Since you’re reading this, you’re likely not that scared of turning your bedroom into an office. Most folks would rather separate the two (if possible). Now, of course, you might not have a choice. Maybe the whole thing about turning your bedroom into an office space is a necessity. Well, whatever it is, we nevertheless got a lot to talk about today!
So, what’s the deal with the whole home-office craze that swept the world? Nothing. Except for the fact that the going-back-to-regular-office-work plan didn’t quite work out. Also, many folks find it easier to work from the comfort of their homes (especially if they’re pregnant). Without further ado, let’s see the 9 ways to turn your bedroom into an office!
Ready to begin?
Why is a designated office space inside your home so important?
Okay, so we’ve already implied there needs to be a distinction between a home and an office. There are good reasons why that’s so. Here we’ll try to mention most of them:
- A home office keeps you more focused & productive. By making a distraction-free environment, you’ll guarantee that your productivity rarely drops. Imagine having to work in your kitchen while the folks you’re living with are there. It isn’t that hard to imagine you’d have a bad time trying to concentrate. Instead, earn like a pro inside your home office.
- You’ve got the freedom to design it yourself. There’s no else to tell you whether this or that addition to your office is alright. However, there are some suggestions you might want to follow. Just so you don’t end up creating an atmosphere full of various distractions.
- What about work/life balance? Yes, it’s very important that you create a physical barrier between your home life and work. You won’t ever endure a rather unfortunate experience of mistaking one for the other.
- If you’ve got children, they can study in your home office while you’re off. Everyone can benefit from the piece and quiet of your home office.
- Lastly, by adding a home office – you enhance the sale value of your home. Nowadays, buying a home that has a designated home office is a big plus. Buyers will pay extra just so they don’t have to deal with it themselves.
Okay, that’s about it for the advantages of separating your home and office space. Let’s tackle the main subject for today and see how you can turn your bedroom into an office space! Oh, and if you’re wondering about the advantages of remote work itself, follow the highlighted text.
9 Ways to turn your bedroom into an office space
Without further ado, let’s see how you’re able to turn your bedroom into a home office!
#1 Add floating shelves
We’re guessing that most of your bedroom floor space is used up by the bed. That’s why you’ll want to focus on the free wall space you’ve got. And where there’s free wall space, there should be floating shelves. Simple as that!
Okay, let’s be serious. Floating shelves are a perfect addition to your bedroom-turned-home-office. You can use them to store various work files and books. Also, you can make them stylish and add a bit of color to the room. You want your working space to be stimulative!
All in all: instead of bulky cabinets and drawers, opt for floating shelves. They don’t take up any floor space.
#2 Do away with the carpeting
Got carpets in your bedroom? Well, you might want to think about kicking them out. Okay, that sounds a bit too harsh, but here’s the thing:
- Your rolling office chair will most probably do some damage to your carpeting. Also, you won’t be able to move so freely.
See? It’s not like we’ve got something against carpets, it’s plain ol’ practical reasoning. So, yeah, think about it.
#3 Separate the bedroom workspace
This might be a bit hard depending, of course, on the size of your bedroom. Still, you should find a way to separate the working and sleeping areas. A clear distinction between the two is, by all means, necessary.
So, how should one go about this? Well, you can do this in a couple of ways. For instance, you can install a room divider or screen to separate the two. If you’re on the lookout for a budget version – hang a plain sheet. Also, you can paint your home office corner in a different color.
All in all: you got to keep ’em separated! As the 90s punk icons Offspring would say.
#4 Increase productivity by adding plants
Did you know that adding plants to an office enhances employee productivity? Now that you do, there’s nothing stopping you from adding some green to your bedroom office. Not only does it increase productivity, but the color green rests the eyes. Once you’re done with work, you won’t feel like someone drained the life out of you.
We’ve heard stories of folks being able to do twice as many surveys once they’ve added plants to their office. If you want to try out the same, feel free to sign up here. Oh, and since we’re on the topic of going green, here’s another advantage to working from home:
- no commute equals no emissions.
Now that we’ve emphasized that one, let’s move on!
#5 The illusion of separated space, anyone?
This might seem like a natural continuation of the separate-the-two paragraph. Anyway, there’s a way you can create an illusion of separated space. We’re talking about adjusting your bed level.
Here’s the thing: you can try to make the bed at a different level from your desk & chair combo. Play around until you get it right. That way, you’ll create an illusion of separated space without much hassle. Such an illusion is a necessity, trust us.
#6 Think about bedroom office lighting
Needless to say, one must think about bedroom office lighting. You’ll want to make use of natural light as much as possible. Dark spaces cause eye strain, and that’s obviously not good. Also, natural light enhances productivity.
In short, you want to place your working desk next to a window. If that’s not possible, use a mirror to direct natural light.
#7 Opt for multipurpose furniture
We’ve already implied that most folks don’t have spacey bedrooms. Therefore, we guess you’re not one of the lucky ones. Also, sorry if we’re wrong. Anyway, you try to use as much space as possible by opting for multipurpose furniture. For instance, you use your desk as a bedside table.
Okay, we get it. This isn’t exactly following the whole separate-the-two narrative. Still, once space becomes an issue, you have to find a way to deal with it. So, yeah, see if you can find furniture you can use in both contexts.
#8 Invest in a storage bed
A storage bed might be the best example of what we’d call a multipurpose piece of furniture. In other words, we’re talking about a space-saving bed inside your bedroom office. There are many options to choose from. For instance, you can opt for a divan bed with built-in drawers. Or, you might want to opt for an ottoman bed with storage underneath the mattress.
Our suggestion is that you choose the one with drawers. That is if you store work-related stuff inside your bed. You’ll need to guarantee that it’s easily accessible.
#9 Make your bed in the morning
It is not our intention to sound just like your parents, but still… Yeah, the first thing you’ll want to do in the morning is to make your bed. It’s a proven method for a successful start to a working day. You’ll greet the day that’s ahead in a positive manner. Needless to say, you’ll feel more productive and ready to handle various tasks.
In short, this will provide you with a tiny sense of achievement. However, it’s big enough to keep you motivated throughout the working day.
Other tips on working directly from your bedroom
Now that we’ve shown you how to create your bedroom office, here are some related tips:
- Declutter your bedroom office. Make sure that your working area is completely free of clutter.
- Do away with distractions. Distractions are a NO-NO. For instance, if you have pets – make sure that their spot is out of your range. For more tips on handling remote work with pets, follow the link.
- Scan work documents onto your PC. Do away with all that paper documentation piling up in your bedroom.
- Grab hold of a comfy chair. Since you’ll be spending a lot of time seated, this one’s only natural. \
- Design an attractive background. Once you’re in a conference meeting, you want an attractive backdrop behind you.
Guess that’s about it for now!
Final words on the subject of how to turn a bedroom into an office
Okay, there you have it, folks! These were some suggestions on how to turn a bedroom into an office. Hopefully, you won’t wait long before you implement any of the mentioned tips. As you could’ve read, you’re not that far away from creating an ideal workstation inside your bedroom. That being said, what’s keeping you from kick-starting your bedroom makeover adventure?
For more tips on working from home, please click right here.