A few years ago, home office design was not a big topic of discussion when it came to building or redesigning a home. But today, with more people working from home than ever before, home office design has become a focal point in a growing number of home design and renovation projects.
Whether you’re going to be working from home permanently, part time or even just temporarily, it’s important that you carve out a space for you to get work done. For those of you that have lived it, you know how distracting it can be to try and tackle a full workday from your couch, kitchen table or bedroom. Taking the time to create an organized, highly functional workspace in your house is extremely beneficial in the long run for a number of reasons.
Good Home Office Design Can:
- Increase work productivity
- Improve focus
- Help with procrastination
- Reduce stress
- Eliminate distractions
- Boost mood
- Enhance comfort
- Protect against germs
- Enhance creative thinking
- Help you to make better snack/food choices
- And more
Whether you’re starting a new home office design or you have an existing workspace that could use some improvements, we’ve compiled some tips to help you make the most of your space, and your work day.
Tips for Designing a High Functioning Home Office
The best home office designs not only look nice, but can also help you get your work done more efficiently. A little workspace planning can really help make your work day run smoother, day in and day out. Here at Docking Drawer, we have the innovative electrical products and ideas to help you achieve the organized and functional home office of your dreams.
1. Choose a designated home office area.
This can be anything from a full spare bedroom to a desk you place along an empty wall. The key is to pick a space that you can come to work at each day, helping you to develop a routine. When you’re in this space, both you and (hopefully) your family know that you are on the clock, so to speak. If possible, try to create your home workspace in a room or space that isn’t a high traffic area.
2. Take the time to organize your desk.
The key to keeping your desk organized is to make sure everything has a place. If you just start putting papers into drawers you may have a clear desktop, but you’ll greatly increase your stress levels when you can’t find that document you need later. Many desks have a filing cabinet drawer in them that you can utilize, or you can hang filing baskets along your wall. Have a drawer where you store all your supplies, such as pens, sticky notes, stapler, paper clips, etc. Have another drawer where you can store your electronics and headphones.
3. Create a charging station with an in-drawer outlet.
While working from home, our cell phones, tablets and other electronic devices can be a big distraction if they’re just sitting on our desk, blinking with notifications. Create a high functioning charging drawer with an in-drawer charging outlet from Docking Drawer.
Our Docking Drawer Blade and Blade Duo charging outlets, which can fit seamlessly into your new or existing desk drawer, are ETL and CSA Listed and are perfect for creating a dedicated charging station inside your desk so all of your electronics (think phone, tablet, laptop, wireless headphones, fitness watches and more) can remain neatly stowed away while charging up and be always at the ready when you need them. We even offer USB-C with power delivery, so you can ditch the charging blocks with the new Macbook Pro and charge your devices faster than ever before.
4. Make your workspace comfortable
Just like you would decorate your space at the office, add a few items to make your home workspace more comfortable. Add some pictures of your friends and family. Have a candle, aromatherapy or lotion nearby, or keep a blanket close if you get cold often. Pops of color or flowers can help with mood improvement as well. It’s also important to have a comfortable work chair.
5. Designate an area for your printer.
Printers and other office equipment can quickly take over the surfaces, making your home office feel cramped. Eliminate this problem by creating a designated area for your printers, scanners, label makers and other bulky -yet necessary- office equipment. One idea we love? Create a printer pullout drawer in or above your desk! You can create a printer cubby or pullout in a couple different ways with Docking Drawer.
The beauty of having a printer pullout is the printer is hidden from view, but plugged in and ready to go when you need it. Our in-drawer powering outlets are ETL and CSA Listed and can include an optional interlock box feature that cuts power to the outlet when the drawer is closed. These powering outlets can also be used with scanners, label makers and other small powered office supply equipment.
6. Control cord clutter.
You may not realize it, but cords can be a big factor in your overall desk aesthetic. They get tangled, they get in the way, and they just never seem to stay where you want them to stay. You need more outlets, but that bulky surge protector sitting on your desk is just not the way to do it anymore.
Even if you don’t have a drawer to work with, Docking Drawer offers Desktop Charging Grommets (which sit flush with your desktop) and Edge Mount Charging Grommets (which sit flush under the edge of your worktable) that allow you to put power right where you need it. They include both USB-A and USB-C ports, the latter which can charge your devices up to 70% faster! Both of these options can be installed into any existing desk or worktable, and the Edge Mount Grommets (pictured) are especially easy to install as they just need to be mounted with adhesive strips or screws (which come in the package)!
So when you’re working on your home office design, make sure you keep these tips and ideas in mind. Putting in a little effort up front can really help improve your work output in the long run. And remember, a clear workspace can help with a clear mind! Learn more about how Docking Drawer products can help you to create a highly organized and functional workspace here, or contact our award winning customer service team today if you need help picking out the perfect products for your project.