During Covid, most of us had to resort to home office spaces for work. It had its fair share of challenges and tribulations, but after spending some time at home dealing with it, people have gotten accustomed to the new norm.
However, not everyone had a pleasant experience. Keeping in mind the limited space some had to deal with was enough of a challenge. Whether people had corporate jobs, owned small businesses or were managers of major companies, everyone had to maximise productivity within their limited resources.
Tips to Maximise Space at Home
Nevertheless, let’s not forget how the home/work environment can quickly get disorganised and stressful if not managed properly. Having an organised workspace is essential if you want to work effectively. Additionally, it might be impossible for some to dedicate an entire room solely to work.
Hence, we have a fantastic guide with practical and affordable tips to quickly maximise small home office spaces along with some Awesome Space Saving Ideas for your Home.
Create Desk Space
Working within a specific space makes it easier to perform constructively. You won’t have to rush around when there’s an imprompt meeting or if you get up late for submission. Worry not if you reside in a small apartment because you don’t need an entire room to work peacefully. A suitable desk is essential for remote-work setup.
Depending on your space, getting a separate desk for your laptop and a comfortable chair to work is quite enough. There’s no need to buy a fancy, multifunctional, expensive desk to work productively. When you have your personal space, it’s adequate to spark the needed motivation.
If you don’t have space even for a separate desk, look for a desk or counter space you already have that can perform multiple functions. You can create a compact yet functional workspace that fits your needs and doesn’t require much work. It’s simple yet fulfils the purpose.
Make the Most of Alcoves
We often ignore alcoves spaces as we deem them useless and non-practical. However, you can make the most of the nooks to your benefit with a few great tactics and space-saving techniques. Even though they are an underused part of homes, they have much to offer besides dead space.
Alcoves are a blessing in disguise if you want a small home office. Utilise that area to its full potential by installing shelves and adding planks to keep your laptop and other work-related items. You can avoid bulky furniture pieces by taking advantage of nooks and crannies, as they won’t intrude on the rest of the room.
One of the best advantages of this trick is that you can incorporate it anywhere in your house, bedroom, living room, or kitchen. You can customise your space however you like. Add a painting or two, include bookshelves, add creative pieces to avoid looking too much like an office or just keep it simple to give maximum functionality.
Utilise Vertical Space
A small office needs every part to be utilised tactfully, so it provides maximum functionality. Every inch is precious if you reside in a small home! It also includes the spot below the ceiling, just above the desk and under the desk too. Add a floating shelf under the roof to keep boxes of files and documents, add storage baskets and label them for easy access.
However, it won’t be the most accessible spot to reach, so avoid keeping things that you will require frequently. A step ladder might be an extra purchase for this trick, but think of all the space you will have to store your extra stuff while working in peace.
It is the perfect spot for keeping away family and work records and memorabilia, anything you won’t need every day but need a convenient place to store. Similarly, you can install shelves or drawer units under the desk and utilise that space to store all sorts of personal and work-related items.
Rent a Storage Unit
You might consider shifting your extra belongings into a storage unit if you live in a small home, apartment, or shared space. It will give you enough space to set up your work office as desired. You can choose from many different storage sizes – 15sqft, a small storage unit to a larger size, 400+sqft. You can store anything from documents to oversized furniture items.
On top of that, a storage unit will provide maximum protection for your valuables. Some storage facilities have dual security locks on all doors with 24/7 CCTV camera surveillance and well-guarded premises day and night. You can also install extra locks and other security measures if the facility allows for your peace of mind.
Another advantage of renting a storage unit to make space for your home office is the possibility of renting for as long term or as short term as required. Depending on your line of work and the number of hours you give, you can rent out a storage unit for the long-term with all the other benefits of packing service, no deposits and a pickup van service.
Get Creative With Your Space
Creativity sparks excellent solutions! You don’t have to consider your office or bedroom for comfortable office space; you can also utilise your hallway. It is perfect for a functional office setup.
You can install a flip-down desk design and paint it a vibrant or subtle colour, depending on the interior vibes of your hallway. To create a more fun space to keep work-life lively, you can paint in line with the half and half of the wall decor with the flip-down desk.
When the flip-down desk is not used, it can be folded away and used as a shelving unit for displaying books, plants and other homewares. It will provide maximum functionality with the ability to keep your space clean and organised.
In a Nutshell
Using all the available space for storage and incorporating functional tactics is the best way to maximise space in a small home office. The key to success is experimenting and finding what works best for you to function efficiently and create a clutter-free home office space.
Don’t let any space go to waste, and ensure all storage works at 100% capacity. Use floors and walls horizontally and vertically for cabinets and shelving for books, files, stationary, paperwork etc.
Get rid of whatever isn’t required anymore, think of your needs and work accordingly. Hopefully, our guide gave you some good ideas to create a small office space in your home to maximise your space and create a highly productive spot for you!
