Having a dedicated work space for business or pleasure is a must have in most homes. Having a place to keep our computers and paperwork helps keep things organized and easy to find when needed. Many people use an extra bedroom as a dedicated office space, but even if you can’t set aside a room for an office, there are many things you can do to create space to work that works for your space.
If you have a small space or can’t dedicate a room for an office, take a look at your condo and find a place that would make a good dedicated office space. When doing this it’s important not just to consider the physical space and whether it will accommodate a desk or filing cabinets, but also where it is situated in the house and what is around it. A desk may fit great in that corner, but if it’s in a high traffic area with a lot of noise you’ll never get any work done. Balance the physical space with how the space is currently used to create a home office that works with your lifestyle.
Think beyond the desk
A desk may seem like a pretty logical starting point, but you don’t necessarily need a traditional desk, you need a working surface. A larger, floating, wall-mounted shelf can save you tons of space and can be tucked in places you’d never think of (or never use), like under a staircase for example. It also can be hinged to fold up against the wall when you’re not using the work area. This especially works well if you have a laptop computer that you don’t need a dedicated space for. You can also consider tables that fold or have casters, so you can move your desk out of the way when you need the space.
A case for closets
A closet can be used for more than clothes or clutter. With a few shelves you can transform any closet into a functional workspace – all you need to do is pull up a chair. As an added bonus, you can close the closet doors and hide the office space from view whenever you’d like.
Customize your corners
It may cost a little more, but getting a custom desk and shelving made for your home can make the most of your space. This is especially good for making the most of a corner of a room, which is often wasted space. Moving beyond one size fits all gives you the most bang for your buck, even if you have to spend more bucks to get it.
Look up, way up
You can make the most of the smallest nook or cranny by thinking vertically. As long as you have enough space for your computer, paperwork, stationery and other supplies can live in shelves and drawers all the way up to the ceiling. Going a little beyond arm’s reach can make the most of the smallest space.
As you can see, an office isn’t necessarily a room, it’s a state of mind. It’s all about creating a space where you can get work done. All it takes is a little planning and ingenuity.