If you thought you didn’t need a home office, 2020 probably changed your mind. For anyone working at a desk, having a home office became an instant necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You might have survived that first lockdown working from your couch, but there are no more excuses. It’s time to put some of our stunning small home office ideas into practice and make yourself the office you deserve!
Small Home Office Ideas
Floating Desk
Mounting a desk on a wall below some shelves is the simplest way to turn any space into a workspace. If you live in a very small apartment, this could be the solution you’ve been looking for, especially if you get a foldable floating desk. That way, you’ll be able to use that space for something else after work, making this one of the best home office ideas for small spaces. The only snag of such a solution is that you’ll have to clear the surface of your desk every time before folding it.
But where do you put a floating desk? Most commonly, people turn a part of their living room or bedroom into their home office because these rooms are typically the most spacious and the least cluttered ones.
In Your Living Room
Go to your living room and try to rotate the furniture in it in your mind. Try multiple solutions, and don’t forget your measuring tape. You don’t need an interior designer to come up with creative small home office ideas that will look great and work for you. If you get stuck, just ask a friend or simply someone who isn’t that used to the current layout of your living room how they would reorganize it.
It may turn out you have enough space for a full-fledged office desk, with legs, and drawers, and all. In that case, you might want to take a look at this list of the best home office desks for 2021 we’ve compiled for you.
In Your Bedroom
The bedroom is the less ideal solution of the two, especially if you don’t sleep alone in it, but sometimes it’s the only place where you can squeeze in a desk. If you need to set up a small home office in your bedroom, but don’t have any ideas how to do that, consider moving some of the furniture to other rooms, for example, your living room, to free up some space. Do you have a corner in your bedroom where you could add a shelf desk without too much hassle? Let’s try that today. Move some furniture around, grab a comfortable chair and enjoy your new corner and all the focus that’ll come with it.
Use Your Kitchen Wisely
If you’ve got plenty of space in your kitchen, maybe you should look for ways to turn some of that space into your new small office. This is one of those small home office ideas on a budget because you won’t have to buy a whole bunch of things to remodel. The key benefit is that you’ll be able to use your kitchen table as your office desk. If you work with sticky notes, notebooks, and papers, the only thing you really need to invest in is a box where you can keep these so that you can easily lay them out on your kitchen table.
However, bear in mind that this idea becomes less feasible if you live in a house with more people who don’t have the same daily schedule as you. This means that when the kitchen is busy, you may need to get out of there.
Take Advantage of Space Under Your Staircase
When creating a small home office, you shouldn’t overlook any part of your home because they can all potentially be converted into a workspace. For example, if you live in a two-story house or a large apartment with a staircase, you can use the space under it to install a small desk with some drawers.
Repurpose Your Closet
Your apartment may be lacking office space, but it might have a huge closet you don’t really need. If this is the case, go and turn your walk-in closet into an office. And the small home office layout doesn’t have to be anything special. Just find a desk or a piece of wood that you can prop between two walls. Attach it to the walls, find a chair, grab your laptop and sit down. You can also add shelves or a corkboard above the desk.
This is one of the best small bedroom office ideas to try out because you can make your office vanish after you’re done working. Just hang a heavy, opaque curtain along the closet rod and pull it to hide your office nook.
Use Bookshelves to Divide Your Room
Maybe you love your bedroom or living room office corner, but you feel a bit more privacy would help you focus better. In that case, using a large standing bookshelf as a substitute for a wall is one of the best small home office organization ideas for separating your workspace from your living space.
This isn’t just great for focus, but it’s also perfect for separating work and home life. For many people, working from home has blurred the line between those two aspects of their lives, causing prolonged stress and anxiety. Just because you no longer leave your office at the end of the workday, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t mentally “clock out” and not let work bother you during your out-of-office hours.
Hide Your Workspace in a Cupboard
It may sound strange, but making an office out of a cupboard is possible. When open, this is the place where your productivity flows. When closed, you get to enjoy your free time without any reminders about work.
Although a cupboard turned into a tiny office can be both practical and quaint, this is one of those home office ideas for a small space that require quite a bit of adapting, so if you don’t already have a cupboard, or aren’t a particularly skilled handyperson, you might be better off with some of the other small home office ideas from our list.
Fold Down Your Workspace
Another excellent idea quite similar to the floating foldable desk we’ve mentioned at the very beginning of our article is a desk you can fold down after you’re done working. This is one of those great home office ideas for a small room that will save you a lot of space, but bear in mind that with such a desk, you can’t just leave your laptop there before you fold it down.
Turn a Corner of Your Hallway Into an Office Nook
Repurpose Your Pantry
This is one of those home office design ideas for small spaces gourmets among our readers will probably declare pure blasphemy, but if your home has a pantry you don’t use much, you can turn it into a nice and secluded office. Again, you don’t even need much; a desk and a chair will do the trick! However, it’ll probably require more cleaning than other solutions from our list, and you may want to add some vibrant colors to brighten up your new home office!
Don’t Sit All Day
Sitting all day can cause your back and neck to start aching. That’s why the next of our home office ideas for small rooms takes advantage of adjustable desks. Whenever you need a break from sitting but want to continue working, just move your chair away and pull your desk up.
Vertical Storage Is Your Best Friend
Limited space often translates to even more limited storage, but it doesn’t always have to be that way. There are plenty of home office storage ideas for small spaces, but the best one is to use your walls and even your ceiling. Instead of adding cupboards and stashing things under your desk, try mounting shelves on your wall. This way, your workspace will remain tidy and uncluttered.
Use Your Attic
If you’ve got an attic covered in cobwebs you’ve been diligently stuffing with things you don’t need anymore but are too sentimental to throw away, it’s time for a change. And if you’re thinking, “Well, but I use that space for storage,” we’re pretty sure reorganizing will open up a small corner for one of the most beautiful home office ideas for small spaces. Before you move your desk to the attic, however, make sure it’s well isolated – attics can get seriously overheated in the summer.
Take Advantage of That Spacious Backyard
Talking about summer, if you’re one of those lucky people who happen to have a backyard, we have a suggestion for you: Turn your backyard into a temporary office. Find a place where you’ll have enough shade for hours, an extension cord, and an outdoor chair and table you’ll use as your office desk. If you’ve been looking to remodel your backyard, we’ve got great ideas you can try out. Note, however, that your choice of small home office desk ideas, in this case, will be limited to waterproof pieces of furniture.
That Alcove Can Be Your Office
Do you have a small recessed section in your living or dining room? Use that space! Prop up a piece of wood between two walls and give that space some personality. This is one of the most creative small home office ideas you’ll ever come across.
Leggy Furniture for More Free Space
When we say “leggy furniture,” we mean those chairs and tables with long metal legs. This is one of the most revolutionizing ideas for a small home office. You wouldn’t believe just how much space such furniture can save you. It’ll make your office nook look more airy and spacious.
Additional Tips
Working from home for a prolonged period comes with its specific challenges. First of all, it tends to get boring and repetitive. It can make you neglect other aspects of your life. Luckily, our wellness statistics seem to indicate that people are now more aware than ever they need to take care of themselves both physically and mentally. That’s why your small home office decorating ideas should include small frills that’ll make you feel good about being at your desk. Here are some tips on how to change your small home office so that it soothes your soul:
- Add a fun wallpaper.
- Find a quality lamp that’ll provide you with adequate lighting.
- Add some plants to liven up your workspace.
- Buy a speaker that fits your desk’s aesthetic if you enjoy listening to music while working.
- This may be one of our most important home office ideas for both small spaces and large areas: Try to separate your office from your home. As some statistics on working from home have shown, this may be extra tough, but it’s vital that you try.
- Keep your desk organized and clean. And not just the desk, but everything around it, too. If you’ve got some hardwood floors, we’ve got a guide to the best hardwood floor cleaners.
- If you can, work close to a window so that you get some daylight.
Conclusion
We hope that our small home office decor ideas inspired and helped you find the best way to turn a corner of your home into an office. There is something for everyone’s taste on our list. As you embark on your reorganizing journey, don’t forget to add some personal touches to your new office. After all, it’s the place where you’ll spend plenty of time.
FAQ
Where do you put a home office in a small house?
Anywhere you want! You can put your office in your bedroom, living room, kitchen, pantry, hallway, or attic with just a little bit of reorganizing. That being said, if you can pick, the living room should always be your first choice, because no one has to sleep or cook in it.
What should be in a small home office?
This is primarily up to you! But typically, a small home office will have a desk, a chair, your PC, some storage space, and good lighting. Don’t forget you’ll also need an electrical socket nearby or at least an extension cord.
How do I set a home office in a small space?
The possibilities are limitless! You can use an old desk or an old table. The same thing is true for your chair. You don’t necessarily need to buy and set up anything new; just repurpose the space and furniture you already have.
How do I make a small office look bigger?
You can mount your furniture on the wall: your desk, shelves, even your PC screen. If this isn’t possible, use furniture with thin, metal legs. On top of that, it’s always a brilliant idea to use brighter colors for both your desk and your walls to visually open up your space. So, steer clear of walls with dark colors or wallpapers.
What is a good size for a home office?
The average size of a home office is between 50 and 150 square feet. If you have more space you can use to set up your office, that’s fantastic, but if you don’t, that should by no means dishearten you: With our small home office ideas, you’ll be able to find a way to set up a functional and great-looking home office on as little as 30 square feet.
