A little while ago, we published a blog article that touched on decluttering your home office to boost productivity. Now, nearly 40% of Americans are working entirely from home due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, and that message has become more important than ever. As many workers plan to continue doing so even after it becomes safe to return to offices, optimizing your home office with better cabinetry for storage—and good looks in the background of your video meetings—has become a priority for many workers.
Whether you work from home occasionally or full-time, having a well-organized office space is critical. Ideally, the home office space should be secluded from distractions, well lit, and decorated to promote creativity. You also want a space that’s clear of clutter, comfortable, and that contains stylish furniture and classic wooden cabinetry. With these elements, any home office—no matter how small—can be a place for great productivity.
Separating Work and Personal Life with a Home Office
One of the biggest challenges everyone faces, no matter where they work, is keeping work and personal life separate—in other words, being able to turn work off so you can enjoy time at home with family. This challenge is even harder when you work from home, which is why having a dedicated space for work is so important.
Having a space that you only use when working means that when you leave that space, you have left the office and turned work off for the day. Also, to reduce distractions, the home office space should be located away from the activities of others in the home.
Home Office Basic Essentials
Whether that space is a corner of the laundry room or a full spare bedroom, lighting matters. Make sure the room is well lit so you can see computer monitors and documents without eyestrain. Being in a room that also has natural lighting is ideal and boosts creativity.
At the very least, every home office will need a desk and chair. Sitting at a table for eight hours each day could soon lead to neck, back, and wrist strain if the keyboard, mouse, and monitors are not placed ergonomically. Invest in an office desk and chair to ensure proper posture and comfort. The more comfortable you are, the more productive you can be.
Decorating for Success
A room’s décor can dramatically influence not only mood but also productivity. A dark room or one that is overly filled with knickknacks and mismatched items is uninviting and visually distracting. A home office space should be inviting so that you enjoy being there. It should be a space where you see only those items that help you stay in a creative and focused mindset.
Because the home office is a space where you will spend the majority of your day when you are working, make it a space that reflects your personal preferences. Paint the walls a fresh color, add an area rug for warmth, put up a few pictures that inspire, add some air-purifying houseplants, and include a chair for reading when you don’t have to be in front of the computer.
Now that COVID-19 has everyone participating in virtual meetings, everyone’s home office is on display. So, make sure your home office is camera-ready and professional. When decorating, be mindful of what your space could say about you to coworkers and potential clients.
Keeping Home Offices Organized
When home offices don’t have filing cabinets, closets, or storage cabinets, staying organized is challenging. It becomes too easy to lose a copy of an important report or file. Whether you are new to working from home or you’ve been doing it for years, it is essential to have a system for storing and organizing office documents, supplies, and equipment.
For documents, having a small filing cabinet is essential. When it comes to storing office supplies and equipment, cabinetry is ideal. Not only do cabinets help keep important materials and equipment out of sight when not in use, but also cabinets keep those items safe from children who may enter the home office space.
By keeping things out of sight, cabinets also help you to stay focused on the task in front of you. Being able to remove items from your desk opens that surface space. Working at a clutter-free desk boosts clarity of thought and creativity.
Why Wood Cabinets are Best for Reducing Stress
Wood cabinets are much more professional in appearance than plastic or metal ones. When most meetings are now virtual, and everyone can see your office, the more professional it looks, the better.
But that’s not the only reason office cabinet wood is recommended versus other materials. Recent studies have found that wooden furniture makes a room more inviting. Researchers believe that our inherent connection to nature leads us to feel more comfortable surrounded by wood.
Other studies have also shown that touching wooden surfaces, like desks and cabinets, reduces stress compared with touching metal or plastic surfaces that raised stress levels. Work can be stressful enough. Adding wooden office cabinets can help make working from home less stressful while also boosting productivity.
Looking for the Best Wood Office Cabinet Manufacturers?
When you want to get the most out of your home office space and are considering adding wooden cabinets, consult with our cabinetry experts at Red Rose Cabinetry. No matter how large or small your home office space is, we have just what you need to make it complete.
To learn more about the benefits of adding cabinetry to your home office, contact us today or visit our showroom in Lititz.
