How to Organize/Create a Home Office When Everyone’s At Home

Now more than ever, due to a thing called COVID19, a large majority of us are working from home and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. And, from what’s been widely reported in the news media, many companies have realized that this arrangement could very well become permanent. In addition, a lot of families have college-age kids that came home when the pandemic started and may be continuing their studies online at least through the end of the year. Not to mention younger children who for the time being will be learning virtually until decisions can be made as to when they can go back to school.

Did your home automatically become the office and school room rolled into one when this new normal started? As this continues on we may need to think about how we can more permanently create these spaces so we can have a more productive and pleasing environment.

Think outside the box, especially if you don’t have a lot of space to work with. Closets can function well as a home office, and you may find the added benefit of perhaps getting rid of items that you no longer need that were stored there. Taking the door off will give you more space, but if you don’t want to do that you can install a shelf to serve as a desk that will fit even if the door is closed. Additional shelves above the “desk” would work for storage. And, a file cabinet or two can serve as the base. If you choose to leave the door on you can find a stool to fit under the desk area, or perhaps you can move a larger chair into place from elsewhere in the room when you need it.
Many homes have space under the stairs. Oftentimes people use these little nooks and crannies as a place to read, or to display things. You could create a workspace in that area, using some of the ideas from the closet office above.
Turn a smaller bedroom or guest bedroom into an office by installing a fold-down desk, which will save space when the room is not functioning as an office. Rolling carts with storage underneath also work wonders as it could live next to the bed during sleeping hours, and then moved closer to the desk when you need to access it for files and supplies.
If you are blessed with a basement or attic space that has extra room then the possibilities are endless. If the basement is already finished you could carve out an area to serve as an office, one clever way would be to purchase screens to define the space, or perhaps use a bookcase, which would also serve double duty for storage. Just be sure that the place you choose is conducive to working, ie. even if you have space in the basement it might not work if that’s where the kids also watch t.v., unless the family can agree to a schedule of who does what when.
Home Schoolers. Families have been faced with the dilemma of the best place for children to learn in the home. Many times the dining room table becomes a makeshift classroom, which can work very well, especially if you’re organized about stowing school items away when it’s mealtime. Again, if you have room that can be set up exclusively as a classroom, the possibilities are limitless. One suggestion that I read was that a child’s bedroom should not be used for learning as you want them to have a delineation between learning and the place that they sleep and relax.