Everything you need to know about building the best home office for you

Working from home is no longer a minority trend. In the past few years, it has become a stable way of life for most people. One thing we all know is that to be as efficient as possible while working from home, you really need to create a unique home office. Having an area to define your workplace and separate it from your life is essential to living and working efficiently from home.

Create the best home office for you
Your home office can be a second space where you can close a door, or just a place in your home where you can sit, answer emails, take Zoom calls, and keep your day organized. If you want to create a unique home office that will be your favorite room in the entire house, here’s how to build the best home office for you.

Home Office Essentials
When creating a home office, there are a few must-haves. Here are some basic items you will need to prepare.

choose your desk
Home Office Standing Desk
In any home office, a desk is the best place to start. I truly believe a desk will define the style and flow of your home office and there are different types of desks to suit every style. You’ll want to choose something that looks the way you like it, but also works in your room.

There are so many different tables it’s hard to pick just one. There are L-shaped desks that provide plenty of work space for your computer, printer, and paperwork, as well as smaller desks that double as gaming desks when you’re not working. Standing desks are one of the latest trends in home desking. They can be raised if you want to work standing and lowered if you want to work sitting.

No matter which one you choose, when you pick up your desk first, the rest of the room will quickly fall along with it.

choose a comfortable chair
Having a good office chair can actually increase productivity. You’ll spend a lot of time sitting in your office chair, so it should be one of the most comfortable chairs you own. When you’re working from home, it’s easy to want to move to the couch if you have a hard chair. Couches lead to naps, and naps, no matter how good they are, can wreak havoc on your productivity. Not to mention, working from the couch isn’t good for your back.

There are as many types of desk chairs as there are tables. Maybe you’ll opt for a premium leather chair or a bold velvet one. Both options are comfortable and stylish. There are also mesh office chairs that are both breathable and comfortable. Whichever you choose, you want to make sure it’s one you can sit on for hours at a time.

If you experience back or shoulder pain after working from home for long periods of time, you can try an ergonomic chair. This type of chair has lumbar and neck support that adapts to your body, movement, and posture to keep you comfortable and supported throughout the day.

Bookcases to keep your home office organized
Bookcases are one of my favorite pieces of furniture and an essential piece of office equipment. They keep clutter under control as they hold your favorite collectibles, books, and other things you love to look at or need to use during the day. They’re also the perfect backdrop for a Zoom call, and they’re a great place to put a light or two for extra ambience.

If you have the space, I recommend adding a few bookcases. You can even do an entire wall and make your bookshelves look like they’re built-in. If you have a small room, you may want to opt for open bookcases without back paneling, just to create a more open look.

While the latest styles lean towards open shelves, there is a lot to be desired in having a few shelves or wood cabinets with doors too. You can tidy up clutter at the end of the day and stash them behind the door so that when you come in the next day, everything is clean and tidy. Some bookcases can be mounted on the wall above the desk so you have easy access, or you can have several bookcases of different sizes and line them up neatly on one wall.

desk cabinet
For more storage space and better organization, it’s a good idea to have a mounted cabinet or workspace organizer on your desk. They provide room for everything from pens to printers to documents, and a clean desk helps keep you productive during the day.

Filing cabinets are still a necessity
I can’t imagine life without filing cabinets and I believe they are a must for a home office. If you look at someone’s home office on Zoom, you might also see a filing cabinet in the corner.