Did you know that the Bureau of Labor reported that 24% of employed people work at home? With social distancing guidelines for COVID-19, this number is only expected to increase. Though working from home can be more efficient, it’s also challenging for some people to adapt.
One solution is to set aside a home office space specifically for work. Unfortunately, not everyone has the money set aside for this endeavor. Luckily, we’ve made this article to help you create a great home office on a budget. That way you can get work done and not break the bank. Let’s get started!
Five Tips for Creating a Home Office On a Budget
A home office is more than just a place to get some work down. It should be a functional extension of your personality and work type. As such, not everyone’s ideal office space will look the same. And that’s okay! A little cash and a lot of creativity are all it takes to start making the perfect home office space for you. To help you maximize your resources, we’ve organized these five tips.
1. Pay Attention to the Lighting
Since you’re likely spending a lot of time indoors, light is incredibly important. It can mean the difference between an open, welcoming office and a dark, depressing cave. If you’re lucky enough to have windows that provide natural light, then make sure you highlight them. Put your desk in an area that gets good sunlight.
No windows? No problem! Combine your ceiling lights with carefully placed lamps. If you want to get creative, then try playing around with Christmas lights or colored lightbulbs in your office.
2. Personalize Your Office Space
Don’t be afraid to personalize your office space to fit your preferences. Instead of recreating a magazine cover office, create your own instead. For example, if you’re a plant lover, then deck out your office with plant life. Movies lovers might enjoy some posters of their favorite films.
If you work on multiple computers, then get a large desk to fit all of your equipment. Have kids? Put some pictures of them around to brighten your day. The more personal space is, the more at home you’ll feel in your home office.
3. Don’t Be Afraid of Used Furniture
Often the biggest mistake many people make when creating a home office is buying new furniture. There’s no doubt that sleek, modern furniture can make a home office shine. Unfortunately, it tends to be incredibly expensive. As such, if you’re trying to save money, then you don’t want to blow your entire budget on furniture. So what’s the solution? Simple: used furniture.
Not only is used furniture more affordable, but often it also comes with a personality that’s simply missing from mass-produced products. So how can you find used furniture? One way is to visit local thrift shops or antique shops. While there’s no guarantee that you’ll find something, you might get lucky and find a piece that’s both stylish and inexpensive.
However, this isn’t the only way you can get used furniture. You can also go through suppliers that offer specific types of used office furniture. Or you can visit Craiglist or Facebook Marketplace to find local deals from people in your area.
Regardless of where you get your furniture, we recommend finding it first before you decide on other office details. A desk, chair, or cabinet can completely change the vibe of the room. As such, you should start with the furniture, then build around it.
4. Use Color to Set the Mood
When most people think of home offices they picture plain, bland colors like white or grey. While there’s nothing wrong with offices that are this color, don’t be afraid to think outside the box a little. Painting your home office wall your favorite color can go a long way toward making space more your own.
If you aren’t sure what color to choose, then consider blue or green. The color blue will provide calming feelings, which is helpful for when work has you stressed. Green on the other hand will give you energetic feelings, which is nice for when you’re feeling tired after working all day.
5. Make It Easy to Stay Organized
Here’s a scenario that happens a lot. Someone spends a lot of money crafting their perfect office space — it looks great and they’re happy with it. But, in a few weeks, everything is covered in stacks of papers. Dirty cups are everywhere and the person can’t seem to find any of their important documents.
So what went wrong? Well, the person spent too much time planning their office space, and not enough time thinking about organization. A simple set of filing cabinets is a great way to make sure that your papers don’t start piling up. Or, you might be able to store everything you need on a large desk.
Regardless, map out what goes where and stick to it. If you have trouble remembering, then consider using post-it notes to remember until you get it down. Keep in mind that organization isn’t for everyone. Some people simply work better in messy, cluttered environments. However, the majority of people can benefit greatly from a tidy, organized office space.
Want More Great Content? Keep Exploring
We hope this article gave you some helpful advice on how to craft a home office on a budget. Ultimately, everyone’s ideal workspace will look different.
It will also depend on the available space in your house or apartment that you devout to it. But, at the end of the day, a little creativity and hard work are all you need to happily work from home. Did you enjoy this article? If the answer is yes, then you’re in the right place. Keeping reading to find more topics that you’re sure to enjoy.
