4 Easy Steps to creating the perfect work from home space

Must haves to create the perfect at-home office space

Photo credit - Haus Crauze

Working from home has become more common than ever but how do you set yourself up so that you have a clear distinction between work space and home life?

First thing is to find a designated area in your home where you will set up - This is not to be confused with your bed! 😂

Now I know we don’t all have a spare room with sweeping sea views to gaze out upon but with a little creativity you can create even the most unused spaces into your work haven.

1. Find the right space

First thing in getting set up is to pick a place. Whether that’s in a spare room or a space within a room. If you’re going to be working there permanently you may want to choose a space that you don’t need to pack away each day.

Spaces can range from a corner of the room that gets unused, a walk in wardrobe, a space under the stairwell or an area at the end of the dining room table. The ideal place would be to find somewhere where there is the least distraction from noise and other people (if possible).

Picking an area with good lighting is also very important if you’re to be spending hours each day at your desk. I like to choose areas that have natural light but check there’s no screen reflections or too much glare coming in from the windows. If your area doesn’t have any natural light, no fair, look at getting a desk lamp or a stylish floor lamp to keep your area well lit.

2. Choose the right chair

I made this mistake when I first started working from home. I used an old chair we had tucked away, blew off the cob webs and thought that I would be good to go. A few months later I started having back problems and ended up having to go to a specialist for months to get it right.

Now I have an ergonomic chair (which was far cheaper than my physio) and it has made a world of difference. Chairs are super important, you will spend most of your time sitting in one, so make sure that it is set at the right height and allows for your spine to be upright with your feet flat on the ground. You can check out some of our picks here!

If you’re working in your living room, you may want to find pieces of furniture that seamlessly work in with your home decor. Whether that’s a rustic looking desk or floating shelves. These pieces are great for hiding your typical office space but check they are going to be sustainable to use over long periods of time.

3. Decide on desk type

Photo credit - Wayfair

Remember setting up your own office does not need to be expensive. Most of which I set up was secondhand or I just looked for deals online. Measure up the area in your space where your desk will fit before purchasing. You may already be able to use something you own such as a dining room table or check out your local thrift store. If not, here are some great finds too -

Think about how much space you will need. If you simply just use a computer, then you might not need much, there’s no point overcrowding a space. However if you need to have files on hand or a few screens set up then take this into consideration when choosing a desk. Make sure your desk and your chair are going to fit well together.

4. How much Storage

Photo credit - Containerstore

This will directly depend on how much extra “things” you will need and may increase over time as you work from home more. Think about what is necessary to have as a hard copy and what you can keep stored on your computer.

Floating shelves and open book cases seamlessly meld into living room spaces and create an open, airy feel to the room. Desks with built in drawers and baskets are good for hiding clutter - Check out our rope baskets, they are the perfect addition to help keep your office tidy,

For me a clean space = clean mind. This is not for everyone though and in fact it has been said that a messy space can actually aid in imaginative thinking. Do what works best for you!

The finishing touches

Photo credit - themerrythough

This is going to be a place you spend a lot of time in, so make it your own.

Now that you have your desk, chair and area set, all you need to do is add the finishing touches. If you’re like me and are into plants, pop a few around your space. Here are 15 easy-care indoor plants to bring color and life to your work from home space. #5 is my ultimate favorite!

For my home office, I've added Alfie & Gem's mid-century plant stand and plant pot cover (photo below) to give the space a stylish feel.