Your Home Office Makeover Doesn’t Have to be Hard: Focus on These 10 Tips

Thinking of upgrading your home office? A great home office makeover doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. You simply need to think about how you work most effectively and then create a plan. Here’s a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process of creating a home office space that works for your small business.

Home Office Makeover

1. Organize Your Existing Belongings

Before you bring anything new into the space, it’s a good idea to take stock of what you already have and what you want to include in your new office. So go through everything you have in the room and sort it into a few categories: things you want to keep in your office, things you want to keep in other parts of your home, and things that you can throw out or donate. This will give you a good starting point to work with.

2. Find Inspiration

During the early stages, it’s also a good idea to do some research so that you can find the styles and components that you want included in your own office space. Check out Pinterest, sift through decor magazines or even visit some local co-working spaces to get an idea of what you want the finished product to look like. Then you can use that inspiration to guide you throughout the process to make sure that every decision will help you form a cohesive space by the end of the process.

3. Address the Walls and Floors

When you’re actually ready to get started with the process, it’s best to start with the big things and work your way down. So if you plan on refinishing or installing new flooring or painting the walls, you’ll want to complete those items before you start adding furniture and other decor items.

4. Add Sufficient Lighting

Lighting is so important for a functional office space. Ideally, you’ll want your space to have a fair amount of windows so that you can get decent natural light, but that isn’t always possible. So make sure you install overhead lighting that uses high quality LED bulbs and also add some lamps around your desk or workspace so you can always see your work clearly.

5. Close Off The Room

Working from home can be quite distracting for a lot of entrepreneurs. So a good home office should have some kind of barrier that closes off the rest of the house. Ideally, this would be some kind of insulated door. However, if you can’t dedicate a whole room to your home office, add a room divider or even some floor plants to separate the office from potential distractions.

6. Pick Out Furniture

A desk, chair, and whatever other major furniture pieces you want included should come next on your list. Opt for ergonomic models that put comfort first but still fit with your desired style. It’s also a good idea to consider the way that you work most productively when making these decision. If you prefer standing sometimes, consider an adjustable desk. If you like sitting on a comfy couch to do certain types of work, then that’s something that should be on your shopping list as well.

7. Invest in Organization Products

You’ll also need some pieces of furniture or other products to help you organize important documents and supplies. This can include a filing cabinet, bookshelves and storage boxes. Think back to when you went through all of your belongings and choose the items that will best organize the types of items you need to store.

8. Upgrade Your Tech

As you re-do your office, you might also find that the actual equipment you use to run your business, like your computer, printer, or scanner, could also use an upgrade. Look into some of the most recent models and find ones that include the functions you use on a daily basis.

9. Add Some Inspirational Decor

A truly great office space should also include some personal touches to keep you inspired and productive. If you’re motivated by family, include lots of group photos around your desk area. If you are a design oriented person, invest in some wall art from your favorite designers. And add some personal trinkets and unique touches to your desk and shelves.

10. Purify the Air With Plants

Plants can also be a great way to decorate an office space. They also offer other benefits like air purification and even sound insulation. Find some plants that fit with your space and add them to your desk, the floor around your workspace, or even hang them from the ceiling.

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This article, "Your Home Office Makeover Doesn’t Have to be Hard: Focus on These 10 Tips" was first published on Small Business Trends