Six ways to give your home office a makeover

Whether it’s a corner in your lounge or bedroom, a sunny part of the kitchen or a spare room, the home office space has become more important than ever. Just two years ago, we’d never have foreseen how many knowledge workers would be stationed at home – just add that to the list of trends we never saw coming courtesy of a global pandemic.

 But in 2021, even as COVID-19 restrictions ease around the world and some people return to the office, working from home is proving to be an enduring trend.  A February 2021 research report by McKinsey on the future of work after Covid-19 found that post-pandemic, remote work and virtual meetings are likely to continue going forward, albeit less intensely than at the pandemic’s peak. For many companies, this may mean creating a work culture where  employees work from the office some of the time, and at home for the rest. 

If you set up a temporary home office during the lockdown months of 2020 and it’s now becoming a more permanent fixture, it’s worth thinking about your home office space and making sure it’s somewhere you actually want to spend time in. This doesn’t have to involve a huge budget either: with some innovative thinking, you can transform it into a calm and organised space that also makes you feel productive and inspired. Here are six places to start: 

READ: Working  from home? You can claim home-office expenses from SARS

1.     Let the light in: A lack of natural light can mean eye strain, headaches and fatigue creep in well before the working day is over. Wherever you set your office up, make sure there’s plenty of natural light available (if possible). Try to position your desk near a window, but angle your computer monitor so that there’s no glare from it. You could also add a small lamp to your desk for task lighting – and experiment with lower wattage bulbs to keep the light from being too harsh, plus add some cosiness. 

2.     Improve your air. Creating a great feeling space isn’t just about look and feel…it’s also about the air around you. Fresh air is key to staying energised throughout the day, and it will also help you concentrate better. Get some air moving in the room either via a nearby window or by keeping doors open if you’re in a larger space. While you’re at it, add scent to it, whether that’s a fresh bunch of flowers on your desk, a floral candle, incense sticks, or even a room freshener spray. 

3.     Add greenery: Even though you’re sitting at a desk all day, you can still bring nature into your space. Add a small (and low maintenance) succulent to your desk, or a standing indoor pot plant next to you to make things feel more tranquil. The added oxygen they bring to the room is also a bonus, especially for those extra-long conference calls! 

4.     Consider your view. If you can, position your desk near a window so you can get a sense of your outdoor environment when you look up from your computer. If you can’t do this due to the position of your home or the specific room, even hanging a painting or specially framed photograph on a nearby wall can help things from feeling dull.

5.     Clear the clutter: “Getting rid of clutter is the easiest way to elevate your home office look,” says Jocasta von Merveldt, owner of Curtain Drops who specialise in manufacturing and interior décor. “Clear away unnecessary papers, stationery, cables and accessories so you have a clear workspace.” If your desk is lacking drawers, or you’re in an extra small space, consider a home office storage unit where you can neatly stack things away. The minimalist shelves offered by local furniture company Mable are a good option, where you can customise them to fit your exact space. For example, you could create shelves that are fairly narrow and vertically higher for smaller spaces, or design ones with lots of doors if you have lots of messy papers and files to store. 

6.     Get inspired: Putting a few small objects on your desk that have personal meaning can help inspire you during a long workday, or get your creative or problem-solving juices flowing. This could be a colourful desk ornament, a framed photo, or even a special pen and notebook – whatever motivates you personally. 

Working from home means the boundaries between office and home life are more blurred than ever, which can mean less energy and more distractions. With a few changes and some style tweaks, you can make sure your home working space is an island of calm productivity in a busy home.

READ: Working from home: Tools to make your life easier

 Source: Urban Espresso