Working from home has become the new norm for many of us, but when space is limited in your household, setting up a home office can be a real challenge. Truth be told, for a lot of remote workers, the home office environment isn’t working. Whether you’re living in a cozy apartment or a compact house, you need to make finding ways to maximize your space a priority. Unfortunately, not everyone lives in a huge house with plenty of spare bedrooms that can be turned into a home office.
So, it becomes crucial for those who work permanently from home to get creative. How can you make the most of your home office without taking over your small household? There’s no perfect off-the-shelf solution. But there are some handy tips that can smooth out a lot of challenges.
Embrace multipurpose furniture
This one is a no-brainer. When space is at a premium, every piece of furniture needs to pull double duty. You can’t afford to have pieces of furniture that serve only one function, because they instantly become a waste of space the moment you are not using them.
Look for multipurpose furniture pieces that can serve as both office essentials and space-saving solutions. For example, a small cube storage can become a stool too. Similarly, cube shelves, such as IKEA’s collection can act as shelving units and also the legs of your desk. So, you want to look beyond the appearances to focus on pieces that can tick multiple boxes at once.
Utilize vertical storage
A small space can turn productive and organized as long as you can find ways to create a tidy working area. When horizontal space is limited, think vertically!
There are often missed opportunities to utilize wall space for storage, such as installing floating shelves or wall-mounted organizers above your desk. This is especially useful for improved home offices in tidy spaces, such as a nook in the lounge or the understairs area. Once you get creative with your storage solutions, you can make the most of every inch of available space.
Consider relocating outside
If indoor space is truly limited, consider taking your office outdoors. A garden office pod or a small backyard shed can provide a peaceful and secluded workspace away from the distractions of the main household.
Granted, you will need to count with the addition of electricity and Wi-Fi. But these outdoor workspaces can offer all the amenities of a traditional home office without taking up valuable space inside your home.
Compromise with coworking spaces
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, there simply isn’t enough space to create a dedicated home office. In these cases, consider compromising by alternating between working from home and utilizing coworking spaces.
Coworking spaces offer all the benefits of a traditional office environment while being suitable for the flexible work style of remote professionals.
You can choose to spend a few days a week at a coworking space, which can help keep your small household clutter-free while still enjoying the convenience of working remotely.
There is no denying that creating a home office in a small household requires creativity, flexibility, and a willingness to think outside the box. And despite all this, it may still not work within your home, especially if you’re not the only person working from home in your household. But the moment you start thinking outside the box, you can safely move the home office outside your home.
