According to GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics.com, working at home has become so popular that half of today’s workforce is doing their work from home at least half of the time. Excluding self-employed workers, the number of people working at home has grown by 115 percent since 2005, and 3.7 million employees now work from home.
One of the main challenges of working at home is making sure you have the proper space. A dedicated workspace is important for a number of reasons:
- It helps you stay organized, just as you hopefully would at work.
- It gives you a place to keep all your work resources, instead of scrambling to remember where you left something the last time you worked in the house.
- It helps you psychologically, by reducing distractions and putting you in an “at work” mindset.
For those with room to spare, setting up a home office is typically just a matter of choosing where you want to work and then selecting the right office furniture. On the other hand, if you have very limited space — and especially if you share that space with others — you have to get creative in finding effective ways to carve out the space you need.
Hack Your Hallway
The end of a hallway can provide a surprisingly effective work area. Choose a simple desk and a coordinating lamp to brighten things up, both literally and figuratively. The result is both functional and fabulous.
Consider the Closet
Closets can be used for more than storing “stuff.” They make surprisingly good home workspaces, particularly if the closet is a walk-in type with enough room for shelves and a full-size desk. However, you don’t have to go big to make this idea work. Even a smaller hallway closet can be transformed by installing a desk and then building shelves above it. When the workday is done, you simply push in your chair, turn out the light, and close the door.
Get in the Corner
If you’ve always wanted that storied corner office, here’s your chance. A desk that fits snugly into a corner can turn a bedroom or even part of the living room into a separate workspace. Look for furniture that blends with the existing style and colors in the room to avoid making the room feel cluttered. If you want more separation from the room, add a decorative screen, which also cuts down on outside noise and distractions when others are home.
Hide Your Work
If you’re really short on space and don’t have a corner, closet, or hallway to spare, use an armoire designed for televisions and other electronic devices. You can easily turn the main shelf into a workspace, and it already comes with additional built-in shelves and lots of handy storage places. This furniture looks right at home in the bedroom or living room, and much like a closet, you can turn out the light and shut the door for a tidy look when your workday is done.
Just as you would in a traditional office, you want to make sure you have the right lighting for the job, so look for lamps that work well with the size and design of the space and also provide proper illumination for the types of tasks your job requires. Form is great, but remember that function is important too.
Adequate shelving can help you optimize your small space by going “up” rather than “out.” Look for bookcases that have enough capacity to hold your work without overflowing to help you maintain a tidy, organized look.
CORT Furniture Rental can help you find the perfect office furniture to create your home office, regardless of how small (or large) your space is. With pieces available in a wide selection of sizes, it’s possible to find a solution for even the tiniest space without cramping your style.
