When you come in your new home, there is only one thing left for you to do: unpacking. Just think that the most of the work is done, and now all that is left is to settle and organize your new house. This process may take some time, but it is also the most interesting one because you get to plan and decorate everything the way you love.
Firstly, you should set up the most important rooms in the house like kitchen, bathroom, living room, dining room, bedroom, a room and space for kids, and if you are among the lucky ones who work from home, you are left with just one room to organize: you own home office. Remember, it is always a better option to find some space for that because you don’t want to be tempted to carry out you work laid back on the sofa with your laptop on your knees and TV in the background. Even though you are at home, you need to behave like you’re at work and create the work environment.
Find your own space in the new house, whether it’s the spare bedroom, loft or even in the garage. Wherever you choose to set up, make sure that it is isolated from distractions of family life, particularly if you have young children. No matter how small you house is try to find some area in the house of a decent size. Avoid being squeezed in a tiny, uncomfortable room. Ideally, the room where your home office is set up will be big enough for all of your things with plenty of natural light. However if you don’t have a whole room just for tour office, find a space in front of a window and fill an empty corner with tall bookcase, which will be sufficient for your things. Also, if you are short on space, a bare wall can be a valuable asset. Build simple, easy-to-install floating shelves that are practical and look good, too. A simple, spare surface can easily transform into the most productive place in a home or apartment. Hang a decorative curtain that will give you a little extra privacy. Some experts claim that you should consider using a standing desk for better heath. You probably get really uncomfortable after several hours of sitting and working, feeling back and neck tension. The solution is to find the appropriate and adjustable desk and chair. Speaking of chairs, you need to make sure you’re taking care of yourself by investing in a good chair. You don’t have to buy a wheeled desk chair if you don’t want to, because with little color and some fabric a simple old dining chair with arms can be you brand new desk chair.
Make a list of your work duties. In that way you will be able to determine what size of workspace you need and what type of storage will work best for you. If you don’t have that much papers, and you only need your laptop, you can get away with buying a small desk that has one built-in drawer for pens, pencils and other office supplies. However, if spreading out your work is better for you, consider buying L-shaped desk. Also, you can ask your friends or family if they have some old kitchen desk or dining room table that they no longer need, or if you have some used old table, it can be easily converted into an office desk.
No matter how organized you are, if you have lots of files and paper, they will eventually become a pile and you will not be able to find anything. To prevent this, consider purchasing a file cabinet, no matter how much you are against it, because with a little paint and some wallpaper it can look like really nice.
We have already mentioned natural light, which is extremely important for your workspace. However, you should also get some really good artificial lighting, in case you stay longer at night. Mix different intensities to find out which one works best for you. A desk lamp is a must, because the light will fall directly on your desk and make the writing, reading or sketching much easier.
You certainly want to work in a space where you enjoy and feel comfortable, so add your personal touch to your home office aesthetic. Choose the colors, the design, pick a interesting wallpaper. If you love travelling, for example, frame some maps of your favorite cities. You can google some images and get them done in a print shop. You can also print some inspirational quotes that will lift your spirit whenever you look at them. Choose the best pictures of your family and friends, and the special memories that you shared together and surround yourself with them.
If you don’t get a plant or two as your housewarming gift from your friends, buy some yourself and make your home office seem cozy and nice. Apart from being easy on the eyes, the colorful plants are really helpful for clearing the air around you. If your work includes a lot of stuff that you need to keep track of, don’t just buy a cork board; turn an entire wall into a cork board and in that way your notes will be more organized.
An organized home office takes time and experimentation. However you choose to decorate it, remember to have fun and to enjoy the process.
