Creating An Inspiring Home Office
The products in this post are c/o Social Print Studio.
Do any of my readers have home offices? Whether you work from home or just have a desk dedicated to bills and management of your personal finances or life events, it's important to feel a sense of order in these places. As someone who works from home, I must admit that using my desk/office area has been a bit of a struggle. The bed is warmer and cozier, and being able to just sit up after a night's sleep and hit the keyboard is convenient.
But...
It's not very good for me.
Someone please tell me you work from your bed too?! Please? So I don't feel like such a bum? Not only is it awful for my posture and generally just lazy, but it also breaches the boundary of use for our bed. The bed is a place for rest and is shared with the hottie I call husband, so to use it for work is a little unnecessary.
We don't currently have a room that is dedicated as my home office, but I've been in need of a place to comfortably do my work for some time. You've seen the renovation of our whole house over the course of this past year, yet somehow creating a home office got overlooked! For the new year, I decided I needed to tackle this problem and I've had get creative in making a portion of our master bedroom an office until we can perhaps transform one of our spare bedrooms into a joint space for both of us.
The thing is, this desk area doubles as a vanity for doing my hair and makeup, so it's important for me to be able to hide my beauty stuff so as to create a productive area for work. Over the last year, it's definitely felt like more of a vanity and less like a desk, but thanks to the help of Social Print Studio, I'm feeling so much more confident in using this area as my office! In fact, full disclosure, this is probably the first post I've ever written in its entirety at my desk and not elsewhere. Winning already!
When creating an inspiring home office for yourself (even in the confines of part of another room) there are a few helpful tips to keep in mind so it works for you specifically and will make you want to use it.
A proper desk for you
Though you may like the look of a minimal desk with no storage, will you find yourself in a disorganized pile of papers and odds and ends without a place to stow them away? Think about what you'd really need in a desk and what sorts of storage you might need for yourself. I don't personally have a lot of papers (I do everything electronically), but I need a couple drawers for my camera lenses, laptop sleeve, flash drives, and of course my makeup.
A comfortable, supportive chair
This seems like a given, but have you seen some of those office photos with bizarre, clear or oddly shaped chairs? Typical office chairs on wheels can be good in terms of support, but I was looking for something minimal, soft, and good for my posture. You might grimace looking at the white fabric, but it's a washable cover and it stays pristine. Figure out what sort of chair you'd most likely be able to spend several hours in and wouldn't leave you with a backache.
Decor that inspires
Do you have some favorite quotes or catchphrases that motivate and inspire you? Maybe even some photos that remind you why you do what you do? A candle that offers a refreshing scent? Images that give you a sense of peace or purpose? Put them somewhere prominent or in a place you might glance up to in between thoughts. This was a big one I had been missing, so I'm loving the wood prints from Social Print Studio. One with a Bible verse that reminds me to do what is good. As writer, it's a great reminder for me to put forth words that are truthful and pleasing to God. Another is a quote from Winston Churchill. Solid mix, am I right? God's Word and Winston Churchill - haha! Winston's words remind me to be brave and stand up for what I believe, even if it's something not everyone will agree with. Being brave in my writing is a personal struggle for me as we live in a world that's constantly offended. I don't want to be offensive, but I also don't want to always work with my tail between my legs. The truth takes courage. As for photos, I chose a wedding photo as a reminder of... well, need I say more? Tom is my number one fan, and I couldn't do what I do without him. The other photo, of me holding a vase of eucalyptus, was just a photo that brings me good thoughts and calms me when my mind goes off track. The wood prints I have are the smallest ones they offer (4x4), but they go all the way up to 16x20. Another bit of decor that I think adds a lot with a little, is some sort of plant life. Don't forget a candle (if that's your jam) to warm up your space and put off soothing scents. All of these pieces add not only to the aesthetic of an office, but they fit into our room and home with ease.
Organization
If your desk doesn't offer built-in storage, how about some bookshelves or stylish filing cabinets? Desktop storage also offers some good options when you need things at your fingertips. What about wall organization? Another one of my favorites from Social Print Studio are their wall calendars. Guys, their print quality is AMAZING and this calendar is not only visually stunning (with my choice of personal photos for each month), but it'll be perfect for me to fill out and be able to quickly glance over the month's schedule. It would go great next to a bulletin or chalk/white-erase board or some awesome floating shelves. If you're like me and sometimes need a more visual overview of your schedule, this calendar is the perfect addition to your office. For whatever reason, computer calendars don't always cut it for me and things get overlooked. Plus, the physical calendar just adds a great pop to my little space and makes me feel like I'm at work.
Healthy sustenance
When working from home, it's easy to grab the fastest, most unhealthy food choices. Chips, sugary granola bars, and soda. But by keeping a few healthy alternatives at your desk, you'll easily make better choices and keep yourself from wandering into the kitchen for something more. I try to maintain a healthy water intake every day, and this little glass pitcher is perfect for refills and looks pretty too. Also, what's easier than fruit?! Keep a little bowl of fruit or nuts near your office and the temptations for the bad stuff will diminish.
Good lighting
Isn't this an obvious one? Thankfully I get plenty of natural light in our house, but a good lamp is essential when that's not available. This one was a DIY project I had envisioned and my husband brought to life. Yet again, it fits in with not only my desk aesthetic, but the whole room.
Thanks to Social Print Studio for collaborating with me on this post. I've been a long-time customer and have ordered several of their products as gifts. You guys know I would never talk about or endorse a brand or product I didn't 100% love, and SPS is no exception. They are super responsive in terms of customer service and their products are truly great quality. Not to mention they make these great business cards I ordered several months ago. I leave them on tables and hand them out to business contacts I come across or potential clients - definitely recommend them.