Keeping a dedicated home office area does not have to mean closing off part of your house to do your job. The area in which you conduct work tasks can be easily adapted to serve multiple purposes. Here are a few quick tips to make the most of your home office space.

Pick the best spot

First things first: it’s essential to choose the right place in the house for your home office. A good location influences productivity and offers inspiration. If you need silence and privacy, assess the noise level inside the house and select a room as far away as possible. Steer clear of street-facing rooms or areas near playrooms or entertainment areas where family members tend to gather. If noise is not an issue and you don’t want to sacrifice a spare room, determine how much space you actually need for an office and consider sharing it. This means you would allocate only part of a room to your job; the rest of the space would serve a different purpose without losing its homey touch.

Section off areas

Dividers help define an area within a wider space, and they can have quite transformative results. The room your office is located in doesn’t have to be restricted for one purpose. Space dividers can do just that: divide a space into separate areas to create a more open effect. An alternative would be to use a rolling plant stand that doubles as a shelf or an open bookcase. More informal options include hanging a dividing curtain or floating art. At the end of a long day, you can easily expand the space by simply removing the dividers to turn your 9-to-5 office space into happy hour.

Choose furniture wisely

The furniture used for your home office does not have to mirror the style of coworking spaces or major corporations. After all, the office is part of your home and doesn’t have to be a sterile environment. If you’re looking for a homey vibe for your office, consider warmer colors and opt for sturdy, wooden furniture instead of compact or foldable furnishings. Or, if the last thing you need is a reminder that you work in the same place you live, compact furniture could be just the right choice for you. Just make sure you have a good place to store it.

Create nooks

Don’t ignore corners or alcoves in your home office area. Instead, animate them by giving them a purpose. Create a hint of privacy for reading important documents and taking calls somewhere other than at your desk. A designated area could also be used to entertain a potential client or as an open storage area for your office supplies or other files and equipment.

Go from formal to cozy

The best part of working in your home office is that you control what happens in that space after hours. So, why not be creative? Go for maximum comfort and coziness in this part of the house, as well. Use warmer, artificial light instead of the cold blue commonly used in office spaces. Rugs bring out the coziness in a room, as does a large bookcase with all of your literary favorites. Last but not least, don’t leave the walls empty. Hang family pictures or framed art that truly makes this office space feel like it’s still home. 

About the Author

Alexandra Ciuntu is a creative writer and researcher for RENTCafé. With a background in e-learning content writing and a passion for knowledge-sharing platforms, she has previously covered topics from prop-tech to renters insurance. She now enjoys researching and writing about the renting lifestyle, renter demographic shifts, and residential real estate market trends and news.