When working in a commercial office, people don’t usually think too much about the office essentials. Simply put, they’re all there at the employees’ disposal. And even if some happen to be missing, employees can simply ask the person in charge to obtain them.
However, when working from home, things do tend to be quite different. To start off, not all of us have a home office. The majority of people working from home try to take care of their daily tasks at the dining table, in the kitchen or on the living room sofa.
Naturally, this can not only seriously compromise productivity, but it can also increase work-related frustration. That’s why every person working from home needs to find a way to create even the smallest of home offices, and get all the necessary essentials, such as proper furniture, proper equipment, and even some överstrykningspennor to make their work hours more productive and enjoyable.
With that in mind, there are just some of the ways you can easily create a home office – no matter how much space you have at your disposal, as well as just some of the home office essentials you’ll need to get your hands on.
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Setting up the office
To begin the process of setting up your home office space, you’ll first need to look for the right place. Even though it may seem like a good idea to set up your home office in the corner of your living room, for instance, this actually isn’t the best way to go.
Ideally, you’ll need to find a peaceful corner of your home for your home office, that will be as free as possible of any distractions. Alternatively, if you’re able, use an entire room for this purpose for the best possible results. Additionally, if you have some basement or attic space you can easily turn into your home office – go for it! The ultimate goal is to create a peaceful space that will enable you to dedicate all of your attention to work and not be distracted every five minutes with something that can – realistically – wait.
Choosing the right colors
Once you know where you want your home office to be, it’s time to choose the right colors for the space. If you’re only using a part of a room as your home office, you can easily section it off from the rest by painting the part of the walls where your desk will be set up in different hues.
If, on the other hand, you have an entire room at your disposal, why not play around a bit? Keep in mind that tones that are too cool and relaxing may make you feel too calm – yes, that’s possible – which is really not something you need in your office. So, choose bright, vibrant colors that will keep you awake and engaged, motivated to tackle all of your daily tasks.
Picking the right furniture
Once the space and the colors are determined, it’s time to pick the right furniture for your office. Ideally, always go with an ergonomic desk and chair to help you maintain proper posture and keep you comfortable throughout your workday. Additionally, if you have more than just a single corner at your disposal, you can always add a comfortable sofa or an armchair and a little coffee table or side table to the mix. That way you’ll also create a “break” area in your home office, which will come in handier than you may initially think.
Making the space bright
Next, apart from making your home office space look nice, you also need to ensure that it’s functional. That’s why the most important thing you’ll need to take care of is illumination. Spaces that are too bright can become too uncomfortable to spend time in.
On the other hand, poorly-illuminated spaces will make you become tired and sleepy more easily, which is certainly not great. That’s why you need to make sure you have plenty of light in your home office. If there’s no way to introduce more natural light to the area, choose LED lighting options over all else. Not only do these do an excellent job of mimicking natural light, but they are far less wasteful and far more eco-friendly than any other option on the market.
Adding some décor pieces
Once you make sure that your home office is functional and practical, it comes the time to take care of its aesthetics. The more beautiful and aesthetically pleasing you find your workplace to be, the more enjoyable your work days will become. This is actually one of the strongest advantages of working in a home office compared to the commercial one, so use it to your advantage as much as possible.
Potted plants, for instance, make excellent décor pieces. Not only will they make the office appear more welcoming and cozy, but they will also significantly improve the overall indoor air quality. And even if you don’t really have a green thumb – you can always go for faux plant alternatives instead.
Deciding on the right supplies
In the end, no office – home or otherwise – would be complete without proper office supplies. These will, of course, need to include sticky notes, pens and pencils, highlighter pens, a trash bin, and all the other similar essentials. Aside from them, having a whiteboard will also come in quite handy – no matter the type of work you do. An office mug is also a must, as you simply can’t expect to be productive without some coffee or tea-powered assistance.
With all of this in mind, one thing becomes obvious – and that’s the fact that you should aim at assembling a space that will appeal to all of your senses and needs. Therefore, if you’re in the process of setting up a home office or you’ve only recently started thinking about it, keep these tips and ideas in mind. And the best part is that in case you don’t really agree or like any particular idea, you can simply skip it – it’s your office we’re talking about so you can set it up however you want.
