People have had to get creative about how—and where—to work since lifestyle changes has sent so many of us home. For those who already had a home office, the transition may have been relatively easy. But what if you don't have a dedicated space? These trending home office ideas might help give you focus, especially if your remote work situation may not be as temporary as you first thought.
Closet Conversion
Have a closet that's filled with off-season clothes, giveaway stuff, and rarely-used items? Relocate it to the garage or attic and turn that space into a tidy home office. You'd be surprised how much usable space you can gain and how many ingenious ideas there are for converting a closet into a functional workspace.
"In a closet office, well, there's not a plethora of space even for your must-have items," said FlexJobs. "You'll have to be creative about storage. Running shelves up the back of the closet is an easy and obvious solution. While you're at it, though, consider adding a rail for hooks so you can hang pencil holders, pictures, or other items up and off your desk. Pegboards are another fun and creative way to create more space. You can add these boards on walls and doors to create flexible storage space for whatever you need."
Backyard Bonanza
"Homeowners who want to stay put are turning to their backyard to make space," said REALTOR Magazine. "Several companies are touting backyard solutions, like Kanga Room Systems (units start at about $5,000 for an 80-square-foot kit the buyer can assemble) and Modern Shed. These companies can ship standalone structures that can be assembled by homeowners to keep their home offices separated from their living spaces. Studio Shed officials say they've doubled their sales over the last year. In April alone, their sales were four times it was a year prior. The company's units start at $10,000."
Double Duty
You don't need to lose your guest room to incorporate a home office. You just need to be creative. We love these Murphy beds that give you both a decked-out desk and a comfortable overnight space for visitors, without the typically cluttered look of a double-duty room.
Hideaway
You don't even have to have an entire room to dedicate to a home office. In fact, it's not even necessary to have enough room for a desk. If you're tight on space, consider a wall-mounted desk that folds down when you need it and disappears when you don't.
A New Zip Code
If your current space just can't accommodate your work-from-home needs, maybe it's time to move. "Space-constrained homeowners are looking for solutions for a workspace," said Gaetano. "For some, it's even been motivation to move. A recent survey of real estate agents conducted says that a designated home office will likely be the most desirable or important feature to home buyers in these new times."
Need to talk about options? Call Gaetano at 315-802-1404. We're always here for you.