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9 Ways to Enjoy Your Home Office More
Let in the light, get a new chair and treat yourself to some fresh organizational tools for your office this year
I'm a freelance writer and design enthusiast who believes the best design is collected, not decorated, and that homes should always be as comfortable and functional as they are chic. In addition to writing for Houzz, I work as the Head Copywriter for Layla Grayce and Zinc Door.
I'm a freelance writer and design enthusiast who believes the best design... More »
If you work from home, you know how important your home office is to your everyday life. But, just like any office space, at home or elsewhere, it’s easy to let important aspects like functionality and organization fall to the wayside during hectic workdays.
If you feel like your home office is hitting a rut, it may be time to assess its current state for the new year. You may need just a simple improvement, like adding a bulletin board to corral important papers, or maybe a larger change, like replacing your desk with one more complementary to its surroundings. Here are 9 tips for improving your home office this year.
More: Browse home office photos
If you feel like your home office is hitting a rut, it may be time to assess its current state for the new year. You may need just a simple improvement, like adding a bulletin board to corral important papers, or maybe a larger change, like replacing your desk with one more complementary to its surroundings. Here are 9 tips for improving your home office this year.
More: Browse home office photos
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by Nicole Lanteri
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| Hang bulletin and dry-erase boards. Office life is full of important papers and quick ideas, and you want accessible places to put them before they escape into the ether. Instead of cluttering your desk with papers and throwing ideas on easy-to-lose Post-Its, do yourself a favor and put a bulletin board and dry-erase board within easy reach. |
| De-clutter. Start things off on the right foot by removing everything that you don't use. Throw away things you haven’t touched in a year, and file away important papers or items sitting in piles throughout your space. You will be able to tackle your workload much more efficiently in a clean office. |
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Assess your office chair. If you find you leave your office chair at the end of the day with an ache somewhere, it is definitely time to swap it out. It’s possible you’re spending hours sitting in this chair, so the correct ergonomic fit is a must. Test out several and look for one that you can adjust to fit your body and support it appropriately.
Improve your organization. Think about your line of work and what you accumulate. Could you use more drawers to keep it all corralled? Filing cabinets? Shelves? Folders? Whatever it is, now’s the time to make sure you’re well stocked.
by LiLu Interiors
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Fill your office with the things you love. Your office space isn’t all about work: It should also be about the things that inspire or motivate you. Whatever those pieces are, make sure they are in plain sight. But don’t go overboard, you don’t want to break the “excess clutter” rule!
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| Let in the light. Sunlight is much softer and calmer than fluorescent, and is said to help create a more productive workplace. Try to move your desk as close to windows as possible so you can take advantage of the natural light during the day. |
If sunlight isn’t a possibility, make sure you have ample lighting otherwise. Of course, large picture windows aren’t available in every home office. Make sure to have a mix of ambient, overhead light and adequate task lighting directly above the desk.
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| Turn your desk into a décor. Not every home comes with an extra room that can be turned into a office, leading some to add a desk to a living room or bedroom. If that’s the case, consider swapping out your desk for one that blends into the room’s current scheme. This unit boasts furniture-like shelves decorated with interesting knickknacks, which distracts the eye from the hardworking function of the desk. |
by Maria Killam
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Use extra space for a home office. Don’t currently have a home office but want to kick off 2012 with your own workspace? Take a gander around your home, it’s possible you have a hint of space here or there that can be transformed with the addition of a desk. You may find the room in a nook under the stairs...
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… or in a closet. Close the doors and no one will even know it’s there.
More: Create an Office on a Shoestring
20 Finds to Help You Spruce Up Your Office
More: Create an Office on a Shoestring
20 Finds to Help You Spruce Up Your Office
Ideabook updated on Feb. 14, 2012.
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Thanks for the tip on a new chair
As a writer, my solution is buying a used treadmill and making it into a desk. I simply put a long, heavy board across the handles of the treadmill and walk at 1.2 mph. It works!
I'm delighted.