The decision to work from home means that you’re going to need a professional space to set up your virtual connections. Make sure that this space is easy to organize with custom home office cabinetry, private, and well-lit so your clients and co-workers can see you in a professional setting, no matter where you’re located.
Home Office Lighting
Make sure that you’re well-lit from all directions so that when the Zoom meeting launches, your face is well-balanced. Try to set up a background that is both tidy and interesting. If you have a bookcase behind you, make sure things are organized and professional. If you have any artistic objects behind you, make sure they’re dusted and looking their best.
Home Office Cabinetry
Don’t use your desktop as a storage area for anything other than what you’re working on right now. Have a “pending” basket and a “to be filed” basket. Make space for a notebook and a pen, and do invest in a corkboard where you can pin important notes and ideas.
For long-term storage needs, consider installing home office cabinetry to make long-term storage easier. You’ll want display shelves for awards and photos, but make sure to also invest in cabinets with heavy-duty drawer glides so you can easily store and retrieve heavy items, such as reams of paper. If your printer will be sitting on a slide-out, spend the money to get something rated for more weight than you need; if cheap glides fail, you’ll have to take everything apart to move the printer.
Chair
A good-quality chair is critical for your home office. You’ll spend quite a bit of time in this chair, so it needs to
- fully support your weight, so it can roll easily
- give you enough cushion to protect your hips and lower back
- be the right height for your legs and feet
Leaving your feet dangling all day, is miserable, as is being folded into a too-short chair. If you can get a sit/stand desk in addition to your custom home office cabinetry, make the investment to protect your health. Standing is healthier than sitting, and the ability to pace and move your body can promote creativity.
The Desk
Whether you choose to build a DIY desk, invest in a table that can serve multiple purposes, or use an antique from your grandfather’s office, make sure that your desk is a good working height for you. It can be wonderful to have a piece of family history in your office, but if it’s too big or too low, you’re going to have a sore back or possibly sore knees.
Additionally, a heavy heirloom desk can really limit your decorating options; it will probably only fit in one space and once it’s there, it will be really hard to move. A properly sized table with a sturdy file cabinet under it can be an excellent start as you work out the right design for your home office space.
Power
Determine where you want your power strip and affix it to a shelf or under your desk somewhere. In addition to the power strip, it’s a good idea to invest in a power brick that offers USB plugs for charging your phone and other smaller electronics. Do your best to have one cord access point from the desktop down to the power strip. Use Velcro wraps to bind cables together to keep things orderly. Keep the wraps loose, at least in the early stages, until you know your cable runs will work.
Your home office and home office cabinetry can reflect your professionalism and creativity while matching the decor of your space. Choose cabinets and furniture that could work in any room.
