Whether you work from home full-time, spend your off hours working on your startup idea, or simply need a space for your personal management, having an office in your home can help you carve out a space dedicated to getting things done. However, this is easier said than done when you’re dealing with limited room or unique spaces. From repurposing areas of your home to seemingly creating space out of thin air, Unpakt has you covered with three creative ways to make space for a home office.
1. The Closet Computer Nook
Whether you have a guest bedroom competing with a need for a home office, a small one bedroom apartment with an underutilized hall closet or have simply run out of actual rooms to use, repurposing a closet as a home office can be a great way to carve out dedicated office space without having to change the way you primarily use your home.
Depending on the size of your closet, you may want to consider removing the doors altogether. If you have any carpentry skills (or a friend with them!), they will definitely come in handy here, but they aren’t necessary–you can always go to a local home improvement store and have them cut pieces for you. The simplest version of a closet computer nook includes running a single piece of wood (or similar material) across the full length of the space. By framing it out underneath, you can lay the desktop in easily.
From there you can scale to add additional shelves, drawers, cork boards and more. Check out modular furniture (such as IKEA) or affordable, chic office decor sections of discount stores (such as Target) to get any additional items you need to outfit your space. For privacy when not in use, consider using a tension rod and curtains to close off the space.
2. The Rolling Office Cart
If you’re used to working on your laptop and moving freely around the house, you may not need a stationary office space. It may not even be a good fit for you. But if you occasionally lament the lack of a centralized place to store your “office-related” materials, you may want to consider a rolling office cart to make space for a home office. Similar to the idea of a rolling kitchen cart, a rolling office cart contains drawers or file folders, places to keep materials, and even an expandable desktop should you need one.
Some of the best and most functional rolling office carts are a bit of a DIY project because you’ll want to customize the cart to your needs and space requirements. Consider starting with a set of rolling drawers and then added the right size table top (or folding table top), magnetic areas or whiteboards, or even sets of hanging files and folders to complete your needs. You can even attach a power strip with an extended power cord, allowing you to plug your office cart into a single outlet for power when you need it.
3. The Corner Office Area
We all dream of a corner office one day–but in the case of a home office, the corner office is often highly forgotten. And yet, when many people consider the available spaces in their home, they often immediately think about all the space lost in the corners (and the dust bunnies, but we aren’t judging). Lucky for you, this is the perfect space for a corner office and the one least in need of any DIY skills. Why not DIY? Well, of course, you could build your own corner office–but the workstation market has already carved out quite a robust offering of various corner office inspired desks and work areas.
Translation: All you have to do is search for corner desks and an array of options should be immediately available to be delivered directly to your home. Measure your space, consider your needs and then get to it! Do you have a creative way you make space for a home office you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments!
