How To Create A Work From Home Office Space

When we all started this stay at home life in March, it felt like it was going to be fun. Almost like when we were kids and camping out in our own backyard, but then the reality set in. Majority of the time I would be teaching over 100 students or having multiple staff meetings daily while my toddler was running around in only a diaper and my house looked like an atomic bomb went off. 

These last nine months have taught us all that we need to give each other grace, but that doesn't mean that it is any less overwhelming trying to work from home and balance it all. Figuring out a space, no matter how small, will help you get into that work mindset and give the impression that you are in an office. Here are some ways that I have found to bring the office to you:

1. Find yourself a corner: 

No matter how big or where it is your house, find yourself a corner that you can set up shop. Preferably a place with a door but if not, somewhere that you can have a little bit of quiet. We turned our office into a second nursery, so I set up my workspace in our guest bedroom. This seemed like the best option, because it isn’t used often and I was able to shut the noise out. We moved the bed to make space where it wouldn’t be seen on camera and divided the space to make it feel like two separate areas. 

2. Put down a rug: 

On the note of two separate areas, laying down a rug will help to divide your area and help you feel like it is your own space. Rugs are great ways to make rooms flow but also give the signal that it is a different space. You will want to choose colors that will go with the rest of the room to make it feel separate, but together.

3. Face your workspace towards a wall:

This may seem like a no brainer to everyone but me. When I began working from home, I would work in our dining room, which faced directly into our living room. Majority of the time cartoons would be playing in the background or toys would be all over the place. Facing the space towards a wall helped fix this. I didn’t have to worry about people seeing into my home and I was able to control what they saw. I decorated it with things that I loved and showed off my personality. I added some of our floating shelves and would change up the decor whenever I felt like it. 

4. Even if no one else can see it, find ways to stay organized

Bins, baskets, rolling carts and shelves are great ways to keep yourself organized in your office space.  Tidying up the space everyday before I called it quits helped me feel like I was actually done for the day and clocking out. I would also leave my laptop upstairs. It was important for me to find boundaries between my work and my home life. 

I needed a space that had a clean backdrop and made my colleagues (and myself) believe that I was doing just fine. Once I created this little slice of heaven, I felt so much more productive and it helped me to get into work mode. Mainly because I wasn’t staring at a laundry basket I needed to fold. I don’t believe working from home is going anywhere. It seems that more and more employers are realizing that jobs can be done remotely and that we are superheroes that can balance home, work and do it all in style! What are some tips and tricks you have done to make your home more conducive to work from home?