How to Design an Office for Home

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Having a designated office space where you feel good is crucial when working from home. After all, most likely, you will probably spend several hours per day- or even some long nights. Thus, you want to create a work-friendly space where you feel your best and motivated! It’s all about setting yourself up for success mama!

Whether you are planning to design an office in the corner of a room or you have a whole room to transform it into an office, you may  be looking for tips on how to design an office for your home.

Today, we will give you a few useful tips on designing your office at home (many that I plan to use myself in the home we are currently remodeling- yay!). Thus, you can create a space secluded from tempting distractions where you can focus on your work.

Choose a good location

Choosing a good location is extremely important since you will spend many hours in your designated home office. First, try to think about which place would be ideal for your home office in your house. You can dedicate a small area for creating your office in a quiet corner in your bedroom, living room, or even in the kitchen. – If you are a busy stay-at-home mom, designing a work area in the kitchen might actually be a great choice so that you can watch your kiddos play and work at the same time!

However, if you work with clients who come to your office frequently, it’s better to select a separate room with a few seating capacities. For example, you can transform one of your guest rooms (if you have any) into an office.

Also, I would recommend you consider a few factors such as distractions, traffic flow, and lights when it comes to selecting the right location. It’s enough if you think about working in a windowless room (no cubicle life at home please! ha). It might not be the best idea at all. You would feel a little bit depressed there… wouldn’t you? Therefore, don’t ignore any of these factors when choosing the perfect location!

The bottom line: go for function and inspiration!

Select functional yet beautiful furniture

When selecting your desk, shelves, and other furniture, select functional yet beautiful pieces. This is because you don’t want to invest a lot of money in a chair that looks luxurious but ultimately gives you terrible back pain, do you?

Before you head to the store to buy new furniture, take your time and look at your current home decor. Your home office furniture should match your existing home design (in colors, materials, and style) unless you want to use a completely different style for your home office. After that, think about what your workflow is and which items you use while working that need to be near your desk and chair. Then, look for furniture that provides enough storage space and comfort for you- plus looks good at the same time!

It’s important to note here that beautiful furniture doesn’t have to break the bank. You can find great online deals or go on a treasure hunt at local garage sales or online on platforms like Facebook and Mercari. You can even find a piece with the right function but needs a little TLC (paint, for example) to make it fit your living space. There are plenty of options for your home office even on a tight budget! 

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Take your time when selecting the right desk and chair

Since you spend hours sitting at your desk as a work-from-home mom, don’t buy the first desk and chair you see at the store. Take your time when selecting them!

Your desk should be large enough for your computer, an in-tray, and any other items you may need for work. Consider some space for taking notes as well.

Regarding your chair, choose a comfortable, ergonomic chair that helps you maintain optimal posture. You will see that it’s worth investing in a good office chair! 

As a physical therapist, I can’t stress the importance of comfort and ergonomics over design here (your back will thank you). When it comes to your chair and desk, your spine should be well supported (no slumping), feet flat on the floor, and your arms comfortably resting to reach your keyboard and other important accessories on your desk. Personally, I love sit to stand desks so that you can do some of your work on your feet too! 

Choose colors that will motivate you to work

When designing your home office, opt for motivational office decor. – It works as a great productivity booster! Make sure to paint the walls in colors that positively affect your mood and motivate you to work. While some people prefer bright colors like orange or red, others may need a more calming color like sky blue, soft green, or teal to perform better. So you need to find out first which colors work the best for you.

Of course, the same principle goes for the colors of your furniture as well. Play a little with the colors to set the perfect ambiance for work.

Related read: 40 Side Hustles For Moms To Earn Money From Home

Get some nice accessories

Consider getting some office accessories that make your home office cozier. You can buy some cute notepads, colorful sticky notes, a nice pencil holder, a decorative bookshelf, a beautiful curtain, a comfy carpet, and a motivational picture to hang on the wall. However, your possibilities are limitless when it comes to accessories, you can freely add anything to your design so that it makes you feel better in your workspace.

Have plenty of light

Having plenty of light is one of the most useful tips on how to design an office at home.

Create your workspace in a room where there is a lot of light – preferably natural light, or invest in some decorative lamps to provide sufficient lighting. Thus, you can save yourself from a lot of unnecessary suffering secondary to headaches and extra eye strain. Plus, good old sunshine is a great motivator and can just make you feel good even when you have to get some work done. 

Also, make sure to place your computer monitor in a place where there is no glare from the window.

Related read: 6 Tips to Help Set Up a Small Home Office

Maximize your space

If you don’t have too much space in your house to dedicate to your home office, maximize the space you have. For example, you can install some shelves to gain some extra storage space for your papers or any other items that you can’t store on your desk.

Or if possible, you can also add a filing cabinet or cupboard to your workspace. This way, you can organize all your papers and avoid making huge piles of documents on the desk (the worst!).

Hide your cords

Knowing how to design an office that doesn’t look cluttered is crucial if you want a good-looking, organized space for work. This is because even if you have a beautifully designed home office but unsightly wires are running everywhere on your desk and around it, the place will still look messy.

The best thing you can do is to take control of your electronic devices and eliminate or hide the cords. How? Here are a few tips that may help:

• Use a wireless router, printer, and mouse.
• Try to lead the cords from your desk below by using a cable grommet.
• Hide the cords by attaching them to places where they are not visible, such as the underside of the desk.
• Hold the wires together which are running on the floor with a cord tamer or use a wire organizer that you can attach to the desk so you can keep the wires off the floor.

Related read: Work From Home Mom: Tips to Dress in Style

Make it your own

Your home office is an extension of who you are. Therefore, make it your own and design a space that represents your personality and style.

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Ultimately, follow the above-mentioned guidelines on how to design an office for your home, and you will find yourself in a productive work environment that feels just right for you.

Which of these tips do you plan on incorporating into your own home office?