Working From Home: How to Make Space for An Office in Your Apartment
August 20, 2021
Author: Park Property Management
We’re all too familiar now with the realities of working from home and for some of us, especially those of us living in apartments, it can be hard to designate a workspace when you’re living in a smaller space. That said, this doesn’t mean that the idea of transforming areas within your apartment to accommodate work-from-home is out of your reach. We’ve outlined a few ways in which you can incorporate a workspace into your apartment.
Separate Space Within Your Living Room or Bedroom
Maximizing use of space within an apartment can be difficult if you feel like you’re unclear on how to adjust the layout in a way that works without the room seeming cluttered. This can be easier than it sounds. Make use of spare wall space to indicate where you could create a small workspace that is separated either by furniture positioning, or a divider. You can find items such as dividers in most home goods stores for reasonable prices, and it can be just the thing to distinguish space within a room. Especially within an apartment!
Swap Out the Nightstand for a Desk
At first glance, this may not be an appealing thought to some people as many do not wish to incorporate their workspace into their bedroom, which we understand. But hear us out! Instead of a small nightstand next to your bed, a slightly larger table or desk can easily be multi-purpose and give you a bit more storage while also being the perfect, compact, work-from-home space. A desk – even a smaller one – not only provides more opportunities for storage but can also be multi-purpose. If you’re someone who enjoys reading or writing in your spare time, you can utilize this newly designated workspace for activities such as that as well.
Consider a Desk That Gives the Option of Standing
Standing desks are very popular right now whether you’re working from home or in an office. While they were certainly making an appearance in home office aesthetics prior to the pandemic, when we started spending more time at home last year the realization that an option to stand and work was one that really appealed to a larger number of people. Standing while working is good for your posture and can also improve your attention span if you’re someone who struggles with concentration when working from home (who doesn’t!). As well, most standing desks are height adjustable and will of course also give you the option to sit and work. It’s a highly appealing addition to any home workspace.
Floating Shelves Instead of Cabinets
Another home workspace trend we have seen emerge recently is the multi-purpose use of floating shelves. There are cost-conscious wall units that you can purchase that will span the length of a full wall in your apartment, which will allow you to easily setup (and easily put away if needed) a workspace within your home. The concept of floating shelves means that you would be able to store items below, therefore utilizing the space underneath without the room feeling overcluttered.
Be Conscious of Furniture Size
A common decision that results in loss of space in an apartment is the size of the furniture chosen. If you’re living in an apartment and especially if you want to have multi-purpose use of your space, too many pieces or very large pieces will make your space seem more cramped and overcrowded. To avoid this, when shopping for your home workspace, try to find sleeker pieces that you are drawn to, without too much weight to them and less use of padding. This will help you with arranging your room breaks without feeling as if you can’t move around because there is too much furniture.
In a previous blog we highlighted ‘5 Tips to Save Space In An Apartment.’ There are some additional concepts that may be of help to you when it comes to the functionality of your apartment, especially if you’re planning to carve out a designated workspace. If you’re interested in finding an apartment that will better accommodate the needs of your current lifestyle, you can browse our Park Property managed buildings here. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today if you have any questions. One of our team members will be more than happy to assist you.