As a freelancer, it is easy to just sit up in bed every day and dive into work. But if you do that, you're missing a great deal.
One of the perks of working from home is that you can personalize your home office exactly to your taste. This is something that you might not be able to do at your cubicle in a formal working environment. So rather than just diving into work, you need to take the time to truly enjoy all the full perks of working from home. And one of the perks is the freedom of choosing what kind of workspace you want to work in.
But, like most people, your freedom is most likely constrained by space and a budget. But that doesn't have to discourage you. With a few tips, you too can glam up your workspace without breaking the bank.
How To Personalize Your Home Office On A Budget
What Do You Want In A Home Office
If you want to have a personalized office space, you have to have some personality. That's a requirement that is implied in the word itself.
So before you go all out to IKEA, you need to ask yourself what you want. What is important to you? You can start by asking some basic questions like; What is the budget? Will clients ever get to see the space? How much time will you spend there? Do you share the space?
The answers to these questions will help guide your decorating choice. For example, if your clients will see your workspace often, then you'll have to have their sensibilities in mind when designing. If you're not going to spend a lot of time in the office, then you may not need to buy an expensive chair.
After answering all these questions, then you can move on to the next thing.
Start Off With No Clutter
It's easier to design when you're starting off with nothing. So, as much as you can, strip the area bare and look at what you're working with. Seeing it without the clutter of previous work will almost certainly give you an idea of what is possible.
Be Radical
Now, I'm not saying you should paint the walls blood red and mount a giant skull on your desk, but when you start designing, have an "anything is possible" mentality. This doesn't mean that you should trash all your former decor, but for redesigning to be worth your while, it has to be different.
Importantly, you should think deeply about every item that will be a part of your workspace. Do you really like that desk or do you think you can get a better deal? What of the painting on the wall, is it the best you can have?
(Hint; always keep some money for painting, you'll need it!)
Remember Your Budget
Now, before throwing everything away and starting from scratch, you need to know exactly how much you have.
Make a list of everything you'll be needing and compare it to how much you actually have. If you find that what you want to get is more expensive than your budget, then there are a few tips to help you.
- Look for cheaper alternatives
- Search eBay and Craigslist for used versions
- Try to make do without more expensive items and save up for them to buy at a later date
- Get creative with other items around your house.
Get The Basics
What are the basics of a working environment? A desk and a chair. Once you have these basics down, you can start adding to them little by little. Importantly, you should try, if you can, to get multi-purpose items.
A very good example is the MonitorStand Workstation S6G/S6T that works as a desk and also a storage area.
Try To Get Some Items From Home
Redesigning doesn't mean that all the items you get need to be from a store or need to be new. Far from that. As much as you can, try to repurpose household items for your space. And If you can't, you can get used versions on Craigslist and eBay.
Remember The Plants
You need to remember to make your workspace look interesting and lively. Having plants and flowers is the best way to do that. They provide a fresh look and help keep a purified environment.
Now, this doesn't mean that you should move the forest to your home office. A vase or two of sweet scenting flowers should do the trick.