According to Statista, in 2020 approximately 5.6 million people worked mainly from home in the United Kingdom, an increase of around 1.69 million people when compared with 1998. As a share of all workers in the United Kingdom the equivalent of 17.4 percent of the UK workforce, compared with 14.2 percent in 1998.
As we are on the brink of entering 2022, there seems to still be a vast number of people who are still working from home. Most companies are now requesting employees to work on a 'hybrid' basis, where they spend several days in the office and several days working from home.
This means that there is a massive demand for improving your home office environment. Working from your kitchen island was always a short-term solution but now working from home looks to be a permanent position, it may be worthwhile to transform your working space.
Here are our top tips on how to maximise your home office.
If you're anything like me, your home office space will feature lots of papers, post-it notes, books, ring binders, files, plastic sleeves, and many more. The list can be endless at times not to mention the incredible amount of stationery you've gathered over the years from meetings or finding them under the sofa cushion.
When designing your home office you need to think about how you work and what you would benefit from. Do you use pigeon-hole shelving, cupboards, filing drawers, drawers, wardrobes etc... You need to decide what would work for you best.
Having bespoke storage cabinets in your home office will de-clutter your workspace massively. Having all your documents and files away from the worktop is not only great to keep your partner happy but it will be better for your work efficiency. Having lots of papers and files everywhere is a big distraction and at the end of the working day, you will not feel as satisfied.
Another great benefit of having an organised office is the professional look. Sometimes it's easy when working from home to forget you need to look professional. The days of wearing suits to work are nearly over but in the world of video calls, it's so important for your home working space to look neat, tidy, and professional. This is especially important if you're interviewing for new jobs or even interviewing people.
This is one of the most important factors to getting organised. Similar to a kitchen, the goal is to keep the worktop in your home office as clear as possible of distractions. Any distraction can be the start of hours of procrastination. When designing your home office, try to keep dedicated workspaces for writing, computers, and filing for example.
A top tip would be to plan where you are putting your mobile phone, we would recommend a draw designed for stationary and your phone so you're not constantly distracted.
Your working environment can make a massive difference to your work life. You're at work usually for 9 plus hours per day, 5 days a week. That's over 40 hours per week so it's worth making sure the space is good for you and you're not 'making do'
There are lots of freestanding desks or off-the-shelf products you can buy, however, they are not designed for you and your needs. You are making adjustments to fit that product. For example, most office desks have a 600mm depth to the worktop. This is usually very little and if you have more than one computer screen you will quickly realise that it's a big problem which over time will annoy you. The best thing about bespoke furniture from Wharfedale Interiors is every item is bespoke to your needs.
In today's technology-heavy world, there are more gadgets, widgets, and computers more than ever. You can have the best home office and storage solutions but if you don't design or plan your cables, you're going to ruin your beautiful space.
Cable tidies, built-in plugs, pop-up sockets and wireless charging are just a few ways to untangle your cable life. The fewer cables you have on show, the happier you will be guaranteed!
This is our most important point. You are working hard for a reason. Your family, holidays, a new car, a new house etc... Whatever your motivation is, celebrate it and show it proudly in your home office. Photo frames are a great way to show your personality and loved ones perfectly. Many of our customers, choose to design medals and awards on a display cabinet or frame.
At Wharfedale, we can design around pretty much anything. In fact, we've just completed a home office space around award-winning lego builds!
Take a look at Wharfedale Interiors home offices to see what your bespoke envy-worthy home office could look like. Or contact the team here to start designing your bespoke home office design.
