Guide To Creating A Functional Home Office

Introduction

We’ve all heard the saying that “a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind.” While this may be true for some, for others, a desk minus clutter can indicate an unwillingness to get down to business—or even laziness. If you’re trying to work from home or start your own business in a space that’s not designed for productivity (i.e., not much more than an Ikea table and chair), you’ll want to take extra care in creating a functional workspace that works for you and gets the job done. The good news is that creating a functional home office doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult; with these tips from professional organizers and interior designers at HGTV’s Fixer Upper, we’ll show you how easily anyone can turn their living room into an office fit for any type of work!

Create a space that inspires you.

When it comes to creating a functional home office, the first step is to think about what kind of space you want. Do you want something bright and open? Or do you prefer a cozy nook that’s tucked away from the rest of your house?

Whichever style best suits your needs and personality, there are ways to make your home office feel like an extension of who you are–and not just another room in which to work. For example: If you’re an artsy type who loves color, texture and pattern (like me!), then consider painting walls in bold shades like red or orange; adding wallpaper with geometric patterns; choosing furniture pieces with interesting shapes; or even hanging artwork on the walls (my favorite!).

Establish easy access to all the tools you need.

In addition to having the right tools, it’s important that they’re easy to get at. You don’t want to have to go searching through drawers or cabinets every time you need something. If possible, consider putting all of your supplies in one place so that there’s no question about where everything is when you need it–and so that the whole room doesn’t become an obstacle course whenever you’re working on something.

Keep the clutter to a minimum.

• Clutter is the enemy of a functional home office. Clutter can lead to stress, overwhelm and make it difficult to find things. It also makes it hard to focus on work or relax when there are piles of papers on your desk or clothes strewn across the floor.
• To keep your space clutter-free:
• Get rid of unnecessary items regularly (this means not just junk mail)
• Use storage containers for files, folders and other miscellaneous items that don’t belong in drawers or cabinets but need someplace safe until they’re needed again

Incorporate a workspace for more than one person.

If you have more than one person working from home, you need to create a workspace for each person. If you’re a couple, make sure that both of you have your own space and can work without interruption by the other. If there are children in the house who also need their own workspace (or even if there aren’t), consider creating one or two additional offices where they will be able to do homework or other tasks independently of the rest of the family.

You should also consider whether any rooms will serve multiple purposes–for example, if your kitchen doubles as an office area when not being used for cooking purposes–and whether those spaces will need additional furniture items such as desks or chairs when they’re not being used for their primary purpose.

Design for convenience.

Design for convenience.

A functional home office should be designed with the user’s comfort in mind. This means making sure that your desk height is right, that you have a chair that is comfortable and provides good lumbar support, and that it has armrests (which help you keep your upper body upright). It also means making sure that the chair has wheels so it can be moved easily around the room without strain on your back or arms.

Organize your space with storage and organization ideas.

Organize your space with storage and organization ideas.

• Use storage units, cabinets and drawers to keep items you use most often within easy reach.
• Baskets, bins and boxes are great for organizing smaller items that might otherwise clutter up your desk or workspace. Label them so you know what is in each container!

Use lighting to maximize comfort, productivity and style.

There are many ways to use lighting to create a functional, stylish and comfortable home office. The first step is to determine what you want from your space. Do you need it to be functional? Do you want it to feel like a cozy place where creativity can flow? Or do you need something that’s going to help boost productivity in the most efficient way possible? Once these questions have been answered, then it’s time for action!

• Create an inviting mood: Lighting can help set the tone of any room or space by illuminating certain areas while leaving others dark; this creates contrast which makes it easier on our eyes when we’re working at our desks or reading documents at night (or both). For example if there’s too much light coming into one corner of my room then I’ll probably get distracted by all those bright spots around me instead of focusing solely on what needs doing right now–and nobody wants distractions when working hard toward deadlines! So instead let’s say we dimmer down all those lights except maybe one small lamp near where I’m sitting because that way everything looks nice but still gives enough illumination without being too distracting… And voila! You now have created an inviting environment where productivity flows freely without distraction!

Creating a functional home office is a lot like creating any other space in your home; it just has slightly different needs

Creating a functional home office is not much different than creating any other space in your home. It just has slightly different needs. For example, if you’re going to be using your office as a place to work from, it’s important that it inspires you and makes you feel productive.

The first thing that most people think about when creating their functional home office is what furniture they should have in there–but this isn’t necessarily true! You also need storage solutions and organization ideas so that all of the clutter doesn’t get out of hand (and end up distracting from whatever task at hand).

Conclusion

Well, there you have it: all the steps you need to create a functional home office. In case you’re still feeling hesitant about taking on this project, remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect right away. You don’t need everything all at once! Start with one small step–like putting up some decorations or clearing out some clutter–and then build from there. The most important thing is that you set yourself up with comfortable seating and lighting so that when it comes time to work on something important, you’ll feel inspired and energized by what surrounds them