. Get the full tutorial over at Design Improvised.
Drawer Organizers Make Life Easier
Never underestimate the power of drawer dividers. They can allow you to tell at a glance what is in that drawer and allow you to find the item you need without wasting time digging through a drawer or two!
You also don’t need to spend a fortune on amazon or somewhere else to get the dividers you need. In fact, you can get away with just buying a block of scrapbook paper, some glue, scissors and a ruler. Check out DIY Drawer Dividers for Desk Organizing over at The Crafting Nook for a more detailed tutorial.
Organize Your Tech
You will want to consider where you want things like power cords, mainly for ease of access. Your computer will be your lifeline, so you’re going to want easy access to a power cord if you’re like me and on your laptop for much of your workday.
One tip I love is to secure your cords to your desk, so they’re organized and out of your way. You can use Washi tape to label each cord so you can tell at a glance what cord belongs to what!
Use Your Wall Space Effectively
If you feel you don’t have enough floor space in your home office, you shouldn’t neglect how effective shelves built onto the wall can be for storing your productivity essentials.
Final Thoughts On Building The Perfect Home Office
Carving out the perfect home office in your home is key to supercharging your productivity at home, because we face a lot more distractions at home than at the office. Once you have a spot picked, it becomes important to ask yourself some important questions about the furniture you’ll need and the lovely decor pieces that are sure to help your home office become a productive sanctuary for you.
It is also important to consider organizational elements that will allow you to spend more time creating your wonderful things rather than hunting down the elements you need! Comfortable furniture and clever organization will go a long way to ensuring you are at your most productive self when you set foot into your office.
I hope you found this post helpful. Be sure to share it on social media and pin it to Pinterest!
Until next time, stay crafty, my friends!!
