Working at home is a pretty wonderful thing with amazing benefits, like reduced transportation and wardrobe costs. And as the years go by, an increasing number of employers are getting comfortable with their workers doing their jobs on a remote basis. With all that in mind, you might be thinking about leaving your office job for greener, more freelance-flavored pastures to enjoy those perks, or working up the nerve to ask your boss if you can start working from home more often.
Either way, you need to make sure you have an awesome home office all set up. And who knows? The changes you make could
help boost the value of your home in a way that makes it more appealing to buyers should you decide to purchase a bigger house to accommodate your home office. Check out a few tips, courtesy of SmallBusiness.Report, that will help you build the perfect home office in just about any garage.
Use a Storage Unit for All Your Extra Stuff
If you’re considering converting your existing garage into an incredible home office, odds are there’s going to be a bit of overflow in terms of your existing stuff. All those mementos, seasonal decorations, and knick-knacks are going to have to go somewhere, and that dilemma can slow you down.
Your transition is a great opportunity to do some
decluttering, and MyDomaine points out you can donate some surplus things to local
charities or sell them for funds toward your project. For the keepers, you have another easy solution: simply rent a storage unit.
Storage units are surprisingly affordable, and you can find one nearby with a
quick search. Another option to consider is adding a
shed to your existing property. With extra belongings out of the way, it allows you to free up space for all that money-making productivity you’re about to enjoy in your brand new home office.
Go Green with Office Plants
Not enough can be said for how much a little bit of greenery can bring to a home office setting. When you’re building your own workspace at home, you have complete control over how it looks and feels, and WeWork points out some plants here and there can go a long way towards making just about any workspace a lot
more ideal.
Plants have been shown to do things like improve air quality, reduce illness frequency, and improve moods when they’re around. It’s no surprise, of course, that all those health benefits lead to an increase in productivity. The presence of plants can even increase the creative capacity of those nearby!
Get Lit and Make It Comfy
Light is very important when it comes to your
home-based workspace, but not every garage has ample natural light. If you don’t have an easy way to position yourself in proximity to some nice, natural light, you might want to look into lighting your garage workspace on your own.
Having a
well-lit workspace is incredibly important. Insufficient light can not only make it hard to work, but it might also be bad for your eyes, over time. Get plenty of floor lamps and ceiling-based lighting so that you can have a nice, well-lit workspace as you get stuff done on a day-to-day basis. And of course, a quality
desk lamp is a must!
Establish Business Essentials
Establishing a great space to work can be essential to your success. If you’re taking on this project while starting a new business, though, you need to think about a few other essentials. For one, you should choose your business structure and register with the state. This sounds difficult, but it’s actually easy if you go through an online service.
You also should create a practical budget and business plan. It’s common to think those things are just for big businesses, but they are critical for any venture. Your budget will help you ensure profitability, and a formal plan helps you identify goals and how to achieve them. It can also be useful if you need to apply for funding.
Creating your own workspace gives you an exciting amount of control over how you work. Not only can you work when you want, but you can work in exactly the type of environment that you prefer. By doing things like investing in solid lighting, using a storage unit to take care of your extra possessions, and providing yourself with plenty of plant life, you’ll be able to guarantee that you’re as productive as it gets, no matter what.