Creating the perfect home office can seem like a daunting task. With a little effort and ingenuity, however, anyone can have a stylish and effective work space.
Delineation of Space
In an ideal world, we would all have a spare room to use as an office. If you’re short on space, however, that doesn’t mean that you can’t create an effective work area. Carving out an office nook in the corner of a bedroom or living room can be an effective alternative to having an entire room dedicated to work. Even a large closet can be turned into an office with a little ingenuity. The trick to creating a great office in a small space is organization. Use the wall space by hanging shelves and calendars. Place drawers and filing cabinets beneath the desk. Experiment to find what layout works for you, and don’t be afraid to streamline if something is creating clutter instead of aiding organization.
Decorate
To enhance productivity, make sure your home office is aesthetically pleasing. Adding a few chic design touches to your work space is stimulating without being distracting. If you have an entire room dedicated to work, consider freshening it up with a new coat of paint. Go for a bright color like yellow if you think it will lift your spirits during a long day of work. Choose a basic white if you want something soothing. Also add a few pieces of framed art that suit your taste, like favorite travel photographs or prints of paintings. Place a vase full of flowers on your desk, or buy a brightly colored mail organizer. Making your home office a place that you like can be easy and inexpensive.
Banish Distractions
While making your office a habitable space is key, you don’t want to overload it with distractions. If having a shelf full of books winds up wasting your time, replace the books with photos and decorative objects. Don’t have a television in your office unless it’s absolutely necessary, and disable anything that allows you to play video games. When working at home, getting rid of time wasters is the best way to maximize efficiency.
Choose the Right Furniture
When choosing furniture for your home office, you want pieces that combine form and function. They need to be comfortable, as you’ll be using them for long periods of time, but they can’t be so comfortable that you’re tempted to take a midday nap. Modern furniture, which was in vogue during the early to mid 20th century, is the perfect way to outfit offices. These streamlined pieces are attractive yet always comfortable, and they add style to any office space.
Find the Perfect Equipment
Choosing the right equipment enhances the efficiency of any office. Before purchasing, consider the available space and your business needs. A computer is a must for any office. Decide whether you need a desktop, or whether you prefer the portability of a laptop. Depending on your work, you may also need a printer, fax machine and scanner. If space is minimal, choose small pieces of equipment that suit your work and your office.
De-tangle Cables
Once you’ve chosen your equipment and set it up, you’ll have a mass of cables to manage. Instead of letting them turn into a tangle, keep them separate and easy to identify by labeling each cable. For the hyper-organized, create written labels for each separate cord. For everyone else, wrap each cord with an identifying tag, like a ribbon or sticker. Then situate the cables so that they aren’t in danger of becoming tangled. Identify the path of each cable, and place them so that they cut a clear path from start to end. Use tape if it helps keep them separate.
It isn’t hard to carve out a work space. Whether you have a designated room or are creating an office in the corner of your kitchen, you can turn your work at home dreams into a reality.
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