Remote work has been growing in popularity for some time, but the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated the process. Many companies converted to this system as it comes with many benefits for both employees and employers, such as increased flexibility, cutting down on office rent and commute, and improving the work-life balance. As such, numerous businesses offer their workers additional funds for organizing their workspace.
The most obvious choice would be to invest in a comfortable chair, which is crucial for a good home office experience. However, this isn’t the only thing you can do to improve your workspace. Depending on your work type, you can, for example, create a minimalistic corner with a wall-mounted table, fill your bookshelves with work-related books, place additional cabinets, or even paint your walls with chalkboard paint for easy note-taking.
The idea is that you should set up your workspace in a way that boosts your productivity and creativity and allows you to hide from distractions and focus entirely on your job. To help you get started, below, we take a look at seven ways to organize your home office space more efficiently and ergonomically.
Add Cabinets and Increase Storage Space
The first thing you should do when organizing your home office space is to add more storage space. Whether you work from home, have your office in your basement, or rent a small office, you’ll eventually need to store all the supplies and equipment that are necessary for your job. And this means that you’ll need to find some place to put them. A good idea would be to get some additional cabinets and shelves.
Doing so will not only save you space but will also let you store all the unneeded items, such as your personal belongings or old files. You can also use this space to keep the things you need daily, for example, your laptop, phone, mouse, and keyboard. A file cabinet will also come in handy if your type of job produces a lot of work-related documents.
You can easily buy highboard cabinets online – as well as other pieces of furniture – or even build them yourself if you are a DIY type of person.
Use Wall-Mounted Furniture To Save Space
When you work from home, you probably have a limited amount of space available. So, why now take advantage of your walls as well and use wall-mounted furniture and storage units? As an example, you can choose a wall-mounted bookcase and place it in the corner of your room. It will save you a lot of space and add to a neat, modern look.
Another option would be a wall-mounted table you can use to work on. Some of those are foldable, allowing you to leave them out of sight when not needed.
Organize the Cables and Decorate With Organizers
The cables you use to power your computer or other devices can quickly take over your workspace, as they tend to get tangled and become a mess. To avoid this, make sure to invest in some cable organizers. That way, you’ll be able to keep them orderly and be able to access them quickly when needed.
You should also organize your cables and wires so that they don’t cross and stick out of the outlet. This will help reduce the risk of accidental damage and dust collection. You can also buy wire organizers to keep them from tangling with each other.
Setting up a cable-organizing system provides another benefit – it can be a great way to decorate your workspace. If you have a good eye for design, you can choose a couple of interesting colours and patterns and customize them to your likings.
Use a Lamp or Desk Light
Working in front of your computer for hours can be hard on your eyes – especially if the room is dark. Adding a lamp or desk light to your workspace can help you prevent eye strain and get more done. It will also help you read any documents you might have to take notes on.
If your home office space doesn’t have any natural light, using a lamp is even more important. Make sure the light is bright enough to make reading comfortable but not too bright to produce glare.
Add a Comfortable Chair to Your Office
The most important thing you should do when organizing your home office space is to make sure you have a comfortable chair. Many people choose to sit on their couch or an old chair they found in the basement, but these tend to be uncomfortable and don’t offer good support for your spine.
Instead, invest in a top-quality chair that will make you sit upright and allow you to focus better and remain seated for longer periods. It also has to be adjustable, as it should perfectly fit your height and weight.
Paint the Walls With Chalkboard Paint
Chalkboard paint is a very handy thing to have in your home office. It allows you to write down ideas, notes, reminders, or anything else you want. It is simple to use – all you need to do is to buy some paint and paint the walls with it! If you buy white paint, it will look like any other wall in your room. But if you decide to go with black or another dark colour, it will double as a stylish decoration for your workspace.
Alternatively, you can get a corkboard and hang it on your wall. Just pin your notes and reminders there, and you will know where to look when you need them. It will certainly make your workspace more organized.
Keep the Clutter to a Minimum
If you are working from home, you are probably used to having a bit of clutter in your office. After all, you are not supposed to keep your house immaculately tidy when working, are you? Well, you might want to reconsider that. The clutter in your office can actually harm your productivity and creativity, so it is best to keep it to a minimum.
Use baskets with fabric holders to hold your magazines, papers, notes, or anything else you don’t need to have in sight. You can also use small boxes for storing your documents or pens and keep them on shelves or inside cabinets. The goal is to have everything in place, so you can get it when you need it.
In Conclusion
A home office is a useful room to have in your house, especially when you have a job that allows you to work from home – either all the time or partly. It should be comfortable, functional, and pleasing to your eye. You shouldn’t have to worry about lighting, storage, or how to work efficiently with all the clutter around you.
As you can see, there are many things you can do to organize the space, and it doesn’t necessarily have to cost a fortune. So, if you want to work from home and need some inspiration on how to do it, just follow our tips and get started!