With the new year comes a new determination to put procrastination habits aside in favor of productivity. If you work from home, finding the motivation to be productive can be difficult, but there are several things you can do to create the perfect, productive work space in your home.
The perfect office space
Although it’s tempting to browse furniture catalogs and social media for the best aesthetics, it’s important to remember that productivity and functionality go hand in hand. You’ll need furniture that helps you organize important papers and decor that motivates you to accomplish your goals and finish tasks. Then you can focus on adding the perfect decor to tie it all together. The perfect home office space is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Create a functional space
When creating your home office space, there are a few important questions you should ask yourself before you begin:
- What tasks do I need to perform?
- What materials do I need to store?
- What technology do I need?
- Will customers or colleagues visit?
The answers to these questions will inform the general setup of your home office space. When choosing furniture for your space, it’s important to prioritize desk and storage space.
Choosing a desk
Your desk will be the most important piece of furniture in the room since you will spend most of your day sitting at it. The desk you pick should be a perfect synergy of style and storage capacity. Dell recommends that, when selecting a desk, you should pick one that has the most flat space for its size. Surface space is important because it allows you to spread out without feeling claustrophobic. Make sure you have enough leg room to sit comfortably for hours. Consider how many drawers you’ll need to store your papers and other materials. If you’re right-handed, it might be helpful to make sure the drawers are on the right so they’re easily accessible.
Other furniture
Adding file cabinets, bookshelves and arm chairs will add functionality to your space. If you hate seeing clutter, consider choosing solid cabinets instead of glass-front or open shelves. This way, you can store more of your things out of sight. If clients or colleagues will visit your home office, consider adding a small sitting area to accommodate them.
Get more comfortable with Ergonomics
Finding a good desk chair is not only important for your comfort but also for your overall health. Sitting in a poorly designed chair for hours a day can wreak havoc on your neck and your back.
Here are a few important considerations for the perfect desk chair:
- Adjustable seat height
- Adequate lower back (lumbar) support
- Adjustable armrests
- Should swivel and roll
- Comfortable padding
Make it look good
In addition to creating a functional space, you should focus on putting together a space you enjoy spending time in. There are several aesthetic touches you can add to your home office that can promote productivity.
Picking paint
Focusing your energy on a space that makes you feel comfortable and productive can make all the difference. One great and fairly simple way to do that is by choosing a paint color for your home office that can help make you feel this way. If your home has a much larger office than you care to paint yourself, call in the professionals to get the job done in a decent manner of time. But it you have a smaller home office or simply don’t mind taking on a little more work, visit your local home store to choose the colors that’s right for you. Gravitate towards hues of blue and green for a more calming effect in your home office, or stick to rich shades of neutral. If you enjoy more of a creative energy, go for a brighter color or cool pattern that helps you feel more inspired like a sunny yellow or black and white striped accent wall. An accent wall, or picking just one wall to paint, can be a fantastic use of decor. It can give any room just the right amount of pop without going overboard on any shade or texture.
Bring the outside in
Office plants are no joke and should be utilized to the best of their ability. You may be stuck indoors while at work, but hopefully you enjoy what you’re doing and can bring some of the outdoors inside to help not feel so locked in. Greenery can give a room a breath of fresh life and help make you feel relaxed as well. A few plants to keep within your office that are durable and easier to care for than others include aloe, bamboo palm, and the Boston fern. Aloe requires little water but should sit next to a window to get full sunlight. Catch a small papercut? Simply break off a tip of one of the branches and use the aloe within to provide some natural relief. The bamboo palm is another plant that is not too fussy about water and does not need a ton of light to survive. Use filtered water to keep it healthy and be sure the soil is not too dry. As for your Boston fern, keep the soil moist and mist the fern every now and again to be sure it stays thriving in your brand new office space. Before taking in office plants, make sure they are safe enough to have around pets or small children. For those who feel as though they will kill anything they touch, not to worry! Head to your local home decor spot, pick up a few plastic plants and keep them well dusted to give the impression of greenery in your home office.
Here at Texas Furniture Hut, we can not only help you furnish your dream space, we can also assist you in the decor process as well. Continue to check out our blog to get some useful pointers and tips to making a space that works for you and your family.
