Many Americans have spent the past year and a half working from home. This meant that they needed to create a space where they could get stuff done even if their home wasn’t designed for having a home office. You worked on your tables, at the couch, and sometimes even in the bedroom. While this ingenuity is to be applauded, it’s evident that many of you won’t be going back to the office. Whether you’re excited or discouraged by this reality, it’s time to create your own home office. You don’t need a huge budget to create a space to work, but you do need to set aside some money if you want to make a truly fabulous spot where you can get things done.
Create Your Budget
You’ve probably saved thousands of dollars in gas and car maintenance by working from home. Use these numbers to create your budget for your home office. The key determining factor in what you can do in your office is the budget. You’ll need paint, furniture, décor, lighting, and maybe even flooring to make it all come together. If you have a high enough budget, you may even be able to add on a shed or other structure for you to have a separate workspace.
Look for Thrifty Finds
Yard sales, thrift stores, and consignment stores contain a treasure trove of office desks and tools. With some creative repurposing you can furnish your space for a fraction of the cost of buying brand new. If you’re the creative type you can easily make these pieces look and feel new. Or, if you’d prefer a new desk and chairs, there are plenty of office furniture solutions that don’t cost a small fortune. They can be customized to any space. Whether you are buying for your home office or for your small business, think about the kinds of work you and your people do and how a workstation or desk can make this work more efficient.
Rearrange Your Home
If you don’t have money to add a separate office, you can still make the most of your home to include a private spot to do your work in. One of the hardest things to overcome is furniture. Where will you place a new desk, chair, and shelves or cabinets? It might mean changing some of the other furniture in the house. Trade out a large sectional with a smaller sofa and a couple of chairs. Remove the buffet from your dining room and add a work countertop. Think about your home as a blank space. If you knew from the beginning that you would’ve needed a home office, where would you have put it? This is an important question and will help you think of how to rearrange so that you can fit it in.
Look For Lighting
The best home offices are well lit. Not only is there a light to brighten up the entire space, but there are task lights to help focus on the areas where you will work the most. When you’re on a budget, you might need to scour through Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and other online sales sites. You can also look for estate sales, and even going out of business sales. Companies often like to liquidate their hard assets to ensure they get a second life. This is also true of lighting and you can score some excellent deals this way.
Add Simple Greenery
A nice office space brings the outside in. If you have a green thumb, add plants to your office space to improve the air quality and make it feel more refreshing. You can use fake plants to add to the look if you’re more apt to kill a live one. Have you ever wondered why even some of the most modern office spaces have plants? It’s because they make the workspaces feel warm, inviting, and less stark and dreary.
Conclusion
You can leverage any budget to create a separate office space in your home. With a dash of creativity, some thoughtful rearranging, and some bright touches, your home office can become a relaxing space all on its own. Focus on the key pieces like a desk, chairs, and lighting first, and then add in those fabulous finishing touches to make it a well-designed space.
