Elevate your Home Office

As more and more people are working from home since COVID Containment, more and more has been written about The Home Office. Now, I’m going to add my insights into how to elevate the home office. Come on, you knew this was coming! Let’s go over some important factors that help create a harmonious work space that is pleasing to the eye, organized, and conducive to getting work done.

A desk can be both functional and aesthetically pleasing. When selecting a desk, make sure it’s the right size for the room. I have some huge desks in petite rooms. Maybe someone inherited the desk and they have a hard time getting rid of it. If that’s you – take a picture and get rid of the desk.

Keep the top of the desk clutter-free by storing all of the office supplies and papers in a separate space – not on top of the desk. A nice rolling cart, a wall shelf, a Lucite file holder, or even a really nice box can hold papers and/or supplies to minimize desk-top clutter.

If you must keep certain papers close to you, choose a file holder that is nice to look at vs a traditional black or plastic stacked file holder. There are so many nice ones these days. If you choose clear, you can play around with colorful file folders. Think creatively and you will find ways to express YOU where you work. Target often has some nice and relatively inexpensive office items. There are small and inexpensive ways to have a space feel more personal and spark joy, while energizing you for productivity.

Desk placement is important. If you have a window, it’s nice to place your desk close to natural sunlight. If you don’t have access to natural light, make sure you have a good lamp. You may want to look into a full-spectrum light bulb which is credited with delivering numerous mental and physical health benefits. Use a lamp with a warm light bulb or a candle nearby if you’re working late hours or early mornings. This can make the difference between feeling warm and cozy or feeling alone, exhausted, and anxious. If you’re working really long hours, you’ll be exhausted no matter what you do, so why not at least enjoy some pleasant aromas as you work?

Don’t forget about cord organization. You can get everything right and slip up here. The eye will always travel to chaos in any room. Uniformity and organization applies to ALL things, even things on the floor. Find and use an aesthetically pleasing cord box or organizer and you’ll thank me later. Your space will look organized and you’ll be able to trace your cords.

Desktop organizers help keep surfaces free of clutter and they make it easier to find something when you need it. Make sure to measure BEFORE you order — height, depth, and width. Pull out the creativity stops. You can hang something on a wall, behind a door, or on the side or inside of the desk. Organizing can be playful and fun. And, if you choose wisely, the organizer itself becomes a conversation piece.

A comfortable desk chair is key. If you use your desk often, you’ll be spending many hours on this chair. Choose wisely. There are so many outlets that have functional, comfortable and beautiful office chairs. Don’t cut corners on your chair. It’s like your bed. It needs to be comfortable.

The knickknacks on your desk can be purposeful or beautiful, but they ought to be one or the other. There are two kinds of desk items Some can be playful and show a little bit about who you are. Others are functional, like a small desk calendar, a clock, a pen holder, or a nicely-framed framed family or dog photo. A plant is a nice touch of nature, if you pick one that likes the amount of light you’ve got in your office. If you will be leaving office supplies out on your desk, look for attractive office supplies. Desk space is sacred. You need room to work, think, plan and meditate. And a desk is just like real estate: Location, location, location.