How to Inexpensively Upgrade Your Home Office
For many of us, the pandemic has involved a switch to remote working. Although this brings plenty of benefits, it also means trading in comfortable offices for makeshift workspaces. Luckily, with a few key strategies, it’s possible to quickly and effectively refine your home working habitat and save money in the process.
Boost the Mood
When you’re spending 40 hours a week in one space, it’s important to make sure that space stimulates mood and productivity. 99designs notes that you can start by addressing the issue of color - if you find the place looks a bit drab, try switching away from the common grays and blues that are known to invoke negative sentiments and instead move to something brighter and more optimistic like a cream or a sky blue. The right service will be able to help repaint surfaces and furniture as well as walls, whilst you focus on more important tasks.
Equally as important as color is light. Finding the right balance of artificial and natural light is key to improving your workday productivity. LED bulbs are especially popular at the moment as they are more energy-efficient and can be dimmed to create the right ambiance. If possible, you also want to make sure you’re working close to windows as natural light is shown to keep you healthier and more energetic, as New Day Office points out.
Think Practically
When you work from home, you often have less space, less storage, and fewer supplies. Luckily, a few key changes can often drastically improve your office functionality. If you deal with paper or have to use stationary, try wall storage to help free up room and keep important documents on hand. If you find yourself feeling uncomfortable, it might be worth rethinking the workstation itself - a new desk can add a couple of handy drawers and allow for decorations, computer accessories, and monitors. You should also consider the quality of your chair. When you’re spending half a day sitting down, it’s always important to have back support and mobility.
Sometimes, no amount of furniture rearrangement can fix a bad home office setup. If you’re serious about creating a good workspace, it may be worth looking into renovations. A smart renovation will improve your work functionality, as well as boost the property’s value, and it won’t cost you the world. For example, knocking down a wall, merging storage with living spaces, or converting garden areas may help to create room and even produce a more ‘sellable’ home. Just make sure to pay attention to buyer trends and keep receipts/records (including before/after photos) of any changes you’ve made.
Get Some Green
During lockdown, plant care became something of an addiction for many of us. The role of plants in a home office shouldn’t be underestimated - they look great, lifting Zoom backgrounds and brightening the room for when we first sit down for the day. They also often bring health benefits - helping to reduce stress, purify the air and improve focus.
There are plenty of great house plants to choose from. If you’re not an experienced botanist, don’t worry, you can start with something that requires minimal upkeep, like a sansevieria. If you want something that will grow in any direction and can survive in darker spaces, it’s got to be devil’s ivy. And, if appearances are your main concern, the best option may well be a monstera, which is amongst the most popular on Instagram this year - sure to boost your conference call aesthetics.
When it comes to attaining productive work conditions, there’s every chance you’ll need to make some changes to your home office. Just remember that, if you’re smart, these changes can be simple and won’t cost you the world.
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