One of the perks of owning a small business is the ability to make your office look as little like a cubicle as possible. Your workspace should be well organized and designed to keep you motivated and inspired. Unfortunately, your dream office goals won’t always align with your space or budget. However, with a little creativity, you can create a workspace that meets your needs.
Here are some innovative home office solutions to get you started.
Rent or Buy a Storage Container
In recent years, people have been using storage containers as office buildings, tiny homes, and even garages. They serve the same purpose as outbuildings without the associated costs of construction and maintenance. For example, you can rent storage containers in Fayetteville for between $75-100 per month, depending on your needs, which is the industry standard price-wise.
You can decorate the interior of the space as you see fit, without violating the terms of your rental contract. In addition to being an affordable, innovative solution, you add a degree of separation between your house and your business. This aspect is important for small business owners who often get distracted by responsibilities at home when they should be working.
Use a Closet
Using a closet doesn’t mean shutting yourself in a dark, windowless room to get work done. If you have a closet that doesn’t get used, you can remove the doors and create a small, built-in workspace. Instead of having a bulky desk that takes up space, get creative with a shelving system to build a recessed nook where you can store your computer and important documents. While home storage can be a challenge on the best of days, most people can afford to sacrifice a linen closet and get creative with alternatives.
Get a Flip Down Work Surface
If you can’t afford to sacrifice a linen closet to create a working nook, consider creating a workspace you can put away when you’re done. Attach a flat board to the wall with hinges, so that you can flip it down and up as needed. Tie the addition to your decor, or get creative and incorporate a piece of art or photography on the bottom side of your storable desk. Install this piece in a quiet corner of your home, near a cupboard or filing cabinet you can use to store your documents.
Go Nomadic
While having a designated workspace can be beneficial, many entrepreneurs and small business owners prefer to go without. Not only can taking a nomadic approach reduce your clutter at home, it can be a source of inspiration and motivate you to put on adult clothes and get moving.
Spend a couple of days a week working at a local coffee shop or internet cafe. Enjoy the silence at the nearby library. Set your phone as an internet hotspot and spend sunny days working from the local park or beach. Just remember to designate a storage space at home to keep your contracts, receipts, and tax paperwork.
Create a Standing Workspace
More people are opting to use a standing desk rather than sitting all day. Doing this in your home eliminates the need for a bulky office chair or leg room for sitting. Add a shelf under a window, where you can get some natural light while getting work done. Clear a space on one of your bookshelves at a height where you can work comfortably or purchase a pub-style table that fits nicely in a corner.
When it comes to creating a workspace at home, you are limited only by your creativity, which as a business owner and hustler, shouldn’t be a problem at all.
