Working from home is becoming more and more the norm, and you might think your current home office setup is enough to get things done — or is it? You might not have thought of it before, but how you set up your home office has a direct link to your productivity levels. And since National Workaholics Day is in two days (on the 5th!), it's the perfect time to transform your work-from-home space into a productivity haven!
But don't worry; you don't have to guess what to do — we have you covered! From selecting the ideal location to the magic of a Zoom-worthy wall and illuminating lighting secrets, you won't believe the difference a well-thought-out workspace makes! So, whether you're a full-time remote worker, part-time freelancer, or passionate hobbyist, our comprehensive guide might have a few surprises!
Choosing the Right Space
You might think the first step to creating the perfect home office is finding the best desk, but you'd be wrong — you need a suitable space first! Sure, you can work from any area you set your computer or drafting table, but a dedicated space to how you work will increase your productivity by leaps and bounds. So, make sure you have enough space for a desk, chair, storage, and décor (for that homey, relaxing touch)!
Some locations you can consider for your home office include:
- An unused closet with the clothes pole removed and electronic connections installed (maybe add a window if you're doing a complete renovation!).
- A spacious landing at the top of the stairs, preferably next to a window and with minimal traffic!
- An unused corner of the living room! You can make it a cozy work nook with a floating desk and shelves.
- Any spot by a large window for extra light and natural ambiance!
Pro Tip: Wherever you decide to land your home office, remember to avoid having any light sources behind you, so you appear clearer during virtual meetings.
Desk Duty
After selecting the best location for your home office, the next step is finding the best home office desk. Since it'll be your primary working space, you need a desk that serves your needs, meaning one that matches your workflow and the essentials you use daily. It should also be large enough to handle all your work, so all your computer essentials and whatever else you need (like a drawing pad or sketch models if you work with design).
Other vital features your desk should have, are adjustable height, ample storage space (depending on your needs), wire management, monitor arms, and ease of assembly. So, keep that in mind as you browse the desk types such as L-shaped, writing, executive, floating, or adjustable height desks!
Pro Tip: Positioning your desk is also essential for productivity—make sure to give yourself the best view (not just a blank wall), ideally next to a window or near some relaxing artwork or foliage!
First Chair Business
Once you have your desk, the next essential item is your chair! You'll spend countless hours sitting while you work, so selecting a comfortable, supportive, and ergonomic chair is crucial to keeping your productivity focus in mind. But you also want to keep the size in mind — it needs to be relative to your desk, so don't select one that is too wide or too tall to sit comfortably at your desk (look for chairs with adjustable heights!).
The best ergonomic chairs offer ample lumbar support to help keep your spine healthy and prevent numbness from all those hours sitting down!
Pro Tip: If you want an additional footstool to rest your legs, get one that's only 10 inches high under your desk!
Organization Rules
Every home office needs plenty of storage, no matter how "paperless" the work may seem. You still need to keep your work essentials on hand and well-organized, which is where file cabinets, bookshelves, attached hutches, and storage desks come in handy! Some other ways to keep organized include:
- Floating shelves on the walls to get work essentials off the desk and easily within reach.
- Use baskets to house the piles of work you make so they're on hand but not cluttering your desk!
- Designate one drawer as your "to-do" space so you know everything in that drawer needs to get done that day.
- Color-coding your filing station to reduce the time searching for files (you can even do this for your virtual files, too!).
- Create a mail station to organize your mail as soon as it arrives — no more frantic searches for important items!
- Use containers and dividers to store your office supplies, so they're more organized!
Pro Tip: Look for locking file cabinets for extra protection for sensitive files or information!
The Cable Management
Your work-from-home setup undoubtedly includes electronics, which means dealing with cables — lots of them! Instead of dealing with a tangled mess or constantly stepping on wires, use cable wraps, ties, or tubes to tie them together and keep them from cluttering your desk.
Some desks will even feature built-in wire management to help keep cords out of sight, while others have built-in power strips for easier access to electricity.
Pro Tip: Wherever you plug everything in, make sure to include a surge protector to safeguard your electronics against burnouts and blackouts!
The "Zoom" Wall
Working virtually usually means virtual meetings (and lots of them!). And while you can always use virtual backgrounds provided by the company or conference app, there's no denying the importance of keeping your back wall meeting-ready! So, keep things fresh with painted walls and artwork and well-organized with floating shelves and bookcases. But remember, the key is to keep things comfortable, professional, and not too distracting!
Illuminating Lighting
Another essential is lighting — you need to see what you're doing. But beyond that, the correct type of lighting will prevent drawbacks like eye strain and headaches that only decrease productivity. While the best lighting is natural lighting, you can layer other lighting types to help you stay productive!
- Ambient lighting or overhead lighting for general illumination.
- Task lighting with a desk or floor lamp helps keep your focus on specific tasks like typing or reading.
- Accent lighting to brighten up dark corners or shelves and keep the ambiance cozy!
Pro Tip: Ring lights are also beneficial for virtual meetings since the diffused light helps minimize shadows and smooths flaws!
Get Your Extras!
Having just the essentials for your home office is plenty to be productive, but adding some of these extras can amp up your comfort!
- Colors brighten up your home office with bits of color to lift your mood and increase creativity with painted walls, colorful throw pillows, rugs, a bright-colored chair, or with artwork. Blue, green, yellow, and orange are proven to help with productivity!
- Window Treatments can transform the look of your home office, control light levels, and help reduce glare!
- Plant Life helps lower stress levels and increase your mood, so bring plants or natural textures, colors, and materials into your home office.
- Patterns inspire a happy workspace, but make sure they don't overpower the room and utilize similar colors as the rest of the room.
- Sofa Beds or Futons create a comfy space for whenever you need a break from work or a change of scenery — they also work to transform your office into a mini guestroom if needed!
- Extra Chairs also provide a comfy spot for your breaks while you work!
- Physical Boundaries help separate your workspace from the rest of your home and turn off your work brain! The partition can be a curtain, a wall, or a door!
- Utilize Wall Space to hang up filing systems, calendars, whiteboards, shelves, décor, and more so everything is organized and saves space!
Ready to Work!
Now that you know more about how to create the perfect home office, it's time to get the productivity started! Whether you're starting from scratch or are ready to upgrade your desk and chair, Stucky's Furniture and Appliance has you covered with our wide range of home office essentials!
And if you have any questions, call our team or stop by! We're happy to help direct you to the best home office furniture that is comfortable and productive!