Stylish office in your house
How to organize a functional work area, even without a separate room for it
#letters_from_clea
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My observation is that since the pandemic began, more than half of office workers have moved to remote work. Even if you don’t work that way, you probably want to have a corner where you can quietly deal with bills, store documents, or pursue your favorite hobbies.
Today let's discuss the principles of organization that will help make the work area a place where you not only want to work, but also want to plan, think, and create.
Today let's discuss the principles of organization that will help make the work area a place where you not only want to work, but also want to plan, think, and create.
Clea-style work area
If your home has a separate room for an office, accept my sincere jealousy, but even if you still only dream about a separate workroom. It is possible to organize a business corner even in a small apartment by allocating a small corner in one of the rooms of your home. You can make a “mobile office” from the dining table, or even work on the couch in the living room.
For convenience, I will mention the work area where there is a table, a chair, and part of the wall, but whatever your workspace option is, I'm sure you'll pick up some ideas from this article. So, let's get started!
There are two things that, I think, are important for a work area: minimalism and soulfulness.
First: minimalism.
For me, the work area is a corner where I can gather my thoughts, think about the future, and concentrate on tasks. So, I'm all for keeping the desk area relatively empty.
As Marie Kondo says, “You can clear your mind by just throwing away all the unnecessary papers.” And I agree with her 100%, keeping your papers and documents in order is where you should start if you want to organize your workspace. I have written about this in more detail in the article “Storing documents” →
Second: soulfulness.
Although I welcome ideas of minimalism in the work area, I am against boredom! A workspace should be pleasing and appropriate to your character. Therefore, a few stylish details will do no harm.
For convenience, I will mention the work area where there is a table, a chair, and part of the wall, but whatever your workspace option is, I'm sure you'll pick up some ideas from this article. So, let's get started!
There are two things that, I think, are important for a work area: minimalism and soulfulness.
First: minimalism.
For me, the work area is a corner where I can gather my thoughts, think about the future, and concentrate on tasks. So, I'm all for keeping the desk area relatively empty.
As Marie Kondo says, “You can clear your mind by just throwing away all the unnecessary papers.” And I agree with her 100%, keeping your papers and documents in order is where you should start if you want to organize your workspace. I have written about this in more detail in the article “Storing documents” →
Second: soulfulness.
Although I welcome ideas of minimalism in the work area, I am against boredom! A workspace should be pleasing and appropriate to your character. Therefore, a few stylish details will do no harm.
Compact but comfortable (if you don’t have a workroom)
Even in the smallest home, you can find a place for a home-office. Before you determine the space, think about what its main task is. Will you work on your laptop, do home management, hold online meetings, or, for example, draw? My point is for some tasks you will need more space, for others less, but you can always find a solution.
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Set up an office in the bedroom.
I'm certainly against working in the bedroom, but proper zoning with partitions and screens will easily solve the problem.
Set up in the hallway.
You might find a little room in your hallway for a recliner and a couple of shelves. You'll have a makeshift office that you can easily “roll up” when you don't need it. You can buy a folding chair or get a light stool from the kitchen and then stow it away.
Organize a workspace in the kitchen.
You can also work at the dining room table, closer to the cookies and coffee machine (see, there are advantages to everything!) To make it easier to clean up after yourself and clean the dining room table, simply organize storage for work papers, stationery,
I'm certainly against working in the bedroom, but proper zoning with partitions and screens will easily solve the problem.
Set up in the hallway.
You might find a little room in your hallway for a recliner and a couple of shelves. You'll have a makeshift office that you can easily “roll up” when you don't need it. You can buy a folding chair or get a light stool from the kitchen and then stow it away.
Organize a workspace in the kitchen.
You can also work at the dining room table, closer to the cookies and coffee machine (see, there are advantages to everything!) To make it easier to clean up after yourself and clean the dining room table, simply organize storage for work papers, stationery,
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Principles of organization
The main function of the work area is to help you in your work. The first thing to keep in mind when organizing should be if it’s pleasant and comfortable. It is desirable to keep the most necessary things at arm's length, the rest can be stored higher and farther away.
Just in case, I have prepared for you a list of what you need to organize a functional workplace:
Just in case, I have prepared for you a list of what you need to organize a functional workplace:
- A desk…
- A comfortable chair. Preferably, an office chair that has an anatomically correct form.
- A desk lamp. So as not to ruin your eyesight and add a cozy, soft light to the work area.
- Baskets and boxes. The same, matching in color and style to the interior of the entire room, choose ones to hold all the papers that are left over after the cluttering. You can read about what to throw away and what to keep in the article “Document Storage”→
- Magazine racks. These can be used to store current documentation.
- Stationery cups. Here’s a secret! You can use any beautiful cup, not necessarily from the stationery department. I've seen pens and pencils stored in regular coffee mugs or a small flower caddy. It looks original!
- Interior gizmos. We will talk about them a little later.
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The workspace is conditionally divided into the following zones according to their purpose:
Working area.
The center of this zone is a desk on top of which there is usually a computer or laptop, a desk lamp, a diary, the necessary stationery, and documents that you use every day. Ideally, you should make sure that there is nothing unnecessary in the work area.
Document storage area.
This is an area where bills, calculator, home budgeting files, and boxes of documents are kept.
A place for memorabilia.
It holds old postcards, children's drawings, souvenirs from trips, old photos, and dear to the heart letters.
Bookshelves.
Or a bookcase, which can be used not only for books. You can organize a stylish corner, which will please the eye and create a mood.
Working area.
The center of this zone is a desk on top of which there is usually a computer or laptop, a desk lamp, a diary, the necessary stationery, and documents that you use every day. Ideally, you should make sure that there is nothing unnecessary in the work area.
Document storage area.
This is an area where bills, calculator, home budgeting files, and boxes of documents are kept.
A place for memorabilia.
It holds old postcards, children's drawings, souvenirs from trips, old photos, and dear to the heart letters.
Bookshelves.
Or a bookcase, which can be used not only for books. You can organize a stylish corner, which will please the eye and create a mood.
How to breathe “life” into your work area
There is nothing worse than a boring workplace. Personally, I'm convinced that this is where you can be as creative as you want to be. Why not make your workspace reflect your character? It can be bright, restrained, serious, or flighty. Being systematic and orderly doesn't mean boring and humdrum.
First, surround yourself with things that inspire you.
An old camera, a few pretty candles, photos from vacations, stylish figurines and anything else you can put on a shelf or rack. Let them be small, but the most favorite and dearest to your heart.
First, surround yourself with things that inspire you.
An old camera, a few pretty candles, photos from vacations, stylish figurines and anything else you can put on a shelf or rack. Let them be small, but the most favorite and dearest to your heart.
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Second, please remember that a home office, though an office, is still a home office.
Put a chair or sofa next to your desk, throw a couple of decorative cushions on it, throw a soft blanket over the chair or light scented candles. Who says a workplace can't be cozy?
Third, use a Swedish secret.
In her book “What is Lagom? Swedish Recipes for a Happy Life,” author Niki Brantmark writes that one of the elements of coziness for Swedes is houseplants. They not only purify the air and reduce stress levels, but they also make any corner surprisingly alive.
Put a chair or sofa next to your desk, throw a couple of decorative cushions on it, throw a soft blanket over the chair or light scented candles. Who says a workplace can't be cozy?
Third, use a Swedish secret.
In her book “What is Lagom? Swedish Recipes for a Happy Life,” author Niki Brantmark writes that one of the elements of coziness for Swedes is houseplants. They not only purify the air and reduce stress levels, but they also make any corner surprisingly alive.
Copyright: Teona Swift, Pexels
According to a recent study in the book, the introduction of plants into the workplace increased productivity in Sweden by 15%! So, why don't you use this secret of nature to your advantage?
That's all for today. I hope I've inspired you to organize a cozy and functional work area for yourself.
See you in the next article,
Your Clea.
That's all for today. I hope I've inspired you to organize a cozy and functional work area for yourself.
See you in the next article,
Your Clea.
Your personal clean-up coach
Clea N.