Working from home can be a nice change from the normal office environment, but it’s important to set up a home office that inspires creativity and productivity.
These home office setup ideas will help you get your work done and you’ll look great doing it.
Home Office Setup Ideas for Style and Productivity
You don’t need a big house or fancy equipment to make a home office that fits your needs. These tips will help you get work done without sacrificing style for productivity.
Create a Designated Space
The first, and most important, home office setup idea is to create a designated workspace where you can get work done. Nearly everyone who works from home is guilty of writing emails from bed, taking phone calls from the car, or doing some industry research while you multitask in the kitchen. Instead, have a designated space for your “home office” that is only for work.
We use the term “home office” loosely because this designated space doesn’t need to be a full spare bedroom with tons of space. It could be a nook off the kitchen, a part of the bedroom with a desk and monitor, or anywhere else you can find space. The key is that when you enter this space, your brain turns on “work mode” and not “thinking about everything else I have to do today” mode.
Find Natural Light
Unfortunately, many corporate offices don’t have a lot of natural light and studies show that workers seated by a window that optimized natural light reported an 84% drop in symptoms of eyestrain, headaches and blurred vision. The same study also noted a 2% boost in productivity and a 10% decrease in drowsiness.
If you can, set up your home office next to a window where you can enjoy some natural light. If this isn’t possible in your home, remember to get up from your desk every so often and take a walk outside.
Create an Inspiration Space
More and more offices are investing in creative breakout spaces and your home office can, too. Using different forms of seating, lighting, and decorations, you can create a space inside your home office that inspires creativity and collaboration with other remote employees.
Bring the Outdoors In
Studies show that plants in the workplace reduce stress, increase productivity, reduce sickness and clean the air. If you’re working from home, bring some plants into your home office for a quick pick-me-up. This home office setup idea is simple but effective.
Before buying plants for your home office, consider their light requirements and maintenance needs. Snake plants, rubber plants, peperomias, and ZZ plants are all low maintenance and don’t require a lot of light.
Use Vertical Space
Using vertical space is one of the most effective decor tips for small spaces. Not only is it practical, but it will make your home office look unique. Install some floating shelves for some creative storage, invest in a tall bookcase, or use stackable cubbies to make more space. Not only is this home office setup idea cute, but it’s also practical!
Focus on Comfort
That tiny antique chair or ultra-trendy bar stool you see in many home office setup ideas on the Internet might look great, but will they actually be practical for 8+ hours of working from home? Instead, invest in a high-quality chair that’s comfortable and helps you get your work done. The better you feel, the more fun it will be working from your home office.
Keep Office Supplies on Hand
One of the nice things about working in a traditional office is that you have everything you need, from printer paper and highlighters to stamps and staples, within close proximity. Building out a home office with all the supplies you need is a little more difficult, but with careful planning and organization, you can make your home office just as productive as a traditional office.
Create a Distraction-Free Work Space
A lot of people enjoy working from home because there are less distractions from coworkers and other disturbances in the office, but this won’t do much good if you have your cell phone right next to you ringing with notifications. To really be effective working at home, turn off notifications for certain blocks of time so you can focus on the project at hand. Some successful thought leaders even recommend checking your email just twice a day and responding to everything all at once. That way, you can cross more things off your to-do list.
Some of these home office setup ideas are practical and will help you get your work done, and some of them are decorative and inspiring. Either way, they’re all designed to help you get the most out of your home. Read our home office ergonomics checklist to ensure your workplace is as safe as possible.
