How to Create a Flexible, Minimal Home Office Setup
Productivity at its peak!
If you work from home everyday or only periodically, having a dedicated workspace at home allows you space to sit down and be productive, no matter the task. If you find yourself without a dedicated home office, you can still use parts of your home to get your work done. Whether you are using a corner of a room or an extra closet, having that workspace will make it easier to work from home when you need to. There are a variety of ways to get creative in your home and create a flexible, mobile home office space without having an entire room to use as an office. Here are four simple ways to help you get started with setting up a home office anywhere in your home.
How to Set Up a Home Office
Create a Corner Office
You may not have a whole room for a home office but you can turn a small corner in a room into the perfect office workspace. Opt for a small corner desk or a built-in desk to utilize the small space. Paint your built-in desk the same color as the wall to make the desk blend right in with the rest of your space, making the entire room feel larger. Use desktop organizers to keep the top of your desk space clutter free, making your work area feel neat and tidy.
If you don’t want to create a permanent office space in your home, try grabbing a few baskets and use them to hold your work supplies. They can be stashed next to a desk chair, your sofa, or even your bed. When you’re ready to work, just pull out your gear wherever you are and get to work. If you’re able to work from a laptop or tablet, having baskets nearby can be a really cozy way to get your work done. Set up a plush chair in a quiet corner of the house, place a basket next to it, and you have a really flexible (and comfortable) home office space in an instant.
On a similar note, you can also dedicate an easy-to-carry basket or a tote bag for work supplies and treat that as your briefcase. When it’s time to work, just move it to your workspace for the day. Be sure to take the time to put everything you need in the basket or tote – don’t forget things like a charger, pens and paper, and anything else you might need. That way, once you’re set up for the day you don’t have to go hunting for anything else.
With this approach, you can work from the dining room table, your back patio, by your favorite window, or even right in front of the television. When work is done for the day, you can simply tuck your laptop back into your basket or tote and put it away. It’s an easy way to keep things clean and avoid allowing your work supplies to take over the entire house. It's the perfect way to make your home office mobile.
Use An Extra Closet
If your needs for your working space require more than just a laptop and a few notebooks, the “cloffice” is a great way to create a mini home office in your home. It may take some decluttering and rearranging to empty out a small closet in your home, but once you’ve got a space emptied out, you can add a small desk, an ergonomic chair, shelving, and tons of storage for all of your supplies. At the end of the day, you can simply close your office door and clock out.
If you don’t have an entire closet to dedicate to working, consider using just part of a larger closet. If your primary bedroom has a large closet, you can dedicate half of it to a mini home office and the other half to your clothing by adding in a small desk and a bookcase of filing cabinet for extra storage space. If you’re willing to get creative and think outside the box, you’ll be amazed at how much space you can create out of seemingly nothing.
Amanda Hendrix is the blogger behind Love & Renovations, a site all about how to make your house a home, even if you don't have any DIY experience. Amanda shares real life, accessible projects with all of the messes, mishaps, and fun along the way!
