Storage & Decorating Solutions for Your Home Office

Solve your Home Office Storage Problems & Decorate at the Same Time!

Decorating & storage solutions don’t need to be mutually exclusive. We all love it when we can enjoy the benefits of working from home. But sometimes making our home office space more livable proves to be a challenge. Whether your office is space-challenged or organizationally challenged, there are a few key home office decorating ideas that will put you on the road to productivity. Make your average day at the home office even more productive with smart use of your storage space. From desks and organizers to cabinets and memo boards, when your work area looks and feels organized, you are sure to accomplish even more!

Work Place Central

No home office is complete without a desk. Big ones. Small ones. Everybody has their own idea about what kind of space they need. Even a small room can have an efficient home office desk to get your work done, hold a laptop and help you sort out what needs sorting out. If your home office is short on space, try to keep furniture selections simple, yet stylish. Opt for a small, modest desk with rustic charm. A few drawers keep small stuff wrangled and a bench seat slides out of sight. Add a memo board nearby and you’re all set with the basics.

File This

Gone are the days of boring metal filing cabinets, when you can replace them with stylish rustic versions that look stylish and chic, while still offering all the home office storage solutions you need. Pick one that offers extra height so you have even more drawers to fill.

Walls Can Speak

If only you had a place to put everything where you can see it. Enter the wall organizer — a place to keep all the important stuff ready at a glance. Position one right next to your home office desk and keep notes, phone numbers, reminders, mail, bills, and messages where you can have instant access. Utilize wall space even more – mounting cubbies or slots hold papers, while a chalkboard or bulletin board keeps communications flowing. When floor space is at a minimum, be sure to maximize wall space with a set of decorative wall shelves that keep everything organized.

Contain Yourself

The addition of space-saving home office cabinets will go a long way toward corralling clutter and adding a sense of style to your space. Let a large cabinet with glass doors serve as your personal library to hold books, ledgers, resource materials and office knick-knacks. It will instantly add order to what can often become a jumbled mess.

 

Work It Out

Sometimes having a workspace on the fly can come in handy. Especially in the kitchen where you just need a little space to jot down the grocery list for the week and to sort through coupons. Add a small rustic desk with a tuck-away seat in an unused corner of the kitchen or eating area. It won’t take up much space and gives you the workspace you need when you need it.

 

Wit & Wisdom

Remind yourself to keep all that home office work in check with a wall plaque that features a few well-chosen words of wisdom. After all, how many times do you find yourself staring at the walls looking for the answer?

 

Out of Sight Basket Smarts

You have to love the universally loved basket. When it comes to office storage, it’s pure genius. The basket looks like purely decorative, but inside it holds all that stuff that you don’t know where else to put. Use this to your advantage.

Stacks of mail, piles of holiday cards, all the materials you need for that project… these are the kinds of things that storage baskets, totes and bins were made for. Wrangle whatever you need and then tuck away on bookshelves or cubbies to keep things tidy. After all, there is a time and a place for everything!

 

Stay on Task

So many people forget about lighting once they enter their home office, but it couldn’t be more important. Choose a decorative table lamp that sheds light on all your papers and makes it easier to work.

Show Your Style

Of course, you want to stick to business in the office, but be sure to add your own unique style with an accent piece too. A decorative vase offers a nice way to recharge with fresh flowers or a lovely picture frame keeps a friendly face nearby.

10 Tips for Making Your Perfect Home Office

Finally, let us share 10 tips to make your home office perfect. Think of it as central intelligence for your home. It serves as headquarters for all manner of business, from paying bills to collecting mail to organizing home businesses. When you are ready to dedicate one space to the task, take some time to thoughtfully plan your office out. After all, this is the one place that you will likely spend a lot of time, so make it a place that you enjoy as much as it is a place to be productive.

1. Location Counts

When you choose the location of your home office, think about how you will be using it most. Is it likely that you will be burning the midnight oil? Do you want to be able to shut out the rest of the house, or know that you want to close the door rather than organize your desk? Will a corner desk at the end of a hallway be all you need? Let how you plan to work guide you in your location selection.

2. Keep It Functional

Don’t overdo it on style and forget about the functional elements of your space. You still need to stay organized. Think about how you will wrangle all your project work. Do you need filing cabinets, multiple drawers or shelving? Do you prefer bookshelves with doors or open shelving that is easy to reach? Your organizational style will play a big role in how you tackle this element. Don’t forget about the possibilities that stacking boxes, baskets and storage cubes offer as well.

3. Be Brilliant

You won’t get much accomplished if you don’t have some adequate work lighting. What kind of lighting will your space allow? Distinct table lighting aimed directly on your desk, or overhead home lighting to fill the whole room? Don’t forget about accent lighting to fill corners of the room (or to give light to a chair that should feel inviting for guests) or under-shelf lighting.

4. Make It Personal

Don’t think that just because your home office is designed to be a work area, that it must feel sterile and impersonal like corporate cubicles. Be sure to add your own personal touches, like wall signs with inspirational quotes that will keep you motivated and promote a positive atmosphere.

5. Check Your View

You will be happy to have natural light in your new office space. Position your desk so that you can gaze out the window whenever you need a break. Hang sheer panel curtains to add a touch of color and style to the space.

6. Take a Seat

You will spend plenty of time at your desk, so make sure the office chair you choose is comfortable. Be sure to test out all kinds of chairs, ones that swivel, with arms and without, and even chairs that you wouldn’t initially consider for a home office. Those are the ones that will add personality to your space. Just remember that it serves its function well, in addition to your sensibilities.

7. Tackle the Tech

There is no way to avoid the need for technology in today’s home office. Make sure you have access to plenty of power outlets and there is a natural place for your computer, monitor, printer, scanner, cell phone and whatever kind of electronics you may need.

8. The Little Things

Don’t forget all the little things that make work-life bearable: a pencil cup to wrangle everything from scissors to pens, wastebasket that is just the right size (careful to pick one that is too small), an attractive bulletin board covered in a lovely fabric, a cubby wall shelf that holds knick-knacks, a throw that you can toss around your shoulders on chilly mornings.

9. Take Your Pet to Work

When you work from home, every day can be “take your pet to work” day. If you have a furry friend who is likely to be your constant companion, then dedicate a corner that is just for them with a dog bed for Lassie or an elevated place near the window for the kitty.

10. You’re on Camera

Working from home is becoming more and more popular thanks to the advances in technology. So too are online meetings and conference calls. Be sure to keep this in mind and ensure that when you log into a video call, that you are comfortable with what your fellow colleagues will see in the background.

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