If you work from home — or you want to work from home — you’re not alone. In 2019, nearly 4 million people in the U.S. work from home for at least half of their work week. That includes freelancers and contractors who spend a large portion of their time in a home office.
One of the essentials for working from home is successfully carving out a designated space to do your job. Having a dedicated space provides several proven benefits, including improved creativity and focus when the space is organized and decorated properly. However, if you have a small home or apartment, you might face some challenges in trying to find the space to create a dedicated work area.
The good news is your home office doesn’t have to be a room of its own. You can create the right space in unexpected ways. Here are five modern office design ideas for small spaces that can make you feel like you just landed the corner office.
Create Your Own Zone
If your space isn’t big enough to allow a separate office, divide your work area and living and sleeping areas by using clear boundaries. Tucking a desk, chair, filing cabinet, and shelves into a corner are more efficient than moving your laptop around the room and working in different places. You can also use an open bookcase as a room divider that also provides storage while defining your workspace.
Use Your Doors
Over-the-door organizers are generally intended for shoes or cosmetics, but there’s no reason they can’t help organize your office. Hang clear plastic organizers inside a closet door to hold your tape, staplers, pens, and anything else that might otherwise create clutter.
Build Up
When you’re short on space, thinking vertically opens up a lot of room possibilities. Use the wall space above your desk when there’s no way to go wider. Floating shelves or tall bookcases can help you make the most of limited office space.
Rethink Your Closet
Home office desk ideas aren’t just for blank walls and empty corners. Slide a desk into the closet — or install a deep shelf that doubles as a desktop — and build shelves above it. Be sure to install proper lighting if the closet doesn’t already have it, and then add a task chair on wheels. At the end of the day, you can roll your chair under the desk and simply close the door to hide the workspace.
Use Your Entryway
That hall space between the door and living area can seem like wasted space — until you transform it into a workstation. A stylish console table with a lamp can make a great place to do your work.
When it’s time to create your home office, CORT Furniture Rental can help you complete the look and get everything you need. From desks and shelving to lamps and file cabinets, CORT has the selection to suit your style and help you create a modern home office, regardless of the size of your space.
