We get it. Working from home is way different from working at the office. One, it’s hard to get work done in a place that you closely associate with rest and relaxation. Two, not everyone has a home office, much less enough space to have an office set-up in.
While some homes are large enough to accommodate home offices with a large-format printing machine or a leather laser engraving machine, smaller apartments don’t offer the same flexibility.
So what’s a guy to do? Fortunately, you’re not out of options. There are some practical things that you can do to solve this little productivity mystery.
13 Ways to Create and Stylize a Home Office in Your Tiny Space
1. No extra room? Make an office zone instead.
Even if you don’t have any extra rooms to convert into a home office, you can still create an office space in your living room, bedroom, or hallway. Just clear an area and set up a nice desk and some home office storage and you’re good to go.
2. Come up with dual-purpose ideas for your small home office.
If you’re coming up with an office zone, make sure to give careful thought to each and every furniture and accessory you will use. Think about how you can give a corner in your home multiple uses so you can make it functional and save up on space at the same time.
3. Go for storage wall units.
When it comes to small spaces, storage is always a major concern. The best way to deal with this is to go vertical. You can either go with floating shelves or utilize wall units in your office zone.
4. A loft bed creates additional square-footage to any space.
Another option you can consider, especially if you’re confined to your bedroom and can’t do much outside it, is to build a loft bed and utilize the space underneath as your office and lounge. It’s not only functional but it’s also stylish.
5. Make use of under-utilized or wasted spaces around your home.
Look around your home for wasted spaces such as areas under or behind stairs, landings, and awkward corners. These spaces can be converted into office spaces with very little effort. Add the right furniture pieces and probably a minor paint job and you have for yourself a nice office space.
6. Alcoves make for great office space in tight and cramped spaces.
Another potential home office space are alcoves. These small indentations on your walls can be given turned into a workstation with a few shelves and a small minimalist table.
7. Consider hideaway offices to hide office clutter.
If you want to keep a clean and uncluttered look, you can have a hideaway office custom-made in your alcove, hallway, or closet. It also helps set boundaries for you as you can close-shop at the end of your shift and only open it the following workday. This prevents you from working round-the-clock and getting burned out.
8. Make your home office blend with its surroundings.
Say you don’t want your home office to stand out and prefer it to be unobtrusive, you can easily achieve this with a glass-top desk or something in the same color palette as the area you’re putting it in.
9. Go for a slimmer and more streamlined set-up…
Some bigger pieces of furniture can dominate a space and make the area appear smaller than it actually is. One of the ways you can dress up a space and not make it appear cramped is to use minimalist lightweight furniture. This way, it becomes functional without appearing to take up too much space.
10. Or go with a chunky bureau instead.
Another way you can go about this, if the space allows, is to go chunky with a small bureau. It may take up more space than minimalist pieces but it automatically gives you enough storage and desk space for work-related stuff.
11. Install a sit-or-stand workstation in one of the dead spaces in your home.
Installing consoles that allow you to work seated on a stool or standing up is good for your health because it helps you avoid a sedentary lifestyle. It doesn’t take up as much space visually as a typical desk yet it works just the same.
12. Paint the area in a different color so that it appears to be intentionally made and not just a makeshift solution.
If you’re creating an office zone at home and you want it to be set apart visually, you can paint it differently from the rest of your home so that it can be easily identified as your work area. Plus it increases your home’s aesthetic appeal.
13. Opt for multi-purpose furniture.
Lastly, when choosing furniture for small houses, go with those that have storage capacity, too, so you have other options to store office supplies and equipment.
Even if you think you don’t have enough space at home for a home office, think again. The tips above should help you make one at home.
