I would like to address that in today’s blog.

It is much easier to work from home if you have a designated area to do so. With that being said, few of us are so lucky to have a whole separate room to devote to this, so we have to improvise!

If you are able to devote a room, that is ideal. Somewhere that you can close the door and focus, have all your necessary equipment readily available, and be comfortable for the duration of the workday.

A spare bedroom can be the perfect answer. Here at Bennett’s we have Cabinet Beds, which are a perfect addition. Most of the time it is a nice looking wooden cabinet (available in a variety of colours) that can hold a TV on the top, or books, a printer, etc. Then if company comes over, you can open it up to have a Queen sized bed!

What else will you need?

A desk, obviously. But think a little outside of the box. With many of us embracing a minimalist lifestyle, you don’t need a ton of drawers. A nice table will do. Somewhere to spread out your laptop and reference materials.

A comfortable chair is paramount. Don’t scrimp out on a quality chair. Your spine will thank you! Check out Stressless, the absolute best you can buy. Health is the new wealth. Take care of your body, friends!

You will also need proper lighting. A desk lamp with a USB plug would be perfect. Or, if table/desk space is at a premium, think a little outside the box again and use a floor lamp. An arc lamp can be positioned over the desk to illuminate your workspace. Proper lighting really helps to save your eyes from strain over time.

You will also need a few little things to make the space special. Some plants, a gorgeous piece of art, maybe a nice upholstered chair for reading in one corner? With our meetings, now more often than not, taking place via video chat, seriously consider what your “background” looks like. You can appear more professional and well put together with a great backdrop (even if you are wearing pajamas from the waist down!).

What if you don’t have a whole room to use? We get creative, friends! My personal home office is in our downstairs mud-room. I share space with a chest freezer and a water softener tank. Don’t “Ew” it yet! I purchased a semi-circle curtain rod that I hung from the ceiling in front of the water tank, salt tank, UV water treatment equipment, etc. One long curtain the same colour as the wall--- no one knows! I have a small area rug under my desk in the same tones, and shelves over the freezer. It is very functional and quite cute, if I do say so myself! Is there a space in your home you could repurpose? A large closet? Under the stairs? The attic or basement?

What if you live in an apartment and there are NO extra rooms? Here we also have solutions courtesy of Bennett’s. We have the Stressless chairs with an attached laptop table. We have bookshelves and consoles, so that you can keep all of your work related equipment and supplies in one spot. You CAN do it, it just takes some creativity. See our previous blogs for ideas on decorating small spaces and ask one of our Decorator Consultants for help.

One thing that I find paramount for productivity is to have your space clutter-free. I know, easy for me to say, I don’t have kids, right? That is why having a little office area is so important. When you are not visually distracted by clutter you will feel less stress. If you can’t get rid of it, at least hide it!

We’ve all done our best to cope with our new normal. Embrace the changes as opportunities. Take this chance to make a change in your home that will reap professional benefits for you as you work from home.