Revamp Your Home Office With These Simple Tricks

Written by Cora Gold

If you’re like many, you have spent much more time in your home office since the pandemic. When was the last time you upgraded it?

You don’t have to spend much money to considerably increase your workspace enjoyment. Best of all, you’re free from the official and unspoken rules governing many workplaces — you can be as quirky and individualistic as you like. 

What should you consider as the seasons change? Why not revamp your home office with these simple tricks? 

1. Bring the Outdoors In

Nature can soothe workday stress and even enhance your productivity. Research shows even looking at pictures of outdoor spaces has a positive effect, so imagine what a touch of the real thing will do. 

One way to do so is by adding houseplants. What if you don’t have a green thumb? You could go artificial. However, please be aware that only the real deal will improve indoor air quality and remove dust and mold. Plastic models introduce more allergens — and potentially VOCs — into the space. 

2. Let There Be Light 

Another way to invite the outdoors in is by allowing for ample natural light. Doing so helps boost your serotonin levels, warding off depression and keeping you more engaged in your daily tasks.

Start by taking down the blackout curtains. Did you hang them to block heat, not light? Consider a one-way window film that will do a more efficient job of banishing UV rays, protecting your furnishings and floor in the bargain. 

What if your home office is located in a repurposed walk-in closet? Hey, folks have had to get creative. In such a case, why not consider a skylight if you own your home? You can find solar tubes typically designed for bathrooms that fit between joists, making it possible for you to DIY this project with the right tools. 

Eventually, you’ll need to burn the midnight oil. However, a harsh overhead fluorescent is too reminiscent of a hospital. Instead, consider the following fixtures to light up your workspace and save yourself eyestrain: 

• Overhead track lights: You can direct these where you need illumination the most. 

• A desk lamp: Consider a banker’s style lamp to let you see detail when you need to crunch numbers. 

• A floor lamp: These can light your general space, making it look more inviting during Zoom meetings. 

3. Get Ergonomic

Comfort is paramount to enjoying your home office — make it a priority when revamping. Start with your chair. Go for the coziest and most glam model you can find, including an ottoman if circulation issues make it more convenient to prop up your feet. Ensure yours offers adequate lumbar support and lets you place your feet securely on the ground with your legs bent at 90 degrees. 

A traditional model isn’t your only seating alternative. Why not experiment with variable-height desks and inflatable exercise balls? While you need not stand or bounce all day, having the option gets you more movement, improving overall fitness while keeping you more alert and productive. Doing so may ease lower back pain, eliminating one source of distraction. 

Furthermore, ensure you can see your monitor. Consider using night light settings to cut the blue wavelength that gives some people headaches and upgrading to a separate, bigger model if your typical laptop screen leaves you squinting. 

4. Only You Touch That Dial 

You can put the ubiquitous cardigan that graced every in-office desk chair you had away at long last. Working from home means the end to the dreaded workplace thermostat wars. You ultimately decide what setting makes you feel most comfortable, although you might have to revamp your home office or the rooms around it to avoid an excessive power bill. 

For example, rooms atop garages often become colder than the rest of the house if the space below is uninsulated. Insulating your garage will keep your feet warm while you work and prevent you from roasting your spouse and children elsewhere in the home to prevent your home office from becoming an icebox. 

Likewise, basements can get cold and damp. Fortunately, today’s space heaters are safer than ever, although you should still unplug them when leaving the room. 

5. Add a Bit of Fun and Whimsy

There’s an episode of “Criminal Minds” where the flamboyant Penelope Garcia finds her style cramped by restrictions on how many personal items she may keep on her desk. Telecommuting means you’re free of such capricious guidelines — revamp your home office by adding touches of fun and whimsy. 

If you live for hoops, what’s to stop you from mounting a basketball net above the trash can? Perhaps you prefer golf — why not buy a small indoor putting green for brain breaks? 

Likewise, you can bid adios to the lingering scent of your colleagues’ microwaved salmon leftovers. Consider a fun aromatherapy device with a few drops of one of these fragrances

• Citrus: Lemon and bitter orange uplift and energize you. 

• Lavender: This herb helps calm excess stress. 

• Eucalyptus: This plant’s aroma may stimulate your immune system.

Make Yourself at Home in Your Office 

You aren’t alone if you are a permanent telecommuter. Have you updated your workspace to reflect your new reality? You don’t need to spend a lot to enhance the space where you spend a significant portion of your day and make it truly your own.