Ideas To Help You Furnish Your Bedroom Office

TL;DR our ideas include: Routinely covering up your computer monitor so it is out of sight at the end of the work day, using a timing device to time blocks of work and avoid house-hold distractions, investing in a fold away desk, swapping to wireless accessories, installing a mobile room divider, and designing your workspace so it is as non-intrusive as possible.

How often do you hear the term ‘home office’ and you picture an organized, spacious, dedicated area within a house? Perhaps, in your mental picture, the home office with a permanent computer monitor, office supplies, and work papers is even in a separate room, away from the hustle and bustle of a busy household. Do you know that for many people, their home office is actually a multi-purpose space, like the dining room table, bedroom, or a corner of the living room? Pursuing a professional career from a multi-purpose space in your home is more physically and psychologically challenging than from a well-designed, dedicated work place.

Some things to consider for physical well-being are a temperature, ergonomics, a nice looking computer monitor, organization of necessary materials, noise control, and space-saving. Although these physical factors are important, many people find that mingling a personal home life with professional life is most difficult psychologically. This is because your brain needs separation to fully disconnect and relax. This article includes lots of ideas about how to find separation psychologically, even if physical separation isn't possible.

Installing a Portable Room Divider to Section Off the Home Office

In an effort to avoid a full renovation project, we recommend portable, free-standing room dividers to block off a small area where your home office desk and computer are set up. They are easy to move for cleaning and access, but can be installed whenever you step away and want the computer monitor to be out of sight. There are lots of different types, ranging from curtains with stands to these gorgeous decorative dividers (photo to the right) from Craftiva Art that can be ordered in a number of different sizes and configurations from their website.

Hide Your Computer Monitor Using a Cover

Conscious Covers has a collection of monitor covers available in a wide variety of sizes and patterns. Conscious Covers computer covers have been designed to protect monitors and display screens from dust, debris, and liquids, and are soft micro-fleece on the inside to ensure computer screens isn't damaged. Covering up the most intrusive part of the computer - the monitor - gets it out of sight ,and, as the old adage goes, out of mind. A cover that enhances your decor will not only cover up the computer monitor, but also make the home office area feel like an integral part of the home.

Buying a Fold-Up Home Office Desk

I have first-hand experience with trying to find a reasonably well designed desk that has a slide out desktop for my keyboard and mouse, doors that close in front of the monitor, and sufficient leg room that I can sit close enough to type comfortably. Desks like this are so difficult to find, but as with many household items, Wayfair does have some great options! I actually ended up going to a carpenter and asking for some modifications to an armoire that I already had. I had to carve out the bottom of it for leg room, and add a slider on the desktop.

Set Up Your Home Office Computer In a Closet

I never thought this would be an option, but hear me out! If you have a suitably located closet, it actually works quite well as an office if you add a space-saving desk, good lighting, and well-hung shelves. In addition to those necessities, I recommend taking out any flooring transition, applying a coat of colourful paint inside the closet, and installing a cute noticeboard to make it feel cozy and comfortable. I have seen some really nice designs where people have actually taken off the solid doors and hung up a curtain. I think this softens the area, but doesn't quite cover your home office set up as well as keeping the solid door. If you think this is the solution for you, here is an amazing blog post with step-by-step instructions.

Time Tracking Device for Work From Home

It seems to be a given for work-from-homers that they can get chores and household tasks done during the work day, and this is such a benefit! Along with the convenience of this, it also comes with the expected distractions. To beat the temptation, there are lots of apps and devices on the market that assist with tracking time to ensure focus on a specific task. TimeFlip is an interactive, fun solution that integrates an electronic with an app to track your daily tasks and totals. TimeFlip is great, but there are lots of more traditional app based options to explore as well.

Swap Your Home Office Computer Accessories to be Wireless

Along with a large computer monitor, all the wires required to connect each accessory to each other, as well as a power source, can be unsightly. If you haven't already, I'd suggest swapping to a wireless keyboard, mouse, and speakers. This way, they can just be put in a drawer at the end of the day, rather than continuing to take up valuable home office desk space.... Although I have searched, there unfortunately doesn't seem to be any computer monitors that can easily tuck away into a drawer!

Hopefully these ideas make it easier for you to be productive in your endeavours when working form home. If you have any more ideas, or have found a solution that allows you to psychologically switch from work to home mode, please comment below so we can share them with all our readers.