Working from home: tips for creating a home office

Working from home is becoming the norm for a lot of us these days. And, as part of working from home, includes endless distractions –  the stacks of dishes in the sink, the pile of laundry that needs to be folded and a family member eager to tell you a story.  To work efficiently, you need a dedicated space. Carving out a home office space allows you to hide away and focus on the job at hand.

Tips for creating a home office

If a separate closed-off room is not possible in your home, create a ‘threshold’ visual cue demonstrating that this space is your ‘office’.  

1. Lay down a rug on the floor under your desk and chair
2. Use your wall space to help your organisation – add shelves for your files,  paperwork or office supplies. A corkboard is another excellent storage idea to hold your to-do lists, calendars or inspirational images. 
3. Move all the equipment you need in your makeshift office space. Keeping work equipment like printers, scanners and label makers will ensure you don’t get distracted walking into the lounge room to print something. Put office equipment on your work table or a separate shelving unit. If you don’t have much room in your office space, you can pull out desk drawers to hide equipment.  
4. Purchase an ergonomic office or occasional chair that doubles as your office chair to dress up the space.  A quality chair could help keep your body aligned properly, so you don’t get aches and pains after working. Resist the urge to sit on the couch with the laptop, as this will not be great for your spine in the long run!
5. Ideally, have some natural light filtering into your office space. Or, if your makeshift office area is dark, add some light with lamps. 

Room dividers for the win

It is not always easy to create an office space when you don’t have much extra room in your house. Adding a room divider can be a great way to distinguish your office space from the rest of your home. Surprisingly, a room divider does not have to be boring. A slatted wood wall or plastered wall with a splash of bright paint can create an eye-catching aesthetic in your home. 

Built-in office desks

Having a handyman build a built-in office desk complete with drawers can transform a small, empty wall into your office space. Moreover, drawers are a great way to hide files, paperwork and office supplies that you use regularly but don’t like to leave lying around for tiny fingers. Furthermore, you can add shelves to your built-in office for knick-knacks or pictures that inspire you. 

Distinguish your office space  

Hopefully, some of our tips help you distinguish your office space! 

If you need built-in office space, room divider wall or a room paint job to distinguish your office space, contact MMD Maintenance on (03) 5222 6022. Our highly skilled tradespeople do it all! From construction to painting to renovation projects, we can create the perfect office space for you.