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How to Make the Most of a Small Home Office

How to Make the Most of a Small Home Office

If you have a small home office, you might be looking for ways to make the most of what space you do have. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to make that happen. 

Use Folding Office Furniture 

Consider choosing foldable furniture, such as an office folding table or a foldable desk, for your home office. You can fold up your desk at the end of the day to free up office space.

Foldable furniture is an ideal solution if your home office is in a common area, such as a hallway or basement. You can fold up your furniture at the end of the night, so your kids and pets still have room to run and play.

It’s also a good option if your home office is situated in a spare bedroom that guests stay in from time to time. All you’ll need to do to prepare is fold up your desk, and ta-da! Your office will be ready for guests. 

Consider Multipurpose Desk Options

If you have a small home office, you might consider using another piece of furniture as your desk. For example, if you have a makeup vanity in your bedroom, it can also be used as a desk. A table or even a shelf mounted to the wall can work as a desk.

Make Sure Your Office Has Light

If you have a small office space, it can be challenging to make sure you’re getting enough natural light. Research shows that light plays a key role in our productivity, so it’s important to make sure your office has light. 
Don’t have natural light in your office? If moving to a room with better lighting isn’t an option, consider installing bright overhead lighting. Although you can use standing floor lamps, these take up unnecessary space.

Look for Multipurpose Storage Options

There are a number of ways you can make space for storage. Hanging shelves can be a great place to store pens, staples, and other home office supplies without taking up too much space. You might also consider furniture pieces that have hidden storage space, such as end tables or ottomans. 

Choose the Right Paint Colors

The right paint color can make your home office appear larger than it actually is. Light colors like white, blush, taupe, and gray can all make your room look bigger by allowing the light to bounce off the walls. These neutral tones may also make you feel more productive.

If the room has some natural lighting, choosing a dark color like navy can help make it appear larger. Dark shades help blur the lines between the edges of the room, adding to the illusion of a bigger room. 

Reduce Clutter 

Having a laundry basket in your home office may not seem like a big deal, but it can take up a lot of room if you’re already working with a small space. Be sure to reduce clutter, including everything from garbage to shoes.

This goes for furniture, too. If you have an armchair that’s taking up a lot of room in your home office, for example, consider moving it — or even getting rid of it altogether.

The goal should be to have as much open floor space as possible. Less clutter not only looks better. It can also help you feel more productive, too. 

A small home office can be challenging to work with, but there are ways you can maximize your space. In addition to making your office seem larger than it actually is, you can create a space that promotes productivity. 

About the author

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Steven Ly

Steven Ly is the Startup Program and Events Manager at TheNextHint Inc. She recruits rockstar startups for all TC events including Disrupt, meetups, Sessions, and more both domestically and internationally. Previously, she helped produce Dreamforce with Salesforce and Next '17 with Google. Prior to that, she was on the advertising teams at both Facebook and AdRoll, helping support advertisers in North America and helped grow those brands globally. Outside of work, Priya enjoys Flywheel, tacos, the 49ers, and adventuring around the globe.

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