The home used to be an open space, where the family gathers. It used to provide comfort from the stress and pressure of work and school. This is why most families preferred an open and cozy layout for their living space.
Yet, the shift from remote work also created changes in the way families design their homes.
The Need for Personal Work Space at Home
At least 70% of Americans have done a home renovation project during the pandemic. Indeed, the pandemic has turned many people into their own interior designers.
Since last year, interior designers saw a change in home designs. These include adjustments in layout patterns, use of furniture, and color combinations.
Here are some factors why people rearrange their living space:
-
Setting work boundaries
Before the pandemic, you know when it’s time to go home after a day’s work. You know that when you get home, work is already done. You see nothing that will remind them of their work. All they have to do is rest.
The remote work setup blurs the line between work and rest. You wake up and your work is right in front of you. After a long day, you finish work and your bed is right beside you. This is it is advisable to choose a specific work area at home. It sets specific boundaries. You may pick a corner and design it like a real office. So that after a day, you can leave the area and go straight to your bed like you’re going home from a real office.
-
Preparing for virtual meetings
Virtual meetings made people conscious of how their house looks like on camera. It’s like you’re letting people in inside your home even if you don’t want to. And so the call corner decoration begins. You buy pretty wallpapers. You hang plants around and put picture frames here and there. You add books to make it appear a little like a real office.
-
Needing some personal space
In July 2020, 69% of U.S. employees experienced burnout while working from home. It’s understandable. You stay in and work eight hours a day. You don’t get to socialize with people. You only get to talk to people on-screen. You don’t get to walk around and unwind.
Spending too much time with family could be draining, too. Having a cozy home office could give you your space if you need some time alone.
Spicing Up Your Nook
You have picked a spot for your home office. You already have your desk and your chair. Now, it’s time to redesign. It is now time to spice your corner a little to make it more efficient and storage-friendly.
Here are some DIY tips on how to upgrade your home office design:
-
Maximize your walls and design them with floating shelves.
You’ve got plenty of bare walls. What will you do? Drill some floating shelves for your books! There are many floating shelves available online. They include lag screws and a cleat to attach to the wall. You may need an edge saw to cut the wood according to your preferred size. There are many specialist tools that you can order online. You don’t have to worry about your screws and cutting tools.
There are also shelves that don’t need drilling because they come with hooks. They’re not as sturdy, as though. You may also paint your shelves after.
-
Convert space into storage.
That unused space under your desk? Convert it into a cabinet! The space on both sides of your table? Pile up books from the floor and create a book tower! Those empty clothing baskets in the laundry area? Use them for your paper filing system! You don’t seem to notice it but there are many unused spaces in your home if you only look around.
-
Recycle items found in your home.
Look around and find some stuff that is not used at home. That jar of jam you finished last week? Convert it into a pen organizer! That plastic organizer for your bags and shoes? Hang it on your wall where you can keep your work supplies! That box from your deliveries? Paint it and place it on your table for your post-its!
There are so many things you can do at home to level up your home office. Your spot doesn’t have to be big. It has to be clean, organized, and cozy. The more organized your desk is, the more motivated you will be at work. Who knows, remote work set-up could be the new normal in the coming years.