Are you a remote worker who gets too distracted by the fridge? Or maybe your dog’s got his puppy-eyes down pat, and you can’t help but break to take him for three walks a day. If this sounds like you, it’s time to take that spare room and turn it into your home office. Spare rooms can make for a tricky home office setup, but with the right furniture, you can make it work.
Keep reading for the best tips on setting up your home office layout to maximize your space and minimize your distractions.
Store Smart
Don’t have a lot of extra space for office storage? With a little creative thinking, that can be okay. Buy home office furniture that kills two birds with one stone. Instead of dedicating an entire corner to a filing cabinet, find a bookshelf with drawers beneath and store your important documents there. Storage desks are also an excellent option– they have enough space for your legs while still housing big drawers on either side.
The name of the game here is to buy furniture that serves more than one function. Try to avoid single-use items, like printer carts and filing cabinets, in favor of furniture that offers more bang for your buck.
Plan Your Home Office Layout
This might sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many remote workers are content to merely shove a desk into their spare room and call it an office. Take some time to actually plan the layout of the office on paper before you start setting up a home office. This is especially important when you’ve got a tricky space that really needs some extra thought to maximize the space.
Consider an alternative home office setup, like placing your desk in the middle of the room with open shelving behind you. Pushing the desk up against a window will give you a great view of the outdoors, too. Studies have shown that looking at nature increases focus.
Avoid Bulk
The best way to make your space feel cramped and cluttered? Fill it with big, bulky furniture. If your space is small, it only makes sense that your furniture should be, too. It can be tempting to buy a big, beautiful armoire and L-shaped desk, but that type of furniture will only make your space harder to figure out.
Stick to simple furniture that’s on the smaller side. After you’ve planned your layout, determine a maximum dimension size for all your pieces before purchasing. That way, you know what you’re working with before you impulsively buy something you’ll regret.
When it comes to storage, consider some open shelving to avoid bulk, too. A pro for open shelving is that you can add green houseplants, framed photos, and other decorative items to offset less-than-aesthetic files and folders.
Score Your Furniture
Ready to turn your home office layout dreams into reality with some quality furniture? Check us out, and get in touch. We offer free interior design services to help you plan your tricky space, and free furniture delivery to make the install easier than ever!