When I moved to my house 24 years ago, I created a super functional home office in a spare bedroom. You probably think that makes sense because I’m a professional organizer. Well, I wasn’t back in 1996. (OK, I’ve been organized since I was a kid.)
Maybe you need a home office because you’re sheltering at home during COVID-19. Your spouse, kids and dogs are home All. The. Time. 24/7. You’re tutoring, grocery shopping, cooking, doing laundry, cleaning, keeping the kids from killing each other and on and on and on. Who has time to think about a home office? Or maybe your existing home office no longer works for you. Here’s what you should consider.
The space is important
- Location and size requirements
- Absolute quiet or background music/noise
- Dedicated or shared
- Private, camera-ready area for Zoom calls
Furniture, equipment and supplies
- Desk for a laptop or computer, working files, paperwork and room to work
- Good lighting
- Comfortable chair
- Office supplies
- Printer
- Electrical outlets nearby
- Strong Internet connection
For the space-challenged
- Use all or part of the dining room or living room
- Repurpose a clothes closet by adding a work surface, shelves, chair and lighting
- An office armoire can be closed for privacy
- Try to avoid the kitchen since it’s a busy area
- Avoid the bedroom which should be a peaceful space
Generally speaking
- Have boundaries — let everyone know when you cannot be disturbed except for a true emergency like the house is on fire.
- Add decorative touches to make the space feel inviting and comfortable
- Create a schedule and stick to it
An extra bedroom, or any unused room, works best but use any space you can. It’s not difficult to create a super functional home office in a less than ideal space. Sometimes it just takes some creativity. Contact me if you’d like help to figure it out.