Things have been quiet on the home front as I’ve still been in my studio flat and frankly, don’t have an inch of spare space. The upside though, is that I’ll soon be in a much roomier flat where I’ll be able to spread my interior design wings, so to speak, and transform my space to exactly what I need. Now that we are both working from home full time we are working together to design 2 practical and stylish office areas in our flat. We want to be in close enough proximity to be able to communicate, but still, have our independent workspaces to be able to customise our area based on our own needs.
So, how does one transform our living quarters into functional workspaces without breaking the bank and without completely overwhelming the space? Here are my ideas.
Desks and Storage
I’ve been browsing for desks all over the web and found lots of great desk options on lionshome. We love focusing on maximising our space so our focus is on making the most of the space we do have available. Desks with drawers for office essentials are a must. As are desks with deep enough drawers to be able to store our laptop and notebooks, etc. This helps us create a multi-functional living/working area whilst allowing ourselves to “switch off” from work mode.
Divide and Conquer
When you’re working from home as a couple and running the same business each person has their role. Based on that principle why have 2 of everything? It’s better to divide the tasks and divide the supplies. Do we need 2 printers? Do we need 2 filing cabinets? And the list goes on. The answer to that is usually no, so why not focus on saving space and sharing everything that can be shared – from pens to staplers and even electronic devices if possible.
Out of Sight
Another great way to create the illusion of space is to store anything that you don’t need into closets and wardrobes. If you’re an avid Pinterest user, like me, you’ve probably seen people even put their desk in their closet! It may seem a bit of a luxury for those of who don’t have much storage space, but it can work. If that’s not something you can do then why not at least store your printer, supplies, and even file cabinet inside a closet or wardrobe? I’ve even seen filing storage chests that can then double as seating!
Another really good idea is having a trolley on wheels. It’s easy to move it from room to room and can then easily be tucked into a closet or even a corner of a room.
Double Duty
I swear by all items that play double duty – from thin scarves that can be used as a beach sarong to coffee tables that have hidden storage. If you’re short on space a great to incorporate a home office into your living area is to look for items that can play both sides. A night table can serve as a supply cupboard. A pretty office chair can be used to seat any extra or unexpected guests.
It’s quite simple to happily live and work in a smaller home. All it takes is some know-how of organisation and some know-how of how and where to source the furniture and items that you need for your home office!
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