Once the exception, working from home has become the rule for millions of Americans. No matter your work situation, a well-designed home office is essential whether you occasionally bring tasks home or work from home daily. With everything you need within reach, your home office can boost your productivity and provide a space to excel.
To help you do that, the SecurCare Self Storage storage experts have put together the following guide to setting up the ideal home office. Read on for excellent tips and creative hacks that will boost your bottom line and improve your outcomes while working from home.
How to Choose the Right Desk
The desk you choose for your home office can significantly impact your comfort and productivity. For those reasons, it’s critical you select a desk that fits your needs and work demands as well as possible. Here are a few tips to do that:
- Assess your needs. Will a small desk work for you, or do you need a much larger desk that can handle multiple monitors and other office tools like printers, staplers, etc?
- Measure your space before purchasing your desk. The last thing you want is to buy a desk that doesn’t fit in your available space.
- Consider a standup desk. Health experts warn that sitting for long hours leads to health problems. A standup desk might be a viable solution.
- Choose the correct material. You can find wooden, metal, or glass desks, each with a different style, durability, and look. What you want is one that suits your style, needs, and your budget.
- If possible, try out your desk before you purchase it. Sit down and envision what it will be like to work when using it.
The Right Desk Chair is Critical for Proper Ergonomics
More important than your desk, some believe, is your desk chair. This is especially true if you’ll sit for long hours daily. A chair that’s comfortable, flexible, and ergonomically sound is critical.
You should also consider the exterior material the chair is made with. For example, if you don’t like leather (or you love it), choosing a chair that fits that particular taste is essential. A desk chair with arms might also be necessary to you, but it might not. As with your desk, it’s also a good idea to test your chair before purchasing it. Sit in it for 5 to 10 minutes, using all the levers and adjusting it to your body. Remember, you’re going to be using your chair a lot, so it has to be close to perfect for your specific needs.
The Proper Lighting is More Important than You Might Think
Most offices use lighting that reduces eye strain and increases productivity (for obvious reasons). Doing the same at home takes a bit of planning and forethought to get the best light. For example, most of the light in your home office should be natural and come from windows and skylights. If that’s not possible, warm, white LED bulbs will create a comfortable ambiance that fosters your creativity and productivity. You should also consider an adjustable desk lamp to illuminate your work area when needed. The proper lighting will empower you to get more done with less stress and better results.
Make Your Home Office Personal
Look around any workspace or cubicle in a modern office, and you’ll likely see framed photographs, awards, and tchotchkes placed there by a particular employee. These personal trinkets should also be placed around your home office as they create a workspace that’s inspiring and inviting. You should also consider hanging artwork, motivational quotes, and a “vision board”.
The colors you use in your home office are also an important factor that can increase your positivity and put you in a better mood. Be sure to use colors you like if you decide to paint your home office and purchase furniture that adds to its overall mood and look, color-wise.
Plants Boost Productivity and Reduce Stress
You might be surprised how much adding a few plants can completely transform your home office. Indoor plants improve the air quality in your workspace, reduce your stress levels, and increase your productivity. What you want are low-maintenance plants like succulents, peace lilies, and snake plants, among several others. These plants tend to thrive in indoor environments and are easier to take care of. Several around your home office can significantly improve all aspects of working from home.
Home Office Organization is Critical to Your Success
An organized home office will significantly impact your productivity, creativity, and ability to use your time well. For example, placing your desk near a window will allow you to use natural light and enjoy a more pleasant view while you work. Having shelving units and cabinets nearby for necessary office tools can help keep your desk clutter-free.
Hanging a large bulletin board where you can tack up reminders, to-do lists, notes, etc., can also be extremely helpful. It’s also a good idea to place your desk where, when you like, you can gaze out of a window to see outside. This is especially critical in areas of the United States that endure long winters that force you to stay inside. (It helps fight “seasonal depression.”)
Should You Remodel Your Home Office?
Depending on your budget and needs, remodeling your home office might be necessary (and a good idea). For example, consider getting custom-built storage solutions, soundproofing your workspace to make it quieter, or expanding the space to give you more room to entertain clients and work out contracts. A well-planned and dedicated home office will add value to your home and contribute to a better, healthier work-life balance.
Prepare Your Home Office with help from SecurCare
If you plan to set up a home office but need more space, SecurCare Self Storage can help. For example, you can rent a 5 x 5 storage unit to store the contents of your spare bedroom and use it as your office. You can also do the same to clear out your basement to create your home office there.
No matter your needs, SecurCare makes it easy to free up space for your home office. We offer various storage unit sizes, the best security and safety measures in the storage industry, and convenient drive-up storage units that make it easy to drop off the things you want to store.
If you’re ready, you can reserve your storage unit online in just a few minutes with SecurCare. There’s no deposit needed and no credit card necessary! Until then, we hope the tips we’ve provided today will help you create your perfect home office!