How to Setup Your Workspace at Home
If you work alone and appreciate the privacy and quiet of any space, then you may want to convert a good space in your home to turn it into an office. Having dedicated space for yourself not only will get you better productivity and concentration, it can even become your personal sanctuary at home especially if you live with several other people and the noise becomes overwhelming at times.
However, if you need to keep an eye out for your kids at home, perhaps a secluded area is not the best option. You can still setup a nice space for yourself and just mark the “boundaries” to let everyone know that it’s a “no touch” zone so you can keep your things organized without worrying too much.
What will you need to have in your home office?
There are a few things you need to consider before you embark on your quest to create your workspace. Start by asking yourself the following questions:
- How much space do you need? This refers to the floor space that will account for the furniture you’ll be needing such as a good table, chair, and maybe even some shelves.
- Do you need storage space? Make an assessment of all your tools and identify if they can fit on your desktop without eating up all the space or if it would be better stored in organizers within proximity to your work surface.
- Will you be needing a computer? How about a printer? If you need both, perhaps put them in separate surfaces. It’s not exactly the best idea to have the printer sitting on the same space as your computer. Some printers tend to vibrate (even if you think it’s unnoticeable) that can interfere with your computer’s hardware.
- How much time do you think you’ll spend in your work area? Do you think you’ll need constant access to the house phone? Or perhaps the kitchen and the bathroom?
- Will you be keeping hard copies of files you need for work or business? If you are, you’ll want to have a side drawer available in your workspace to store your folders in an organized manner. Not only will this keep your space tidy, but it will also make it easier for you to locate the files you need for certain purposes.
- Do you have small items that might end up lost or buried under drawers and organizers? If you do, maybe consider putting them in bookshelves or wall shelves instead.
Identify your technology needs
Once you’ve figured out where you want to set up shop, you’ll need to figure out next if you have good access to a power supply. This is actually one of the first considerations you need to do before you start organizing your area. But if it’s really not possible to put your workspace next to a wall outlet, then find the best proximity to one and identify the distance. You can use extension cables to make the powerline accessible to your area. However, you should also figure out a way to organize these to ensure they do not become a safety hazard that you can trip over or could be easily accessed by children.
You can also switch to smarter electronics. Let’s say a table lamp that doubles as a wireless charging port. That way you won’t need to have two separate sockets for your charger and your lamp. If you don’t have a printer yet and are planning to get one for your home office, consider the wireless option. That way, your printer can be situated in a different section of the home and you can print your files from your work desk.
If your only option is to use extension wires, make sure that you do not end up overloading your sockets. The last thing you want is to turn your home office into a fire hazard. So take careful consideration of the number of items you need constantly plugged in.
Invest in a good table
Tables are an integral piece of every home, office, or workspace. But many do not know that choosing the right table for the job shouldn’t be taken for granted. While there are thousands of possible options for tables, making the right selection can only be done through careful consideration.
Think of it this way, if you don’t find the right table, you’ll probably end up with one that’s not quite the right size, not the right height, not sturdy enough, or something that constantly moves or shakes. You want a table that will hold all your things, serve its surface purpose, and most of all, will be comfortable for you to use. Yes, tables have the ability to make you feel comfortable or uncomfortable depending on how it’s used.
Identify why you need a table. Is it for casual use such as for reading, paperwork, or studying? Maybe some light computer use for office work or school. Or is it for something a little more complicated. If you’re going to need the table for gaming, you’ll probably need two monitors on the table, a mount for your keyboard and mouse, and maybe a sound system to boot. Perhaps you need it for crafting projects, you’ll want a stable table that has enough surface to accommodate your largest possible projects.
Consider the amount of space you can allocate for your table to occupy. If you’re using a computer, you should have enough space to comfortably use your machine and still have extra space to put a coffee cup, take notes, or hold relevant items for your task such as physical files and writing materials.
If you can spare a corner of the home and turn that into your home office, then you should go for a corner desk. This kind of table is shaped to snugly fit in a corner that will actually allow you to maximize the space.
If you want to have a little more flexibility or if you want to keep you work away from children to reach, then your best bet is to get a standing table. Actually, and adjustable table would be a better option because you can easily switch height settings according to your needs and position requirements.
Finally, if you intend to use equipment that will have cables, an easy way to get them organized is to look for a table that has wire channels or wire holes. This way, you can organize your table’s surface without worrying about your cables running all over the place.
Pair your table with a good ergonomic office chair
Ergonomics is actually important, and for every person that intends to get work done constantly, having one will give you all the benefits that any regular chair can never do. You’ll have the option to choose one in a color that matches the rest of your room. You can choose if you want a swivel chair or one what’s fixed. There are actually a lot of options you can choose from and still take advantage of the benefits ergonomics can bring.
From this point, the rest of the space’s organization and overall look will be totally up to you. Have fun with it and don’t forget to incorporate your personal touch and style in the mix to give it a fresh character that’s unique to you.