thelittlehomeblog - Working in our Homes

WRITTEN BY DANIELLE FREEMAN

The biggest shift...

I think there are two types of people that exist. One has found the biggest joy from working in their own home, the comfortable slouch at a dining table or make shift office desk. The alarm that goes off at 8.54am that brings a 9am start to the day at work. The washing that goes on during the lunch hour. The quick visit from a friend for coffee. The pets that gaze contentedly up at their owners eyes enjoying their unlimited company... The other type misses the buzz and friendliness of colleagues and banter. Each turn for rounds of teas and coffees. A commute that offers the separation between work and play. A place that you still label 'home'.

The shift we've seen over the last year to make our homes the workplaces we never intended them to be, has meant that now I have more job enquiries than ever to add a home office to a renovation project or home extension.

To get the space right is harder than you think.

Usually, any house can add an area for a small desk with space to add a laptop or keyboard, a mouse and maybe another screen. A desk is more suitably than simply sitting in front of the TV with a laptop, and much better for your overall posture and can prevent back and neck strain.

• Eye-level screen

• Straight back don't slump

• Invest in a good quality chair

• Give yourself room on the desk, bin clutter

• Get up and move regularly - our bodies are made for movement

Even the smallest house....

A luxury, custom built office in the garden, a loft conversion with private balcony or a spare room, everyone has a budget. Don't worry if you think you may not have enough space, with a little creativity and imagination, anyone can work anywhere. If you don't have a room dedicated solely for a secluded and private work station then these ideas will help inspire you to make any space fit the bill.

A little jiggle...

Time to move some furniture. Remember to balance the room, and create 'zones' rather than a room for one activity. If you watch TV and eat dinner in your lounge, then make your dining table dual purpose with clever tidy-away storage for laptops, keyboards and files. A wall mounted desk or shelf will help keep furniture off the floors and give the illusion of more space. A fold away table can hide itself in the cupboard under the stairs or behind the larder door. Even that cupboard under the stairs is starting to look like it has den like qualities... The key to remember is to keep it simple. Do all your files from the last 6 years need to be boxed alongside you? Do you need a drawer full of stationary? Is that 12 inch hole punch used everyday? The greatest projects always start with a good declutter. Scale back items you need around you. This will help to make your new work space clean and inviting.

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking.

Don't settle."

STEVE JOBS

Here's how to make working from home great. Make the space you work out fabulous. Make it invigorating. If its the corner of dining room or a desk on the landing, make it sing. Let it be the place you don't mind being for a few hours and keep distractions, like the TV, off. If you have the luxury of a utility room but now find its sharing space with a white board and a printer, embrace the two and select storage and décor that combines the two. Sometimes its worth investing in bespoke cabinets or hiring the professional services of a carpenter to blend cabinets into seamless storage.

A final word for the soul

We have never been given a greater time to reflect on our lives and decide what's important. Your job is what gives you purpose. Its a role. Maybe one of many. Many of us will have a working life of over 50 years so make it a gift to your soul to do something you love.