4 Tips for an Organized Office Space at Home
With remote work and at-home working on the rise, Americans increasingly find themselves needing to convert a part of their house or apartment into an office. Unfortunately, not everyone lives in a place where they can create a large office space for themselves. In the case where small space living is an unchangeable factor, what is one expected to do?
We at National Storage recognize that in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, this is a dilemma more people are facing now than ever. Thus, we’ve put together some home office ideas and organization strategies (that don’t break the bank) for adapting to this work-life trend.
Choose Your Dedicated Space
Even if you don’t have the available space to commit an entire room to your new designated office, you can still choose a particular area to be the work area. If you have children, reinforce to them that only work happens in that area—and that they can’t use your business computer or supplies.
It might seem unnecessary at first, but creating an area that is strictly for work tells part of your brain that when you’re there, work must be done. It’s a psychological trick that can do wonders for your productive habits.
Design It for Focus
Decoration can be a boon to your home office organization, so decorate for the purpose of both charm and productivity. Give your space bright or colored lights if that makes it feel more comfortable to work in for hours at a time. Hang up pictures of friends and family, your favorite sports team, or whatever fandom you appreciate or are inspired by.
At the same time, be mindful of distractions. If there’s anything at your desk that can sidetrack you from work, remove it. It’s easy to lose focus when you’re at home, as that’s not the place you’re always used to working. You’ll need to develop the habit of working from home before it becomes natural.
Make Sure You’re Prepared
You’re working with limited space, but some jobs have essential technologies to get the work done, such as printers, photocopiers, filing cabinets, paper clips, and post-it notes. Regardless of the need, make sure you get it as soon as possible. In certain cases, you may be able to stack these items to make the most of vertical space. Most importantly, you don’t want to get caught in a situation where you need something during a virtual meeting but have to run to the store to get it. Consider your needs in advance, and prepare accordingly.
Be Mindful of Clutter
Cleanliness is king with small space living. Though there are some people who can be just as productive when their belongings are less organized, conventional wisdom and research indicate that a tidy, well-structured space is more productive for the majority of us. If your elbows are bumping into things while you type, that is likely to not only make you feel cramped but also create more distractions—as in, more opportunities for you to lose track of what you were doing.
Use desk accessories to hold your pins, stack your papers, and otherwise create a workspace that keeps things contained without the clutter.
Don’t Underestimate Lighting
It’s easy to imagine: a dedicated video editing specialist, graphic designer, or web programmer sitting in a dark room in front of a glaringly bright screen, clicking away as they try to meet a deadline, with artificial light burning their eyes.
It may come as no surprise, but that setting is conducive to neither productivity nor health—so, light things up. A well-lit work area can sharpen awareness, stave off sleepiness, plus make reading and finding items around you much easier. In the winter months when nighttime takes up more hours of the day, you might even want to invest in therapy lamps, which emit rays designed to ward off mild seasonal depression. (Whenever you’re neck-deep in work, every little bit of support counts!)
Self Storage Units for Small Space Living
It’s more than possible that, when faced with the task of home office organization, there is some stuff you’ll want out of your way to make room. For this, National Storage has a solution. With affordable, practical self storage options, our facilities offer units ideal for residents, families, businesses, military members, college students, and more. Of course, this includes smaller storage selections, just the size you might need after rearranging your living room to make an office space. Have any questions about renting a self storage unit in Michigan or Ohio? Check out our FAQs, or reserve your space online today; we’d love to help get your office up and running!