Over two-thirds of Australians have worked from home in some capacity since the beginning of 2020. Although this comes with many perks, like staying close to family and taking more relaxing breaks, it also has built-in flaws like the fact that you have to make your office its own space.
If you’re ready to make productivity possible and build the office of your dreams, these are five space-saving home office renovation ideas to follow and tips to ensure your new office is everything you need.
Before You Start: Declutter
Before you take on any renovation ideas, getting rid of as much clutter as possible is a good idea. Chaos will kill your creative process and can make it impossible for you to complete your job promptly. In an Australian-U.S. study by Lenny Vertarian’s team in 2017, subjects were more likely to stress eat and exhibit symptoms of discomfort if they were in a chaotic and cluttered environment.
When there’s too much clutter, our eyes don’t know what to land on, and all we can think about is what to do about this mess: or what happens if someone else sees it. Avoid this issue entirely by getting rid of the mess before you even start renovating.
Storage like the Milana Executive 3 Filing Drawer Cabinet will ensure you can thoroughly clear away clutter and organize your office into something far more manageable.
Milana 3 Drawer Filing Cabinet
1- Use Vertical Storage and Displays
Vertical storage and displays are one of the first additions you should make to your office. These draw the eye upwards, making the room seem taller, and give you more storage without having to sacrifice floor space or room on your desk.
Items like a Super Strong Metal Tambour Door Storage Cabinet keep your storage upwards while still giving you a ton of space to fill if you need it. Try not to get this too close to your desk since you’ll want to be able to open it without having to move your chair every time but work to keep it close enough that you’ll actually use it.
Super Strong Tambour Door Cabinet Black
You can also add vertical decor like pinboards or posters that can draw the eye upwards instead of outwards. This will give you a clear space to pin important information instead of cluttering your desk with it.
2- Get a Corner Desk That Has Built-In Storage
Office desks are a huge decision since they’re the piece of furniture you’ll have the most interaction with. A corner desk with built-in storage will allow you to fill a square space of your floor while also getting enough storage to make it worthwhile.
There are a lot of options for these, but generally, you’ll want to consider either a higher-adjustable desk that could allow you to stand while you work or a desk with enough storage to knock out the need for a filing cabinet.
A desk with a hutch above it is even better, offering the chance to fill it with storage and documents without taking up too much leg room beneath your desk. For this, consider something like the Function Office Package.
Function Office Package
3- Consider Through-Wall Cable Management
In any office: cable management can be an issue. If you own your home and can do cable fishing, consider having your cables go through the cavity of the wall instead of having to deal with them sitting on the wall itself.
To do this, you’ll need to be able to cut holes into your wall and use pre-made edges for it that will allow you to fish your wires through. If you don’t want to put holes in your wall, consider something like the Energy Under Desk Power and Data Bracket. This works as a cable-management tool and power source all at once.
4- Get the Most Out of Your Seating
The seating in your office needs to be comfortable but also functional. For instance, if you don’t usually have more than one other person in your office, but you want to have options for spreading out to more seating, you can get York Ottomans. These allow you to rearrange them however you want to fill a space perfectly or to take up the least space possible when they’re not in use.
Another option for additional seating in your office could be a bench or set of chairs that has space for storage within them. This will allow you to seat more people if they need to be in your office while also ensuring you have more storage space for items you don’t immediately need on your desk.
When it comes to where you sit when you’re working, office chairs need to be comfortable, supportive, and able to do whatever you need them to. Look for something like the Buro Metro Extra Heavy Duty Ergonomic Chair, which can handle a large range of heights, will keep you comfortable, and will also last for a very long time.
Buro Metro Chair Standard Black Nylon
5- Pay Attention to High-Traffic Areas
When you walk through your office or sit at your desk, there are specific paths and areas that get more use than others. These areas require furniture to be laid out so you don’t run into things or so you can sit as comfortably as possible.
A great way to make sure areas like your office desks are clearly marked off so that they feel like their own space is by adding items like a chair mat, which offers protection for your carpet or wood flooring, and allow this area to be set apart from others.
Heavy Duty Chair Mat
Another way you can do this is by adding office screen dividers, even if you’re the only person sitting in the office. Although this may feel strange at first, having a divider section off an area of your office will ensure that you keep all important items within that portion of your office instead of letting them spread out.
Your Home Office Can Be a Dream Come True
Whether you’re updating your home office for the first time since 2020, or you’re simply putting in a brand-new home office and want to make it the best possible: it’s important to take your space seriously. Consider some of these tips to really make it shine.
