Having a separate place to go to play bills, organize papers and conduct business at home can really be helpful. If you happen to work at home, too, then a home office is essential.
Go beyond a basic functioning space to one that feels warm and good to be in. A sweet home office will not only have you looking forward to using it, but will also increase your productivity, when you can find exactly what you need exactly when you need it.
The first thing you should do when setting up a home office is to take how you work into consideration. Do you need easy access to a lot of different things, or are your supplies pretty compact. Someone who crafts may want a series of open cubbies, while a writer like me can be content with a few shelves for reference books and a drawer or two for pens, pencils and pads or notebooks.
Next, you’ll need to pay attention to lighting. You may need some direct task lighting of course, but consider other lighting options as add ons. Since lighting can alter your mood, why not have some lights on dimmers? This way you can go from a lot of light for work or a cozy glow, depending on your needs at the time. This is especially good for home office spaces that are in a main part of the house or that have to share a space.
Make good use of your space by thinking vertically and using your wall space to the best you can. Maximizing wall space can reduce clutter in your home office and give your more function in a smaller space. You can use shelves, cubbies, file holders, or whatever else works for you.
To make your supplies come together, find ways to unite them by color or style. Cover notebooks or binders in pretty fabric, for example, to help them match together. Group multiples of objects together to keep them looking orderly (and to be able to find them easily).