HOME OFFICE HACKS

Working remotely because of COVID-19 and need to rethink your workspace? Here’s where to start.

Working remotely because of COVID-19 and need to rethink your workspace? Here’s where to start.

Whether you’ve been working remotely for years or just started during the 2020 pandemic, working from home has both benefits and drawbacks. Here are the ins and outs to set up your workspace for long-term success.

PICKING A SPACE

Ideally, you’d have a dedicated room for your home office, with a full desk at your disposal and a door that can close out pets and kids. But that’s not always the reality when working from home, is it?

If you can’t get your own room, think about other areas that you can multipurpose. Choose a space that doesn’t see a lot of use during the day, such as a guest bedroom or your dining room. Do you have empty wall space where you could put a desk?

GATHERING ESSENTIALS

The first essential is a desk, of course (see page 14). Make sure you have a compatible chair, both stylistically and functionally. When in doubt, choose function over style, especially when it comes to the chair you’ll be sitting in for hours on end.

Consider any other basics you truly need to get the work done. If you’re using a laptop, do you need a second monitor? If you have a side hustle sewing pillows you sell on Etsy, do you need space for both your sewing machine and your laptop? Dream up your ideal setup, and then figure out how you can get as close to that as possible in your existing space.

DECORATING

Now comes the fun part—decorating! By now, many of us have been working remotely for almost a year, and the “temporary” setup from March 2020 is getting old. What do you need to jazz up your work space? Is it a different desk, or can you give your current one a new paint job? Try hiding your computer monitor in plain sight, such as with a roll-top desk or by finding a farmhouse-worthy photo to keep as the screen saver. Find ways to blend your work station with the rest of your home.

Love the farmhouse DIY look? Transform an old flea-market desk into your workspace with a bit of paint, like homeowner Desiree Guy did here. This will help your desk area blend into the rest of your home, especially if you don’t have a full room to use as a home office.

When you’re short on space, let your rooms do some multitasking. Designer Lindye Galloway uses a corner of her living room for professional needs by hiding away her office supplies behind a closet door and working at a tall table she can also use for family life after work hours.

Bookshelves in your office are a perfect opportunity to add farmhouse style, as homeowner Laura Janning did here. Use them as you need them for practical working purposes, of course, but then layer in farmhouse décor pieces that will add your personal style to the room.