A good home office setup needs office essentials in order to be comfortable and effective. Every item in your home office should have a purpose, from ergonomic chairs and desks to pens and tiny paper clips. It’s important to put a good amount of focus and effort into setting up your home office whether you will work from it full-time or part-time. Here’s a list of the best things for your home office.
1. A Fresh Clean
Everyone needs a clean office to be efficient in what they do. Apart from giving a good impression, a clean home office will boost your productivity and safeguard your health. A cluttered and untidy home office can distract you and cost you valuable hours in a day. It could also be a health hazard as bacteria thrives in a dirty environment. A clean space is one of the best things for your home office.
Cleaning a home office requires time, effort, and the right supplies. A cleaning schedule and checklist will ensure you don’t miss any areas. Divide your schedule into tasks and sections, separating areas that need daily, weekly, monthly, and periodic cleaning. Identify the supplies you need to clean each section and purchase them in advance.
One important task during cleaning is decluttering. Go through everything inside your filing cabinets, shelves, and on your desk, and throw everything you don’t need into the trash can. Be careful not to throw away any important documents. Once you get rid of all the unnecessary items, start cleaning your home office.
Cleaning involves dusting walls, shelves, furniture, and light fixtures, like ceiling fans. Always work from the ceiling towards the floor. You will also need to clean your windows and frames. Use a soft cloth, water, and detergent to wipe your office electronics, desk, and chair. Clean the floor and vacuum any carpets and rugs.
The final step is organizing. Arrange books on the shelves and files in the cabinets. Keep your desk as paperless as possible. Cleaning the office can be tiring. You can contact a cleaning service to help you maintain a fresh, clean office.
2. Adding a New Room
Working from home can be challenging, especially if you have a family and kids. They could be a distraction and lower your productivity. In such a case, building a dedicated room could be among the best things for your home office optimization. The new room will allow you to focus and be organized.
Adding a new office room to your home adds functionality and sophistication while boosting the home’s value. It is a great idea if you will be working from home full-time. A dedicated home office also maintains a work-life balance because it separates your workspace from your home space. You can contact home building services to help design the office and to provide equipment and labor assistance.
There are no limits when adding a home office. When designing the home office, the main point is how you intend to use the space. Do you have an employee who needs a desk too? Will your kids be doing their homework in the office? These are some of the considerations you have to make.
Despite its use, you will want the home office to be comfortable. Install windows that will let in plenty of natural light and fresh air. Install skylights just in case you will need to work at night. Don’t forget about storage; add some built-in shelves and drawers.
3. Remodeling a Room
If you work from home, remodeling a spare room into a home office is an excellent idea. You can easily convert any unused room in your house into your dream home office. A kitchen remodeling company may assist you with various ideas to make the room comfortable and increase its functionality.
If your home has a spare bedroom, you can remodel it into a home office. Most bedrooms are spacious, with windows and overhead lights. Closets, wardrobes, and drawers can be the best things for your home office storage. Furthermore, you can remodel a walk-in closet into a nice home office.
Sometimes, your basement is the quietest room in the house. Why don’t you remodel it into a home office where you can focus more and boost your productivity? Basements are spacious, and some have access to a bathroom and a small kitchen. This setup can make a perfect home office where you can hide and get some work done.
If all your rooms are in use, think of the space above them. An attic can be a perfect home office. It is quiet and secluded from your living and relaxing areas. A home library is a dedicated quiet reading space that you can easily convert into an office.
4. Applying a New Coat of Paint
Choosing the right color for your home office is as important as having an ergonomic chair and desk. Adding the right color scheme is one of the best things for your home office to enhance your mood and increase productivity. Color can change the atmosphere and the overall energy of an office.
Before hiring painting services, consider what you do and what colors elicit the right emotions to increase your productivity. Most people consider blue to be calming, relaxing, and stable. It is the perfect color if your work requires creativity because it stimulates it. Blue is also the color for software engineers, accountants, and other professions needing a lot of brain power.
If your work requires you to be on your feet and active, red is the color for you because it is associated with urgency. However, please don’t overdo it because it may create anxiety; it is also associated with danger. Yellow arouses happiness and is also ideal for creative minds in marketing and advertising. You may also want to be neutral, and the many shades of white will help you achieve that.
5. Turning the Garage Into an Office
Apple, Disney, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are just a few multinationals that started in a garage. You are on the right track if you are thinking about turning your garage into a home office. Garages have one main advantage; they are separated from the living area. Additionally, a dedicated space could be one of the best things for your home office.
However, converting your garage into a home office requires ingenuity and planning. Confirm that the garage has a usable area for a more permanent residence. Assess whether the flooring needs some additions to make it usable in all seasons. You could add carpet tiles, a wooden floor, or any other comfortable material. Garage walls have poor insulation and windows. How can you add another layer of insulation and replace the windows?
Most garages were not built with aesthetics in mind. Think of what you can do to improve its style and appearance. Security and lighting are other points of consideration. Garage doors shouldn’t get in your way; replace them with sliding glass doors or panels that will improve ventilation.
6. Transforming the Patio Into an Office
If there is not enough space in your home for an office, think outside the house and see how you can use your patio. However, this will involve turning your outdoor patio into a habitable room. You will have to upgrade the concrete foundation and flooring, add an exterior supporting wall, install insulation, and add proper lighting and electricals.
The first step will be to enclose the patio to make it office space. Ensure that the floor and walls are properly insulated so you can use the office in all seasons. Once you are done with the walls and floors, it is time to update the electrical and lighting. Some patios don’t have plugs, so you must install them.
Once the enclosed patio is ready, think about all the furniture and fittings you need. Consider whether you can reuse some of the patio furniture you had. Install shelves and file cabinets for storage. Lastly, don’t forget an office desk and chair.
7. Adding Electrical Fittings
You will need electrical fittings whether your home office is in the garage, basement, attic, or patio. DIY electrical repairs and installations can be dangerous, and it would be best to hire an electrical service to help you. Electrical fittings are some of the best things for your home office because they make you more comfortable and efficient.
You will likely need more plugs for your office equipment, such as printers, computers, and displays. Make sure your home office has sufficient power for all these appliances. Fixing all your plugs on a power strip may be convenient but could result in unfavorable circumstances. Overloading a power strip is a fire hazard that every homeowner should avoid.
A power backup is also necessary for your home office. It’s good to be prepared for a power outage. A power backup will ensure you deliver all your clients or boss’ work in time. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or generator is a good power backup plan.
8. Renovating Windows
Renovating windows is one of the best ways of improving your office home’s appearance and functionality. Apart from enhancing the aesthetics of your home office, windows can play a significant role in reducing your energy bill. You can install window designs that let in more fresh air and natural light.
Installing bigger windows will create a change in scenery and may make you focus more. Your home office will be brighter and more cheerful. Large windows are some of the best things for your home office setup. However, natural light can sometimes be too much for you to work comfortably. In such cases, you will need something to block the sunlight.
Consider shutter installation for a beautiful office setup. Curtains and sheers are also a great way of controlling the amount of light getting through windows. Other methods include installing an awning, black-out shades, solar screens, and applying window tint treatments.
9. Maintaining the Climate
Maintaining the right climate in your office can significantly boost your productivity and health. Clean air, ideal home office temperature and humidity, and sufficient air exchange prevent sick building syndrome. Since you might be spending more time in your office, ensure you maintain the right climate for your health and productivity.
Controlling the climate at your home office will protect you from allergic reactions in the respiratory system and skin. However, controlling climate may be difficult without the right equipment. A heating and air conditioning unit is one of the best things for your home office setup.
You may use a smart thermostat to help you control the unit and save energy. The thermostat will automatically adjust the AC’s temperature to the set level. Depending on your working schedule, you can also set when it will automatically switch the AC on and off.
10. Installing a Bottleless Water Cooler
Drinking water regularly when working helps you stay hydrated, fresh, and energized. Water also improves your brain function and productivity. Since the brain is about 75 percent water, dehydration directly affects its functionality. Install a bottleless water cooler in your home office for easy access to drinking water.
You may require a plumbing service to help with installing a bottleless water cooler because it draws water directly from the waterline. Cold water will become helpful, especially during the summer when you need cold beverages. It is environmentally friendly because you will eliminate the use of plastic water bottles. Furthermore, you will save money because you don’t have to buy bottled water and don’t have to worry about running out of water.
Working from home requires investing in the best things for your home office. Though they will consume your money, they will provide the comfort you need to focus and be productive. Moreover, you don’t have to install or purchase all of them at once because you can do so in phases, starting with the critical ones.