Home office: how to set up a workspace in your home

Someone was born with a love for interior ideas and is constantly improving their home space, while others did not even think about a home office before the quarantine. But what to do when a spacious office has been replaced by a home one and you are constantly distracted from work tasks? Can a bedroom or a hallway be turned into a cabinet? Here are some simple guidelines to help you create a comfortable place to be productive in.

It is recommended to design your home workplace so it is associated only with work. If you can not see the line between work and rest, productivity will be off the table. If there are not enough square meters to allocate a separate room for work, you can create a “room in a room” through the division of space.

You can zone the workplace using a bookcase, curtain, or a set of shelves. The decor on the walls can also help to separate one zone from another: photographs, paintings, plants. You can paint a part of the wall in a different color and write chalk tasks for the day.

Don’t have a suitable place to work other than the kitchen? Be careful, there is a risk of gaining a few extra pounds. To set up a workplace in the kitchen, you can use the kitchen table, but divide it into thematic parts: one for work, the other for its intended purpose.

If you have a pantry, it makes sense to pay attention to it. You can completely “shield” yourself from the homeworld and plunge into the work process.

How to choose a work chair

A sedentary lifestyle is not good for your health. To avoid the consequences of office work, it is important to choose the right ergonomic chair. A good chair should have armrests, a negative seat angle, adjustments for seat depth, and backrest resistance. All this is still disputable, you can also choose a simple chair made of mesh or plastic.

A table instead of the windowsill

With a catastrophic shortage of free space in most apartments, the workplace can be organized in place of the windowsill. Daylight is one of its main advantages. You can make a table from the windowsill yourself using a tabletop and legs.

Daylight is still the best lighting for any workplace. Therefore, it is recommended to organize the workplace opposite or next to the window. In addition, bright daylight illumination increases productivity. The desk should also have a 7 to 11 W work lamp with a 500-600 lumen light ceiling. The convenient height of the lamp for the work of an adult is 35-50 centimeters, and the “temperature” of the working lighting should be colder than that of bedside sconces and floor lamps.

Desk height

For an average worker height of 170–185 centimeters, the recommended height of the working surface is 70–80 centimeters. If the table is too low, posture suffers, if too high, the cervical vertebrae will say yikes. An uncommon alternative is a standing desk. The height range of such items varies from 70 to 130 centimeters. Pay attention to the distance between your eyes and your computer or laptop. It should not be less than 40 centimeters.

If it is not possible to use a full-fledged desk, install a folding table. Such a worktable will save useful space in small apartments. You can install it next to the window so that you always have access to daylight. In conditions of space shortage, a folding mobile table is also suitable – in good weather, you can take it out on the balcony and enjoy working in the fresh air.

How to hide wires

Chargers for phones, tablets, your computer, headphones, speakers, watches, fitness bracelets –  wires can take up a third of the desk.

How to hide the wires beautifully? Put them in a box under the table, use a special “hanger” for wires, which is attached to the tabletop, use modern clip-holders and convenient organizers, do not forget about modern decor ideas for their masking.

Add coziness with decor. A couple of items are enough for the tabletop. For example, a photo frame and a flower. To maintain a desire to work, you need to surround yourself with things that inspire you to work.

Do not forget to choose a stand for a mug: we know that tea and coffee cups are on your table now too. A beautiful stand will save your work surface from stains and will also delight your eyes.

Organizing storage on your desk

Remove distractions and organize the storage system in your workplace. Next to the work table, you can put a small bookcase to unload a table full of papers.To find some sophisticated shelvings and bookcases you can go to nyfurnitureoutlets.com. Paper boxes and shelving wires can be wrapped in fabric to match your room decor. For storage, baskets are suitable – throw in anything that gets in the way and annoys your sight. Don’t forget about the waste basket (saves your working time).

Take care of comfort

Everyone knows that it is necessary to alternate rest and work. But when organizing a home office in an apartment, we get more opportunities to create the most comfortable workplace for ourselves. The more comfortable it is to work, the more productive the work itself. Try to take into account every little thing – as you know, the best way to relax is not to get tired of organizing stuff.

Heron Nelson
 

Heron is a business blogger with a focus on personal finance and wealth management. With over 7 years of experience writing about financial topics, Heron has established herself as a trusted voice in the personal finance space. She has a deep understanding of financial concepts and strategies, and is able to explain them in a relatable and actionable way for her readers.