More companies hire remote workers today making an affordable home office space more important. Working from home is truly amazing as it is cheaper in terms of travel and rent, there are no dress codes and the best part – wake up whenever you want! All you have to do is turn the guest room into an office space! While most people believe that creating a stylish home office while on a budget is difficult, it is far from the truth. Not everyone needs to have a big budget in order to create a stylish home office. Here are a few tips on how you can turn some wasted space into an efficient and budget-friendly stay-at-home office!
Define Your Affordable Home Office Space
Having a guest room or any room to spare in your house will simplify this problem. The key to getting the most out of the space that you have is to be willing to make use of any space that you have regardless of whether it is a closet, a stair landing or even the corner of the living room that remains unused. Whichever space you have in mind, be sure that it can be dedicated as a home office space. Having to change diapers while doing important office paperwork will not exactly make you productive or work effectively. This is why it is crucial to have an affordable home office space that is dedicated to your work and nothing else.
Plan Efficiently
While most people have the tendency to claim to plan while they work in the name of ‘working smart, this simply will not do. It may be tempting to move everything around in order to get the space that you require for the office. However, it is highly recommended that you take some time to actually measure the space available and create an efficient floor plan regardless of how small it may be. Take into account the furniture that you possess as well as the space that the furniture takes and then think carefully about how you want to proceed. Be efficient in the planning and you will definitely be efficient in your work as well. Rest assured that the result will be satisfactory when you carefully plan things out.
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Become a Do It Yourself Expert
Doing things yourself will save you a ton load of money. Since you are making use of unused home space, chances are that the walls will not serve to be too big. Thus, painting it yourself instead of hiring a laborer can save you some money. Always paint the office space with a neutral yet calming color as it makes for a great stress releaser. If you still don’t feel confident in painting it yourself, remember that most of the space will be covered in furniture anyway! Just draw a border around the areas that need to be painted and paint away. Awaken the Leonardo Da Vinci within you! If you are still not convinced, then you could just buy some wallpaper instead! Remember though, neutral tones!
Not a Green Thumb? Invest in Artificial Foliage
There is nothing that can make for a more attractive and yet work engaging atmosphere than a few artificial plants. Some privacy hedges or boxwood hedges in and around the office space can make it look pretty unique! The plus side is that these hedge bushes will not burn a huge hole in your wallet. Ornamental trees and shrubs also make the place look great and so if you are into that stuff, boxwood topiary and other artificial topiary trees are great options. One of the greatest advantages of artificial foliage is that they do not require as much time and energy as natural plants. In fact, these work well even with limited resources as they do not require a lot of tending. In addition, the lush greenery effect will make you naturally more productive and yet not require huge amounts of money.
Be Willing to Use Used Furniture
When going for an affordable home office, one must be willing to make some sacrifices. So always be willing to take used furniture. Find some offices that are renovating or visit a quality hotel that redecorates every 5 years. You could get some used chairs and desks for a cheap price. Your own office may have some spare furniture that you can take home. Go to your neighbors and ask around if someone is planning on getting rid of their furniture. Either way, when buying furniture, make sure that you have done enough research and you know the dimensions and measurements of the workspace. Moreover, be sure that you buy only professional looking furniture and not just some random stuff.
Look for Bargains
You will be surprised at the stuff that you can find at flea markets and garage sales. Furniture like desks or bookshelves can be attained at affordable prices in consignment shops or thrift stores. In fact, these may be exactly the right places to shop at for your affordable home office. Just be sure to clean the items well and sand them and maybe even repaint them to ensure that they look good enough to showcase in your office especially if your business involves a lot of clients. However, if you do not want any used furniture then be sure to keep an eye out for sales online to get cheap and yet professional looking furniture.
Swap With Friends
Trading and the barter system have been efficient since ancient times. The time now can be no different especially if you are looking to save a few bucks. Be willing to trade some furniture pieces with your friends. Perhaps you own a dining room that is too big and is taking too much of space, you could just trade it off for an office desk. Consider swapping other pieces of furniture as well. After all, what you have to lose has everything to do with what you gain!
In conclusion, you may not always get the best ideas for office spaces and you may not like all the ideas involving second-hand furniture but these are some sacrifices that you may have to make in order to get a stylish and budget-friendly office. You c also keep your eye out for other ideas online on how to efficiently decorate your home office at cheap rates.
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