No matter what you do and how much you love your job, working from home is sometimes much better than working in an office. Commuting to and back from work can be really boring, tiring and time-consuming, especially when you don’t feel like getting out of bed in the morning, which is why more and more people are deciding to set up their office at home. Whether you’re a freelancer or work for a company with a really laid-back work policy, working from home is great; but in order to do that, you need to set up your own office space and make sure it’s just right. Home offices need to be motivating, inviting, visually appealing and, above all, professional, so here’s how you too can spice up your office this year and make it better than it’s ever been.

Words: Emma Joyce

Lots of light
If you want to do your best while working from home, you’re going to need an office that’s going to boost your productivity. One of the best ways to do that is by ensuring there’s lots of natural light and fresh air in your office all day every day.

This means keeping your windows open from the moment you start working until you’re done for the day is more than important, especially if you know that natural lighting is vital for any office space. If you notice you’re not getting enough of it, get some lamps in there as well, but be sure you’re using LED bulbs, which are more natural and efficient.

Keep it quiet
One of the problems of working from home – besides having your bed, your fridge and your TV just a few steps away – is controlling the level of noise. This is particularly hard if you have kids, and you can’t always keep them quiet while you’re working. That’s why you need to approach this problem from another angle and instead of minimizing the level of noise in the entire house, start minimizing it just in the office.

You can insulate your home office from within by using fiberglass and mineral wool, but don’t forget to soundproof the door and the air vents as well. If necessary, install those double-glazed windows too, and you’ll effectively minimize the level of outside noise, which will prove to be more than important in the long run.

Never-ending decluttering
Every office in the world has problems with clutter, and getting completely covered in piles of papers, documents, folders, and binders is actually easier than most of us think. The same goes for your home office, which is why you need to keep it clutter-free at all times, and the only way to do that is by constantly decluttering it.

Once you get the hang of this, you’ll probably be able to declutter your home office in a matter of minutes, giving it a nicer look and providing yourself with more workspace. Now you’re going to have room for all your necessities, from your valuable documents to your irreplaceable stationery from Winc online. Trust us, once you do that, you’ll feel more motivated than ever and ready to get on with your work.

Motivating décor
Another problem of working from home is separating yourself from your family – your partner may understand why you need to distance yourself in a separate room when you’re working, but your kids might not be as understanding. This can be hard at first, but you’ll all get the hang of it eventually, and separating your private life from your personal endeavours will become more natural. You don’t really have to go all in with this separation, though.

Decorating your home office with your kids’ paintings, drawings, and hand-written notes is arguably the best way to boost your motivation and continue working even when you don’t feel like it. Just find a way to display their art and start hanging it all over your office space, and you’ll feel your mood going up after just a moment or two.

Updating your office and spicing it up probably aren’t your most favourite things in the world, but this is what you need to do to keep your office motivating and fun. Find the ideas you like, adapt them to your own needs, and enjoy this space more than before.