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Tips to Transform Your Garage into a Home Office

October 19, 2022
Chloe Taylor
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With the hybrid working model being the new norm, a home office is becoming a must-have in residences across the globe. If you have the extra space, dedicating a small portion of your living room to a sleek office desk and a modern chair can do the trick. But what if you want a more isolated home office? In that case, it might be time to get rid of the mysterious belongings you’ve been storing in the garage and transform the space into a productive work-from-home space.

It will take a lot of organization and planning. But don’t hold back — a home office in the garage can be an advantageous transformation.

Clear the Space First

Cobwebs, old holiday decorations, and long-forgotten sports equipment — it’s time to clear the clutter and make some room in your garage. Depending on your garage’s size, you can either dedicate a corner to your office or clear the space entirely. Nonetheless, some decluttering is essential to the success of this project.

If you’re tight on storage, consider renting a self-storage unit for seasonal belongings and things you don’t use much. However, be careful with the storage unit you pick. Depending on where you’re located, you can easily find a good facility by searching online. Security and easy access to your things are paramount when making this decision. And if you’re in Birmingham, we recommend Vulcan storage, which offers both.

Deep Clean the Long-Neglected Garage

Generally, garages are mistreated spaces. They become the go-to place for everything from rusty old tools to paint cans. But, if you’re planning on giving your garage a new lease on life, you’ll need to deep clean the space from top to bottom.

There are two significant advantages to deep cleaning your garage before you start the transformation process. First, it will be easier to paint and make other cosmetic changes when the space is clean. Second, you’ll be able to get rid of any musty smells that might be lingering in the garage.

So, start scrubbing those grease stains and remove any spiders that have taken up residence in your garage — it’s time to give the space a fresh start.

Create a Floor Plan

There’s no point in having a home office if it feels like you’re working in a cubicle, right? So when planning the layout of your garage-turned-office, consider the ease of movement and how you can best utilize the space.

Will you need room for a printer or copier? Do you have enough outlets to support all of your devices? Is there space for a comfortable chair or couch? By answering these questions, you can create a functional and stylish office that meets all of your needs.

Experts recommend keeping the floor plan as open as possible to avoid suffocation and promote creativity.

Let There be Light

Lighting is vital in any office, and a home office is no exception. With the right amount (and shade) of light, you can set the tone for your office and improve your mood while working. Warm light, for instance, can help you relax, while cool light can help you focus. 

Taking advantage of natural lighting is your best bet. It promotes productivity, reduces eye strain, and is easy on the wallet. If your garage has no windows, consider installing a skylight or two. You can also try using LED bulbs, which emit little to no heat and will help you save on your energy bill in the long run. Besides the room’s overall lighting, you’ll also want to ensure you have a good task light for your desk.

Make the Space More Comfortable

You never really cared whether there was enough ventilation in the garage, but now that it’s your office, you need to ensure the space is comfortable. Luckily, there are a few easy ways to improve the comfort of your office without breaking the bank.

Invest in a good-quality air purifier to help filter out any dust or pollen that might be floating around. You can also try using a dehumidifier to keep the air from feeling too heavy.

Transform with a Can of Paint

No matter the part of the house you’re working on, a fresh coat of paint can make all the difference. So when you’re planning to paint your garage-turned-office, choose a light color that will help make the space feel airier and more open.

You might also want to consider using chalkboard paint on one wall. It can be a great way to brainstorm ideas or keep track of your to-do list. Of course, we hope you already know the essentials of a good paint job (like using primer and protecting your floor), but if not, there are plenty of online tutorials that can help you.

Add Some Life with Plants

Working from home doesn’t mean any less work stress — in fact, it might even mean more. And while you had emotional support from your colleague down the hall, now you’re on your own. But don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Adding some plants to your office can help reduce stress levels and improve your focus.

A study from the University of Exeter found that people who had plants in their offices had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

And if you’re worried about keeping a plant alive, there are plenty of low-maintenance options, like succulents, snake plants, and cacti. 

Personalize Your Space

It’s time to make your office space yours. While we can offer ideas and suggestions, only you know what will make you feel most at home in your new office.

So, add some personal touches, like photos, artwork, and knick-knacks. Some people even like to add a small fridge or coffee maker, so they don’t have to leave the space for frequent breaks. Other purposeful yet aesthetic additions include a bulletin board, whiteboard, or corkboard.

These can be great for organizing your thoughts or jotting down ideas as they come to you.

The Bottom Line

Working from home has its challenges. You’ll need to be extra disciplined and organized, and it can be easy to get distracted. But if you try to create a comfortable and efficient space, it can be a great way to increase your productivity and focus. We hope these tips have helped you get started on transforming your garage into a home office. Good luck!

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5 Home Office Trends to Expect in 2022

January 26, 2022
Chloe Taylor
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By now, many of us have switched to remote work for the better. A survey conducted by Owl labs revealed that 59 percent of the working force would rather opt for an employer who supports work from home than on-site operation. Upwork estimates that 36.2 million Americans will switch to complete remote work by 2025, and freelance writers and digital nomads are just the pioneers.

With such a great inclination towards WFH, people are developing choices and preferences for their remote work environment. We’re at a point now where working from no more means working from bed. Instead, people are opting to create proper personalized and customized workspaces at home to facilitate themselves.

Here are some of the trending choices and preferences for home offices in 2022:

Functional, Space-Saving Furniture

Since home offices do not have massive covered spaces or multiple rooms, they ought to have lots of functionality within the limited space. And for that, we need compact but functional furniture.

Functional furniture refers to furniture that lets you do more with little space. For example, consider an L-shaped desk. It saves loads of space and helps you make the most out of the corner of your home office. The desk’s top is such that it combines the covered area of two desks at once without occupying much of your room space. So, you’ve plenty of space to place multiple monitors, printers, papers, stationery goods, etcetera atop this desk.

Ergonomic Office Furniture

Along with functional and practical home office furniture, ergonomic office chairs and tables are also becoming popular. Since the users will be spending their day and night at the same spot with minimal movement here and there, they ought to have a work environment that doesn’t damage their physical health.

For example, office chairs with lumbar support are becoming increasingly popular. Similarly, sit-and-stand desks that allow the user to both sit and stand (as desired) are also becoming popular.

Ergonomic keyboards and mouse pads are also some examples of trending ergonomic home office tools. Adding these to your workspace brings a balance between your health and work, and it amplifies your productivity levels.

Balanced & Soothing Environment

Since working all by yourself in a closed environment can build up stress, people are opting for soothing colors for their work environment at home. Colors like white, dusty pink, earthy brown, soft green, etcetera can have a calming effect.

Now, that doesn’t mean you should go for a monotonous workspace. It will become too boring! Choose complementing colors. For example, you can opt for a white office chair with an earthy brown desk.

Eco-friendly Approach

The last two years have taught us a lot about our ignorance towards ourselves and the planet. So, this year, most people are choosing to go with eco-friendly home office furniture.

Eco-friendly furniture options include furniture crafted from materials that last long (preferably natural materials like wood and glass). You won’t be purchasing over and over again. Hence, contributing less to the overall carbon effect on the planet. Similarly, instead of using fancy lights that consume loads of energy, you can opt for natural light.

Set up your home office near a large window that brings lots of light. It will keep you refreshed too.

A Comfy Side Place

Remote work has its benefits, but it also has its downsides. When working from home, you are completely deprived of your social support. At times, you may miss the random conversations you used to have with your fellow employees at the coffee machine. You may miss the mini-break it used to give to your nerves.

So, to tackle that, there’s another ingenious trend we’re witnessing in 2022: the comfy side place! A lot of people are opting to buy a separate super comfortable chair or sofa for their work desk or workplace at home. They choose to place it at a distance from their actual office chair.

The idea is to switch to that seat when the circumstances become too stressful, or you’re too tired and need a break. Instead of calling it a day, quitting work, and going to bed, you can take a mini-break with this comfy side place. In this way, your focus would stay aligned as you return to work.

Final Thoughts

We hope this quick insight into home office trends 2022 helps you plan a trendy and comfy workspace for yourself. Remember, if something’s trending, it can help you. But it need not dictate you. Pour in your creativity and be yourself!

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7 Reasons Why You Need a Home Garden Office

January 15, 2022
Chloe Taylor
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A lot of people want to build a garden room in their yards. The garden rooms are different in designs, shapes, and sizes. They can, therefore, suit any property. It is beneficial to build a garden room on your property.  If you have not decided to build a garden room on your property, just know that a garden room can improve the appearance of your home. It can even add value to your property. Here are the top reasons to build a garden room on your property: 

 

Add Extra Living Space 

Building a garden room can help you get extra recreational space and living space. It is difficult for most homeowners to find enough space in their homes. Why? It is expensive to add an extra room to their homes.  You can, therefore, build a garden room to increase the living space on your property. It costs more money to renovate a house. Therefore, a lot of homeowners prefer to build a garden room. 

It is much cheaper to build a garden room. 

In fact, garden rooms are perfect for creating your personal retreat space. If you want to do home extensions, you will have to add a new room to your property. It takes time to extend your home since it is a complex process. In addition, you may not need planning permissions to build a garden room. If you want to build an annexe, however, you may need planning permissions, especially if it is for living purposes. Garden rooms are popular because of their versatility. You can use your garden room for anything. You can even make sure your garden room has all the amenities you need.  If you want extra space on your property or just a place for hanging out with your friends, you can build a garden room on your property. 

Affordable 

If you have elderly family members, you always worry about their safety. Building a garden room can help you keep your elderly family members close to you. They can live in your garden room throughout the year. You do not have to renovate or extend to your home to get extra space. Therefore, it is affordable to build a garden room. In this website you will find a range of garden rooms to suit your requirements. It is now expensive to pay for the care homes for older people. A lot of elderly people cannot afford to pay for care homes. In fact, some elderly people do even want to go to these care homes. The annual average cost of care homes in the past year was around £44,512. It is expensive for most people. The cost is the same as the price of an annexe building. An annex building can provide a permanent living solution on your property. Once you purchase your annexe building, you can position it in your yard. 

The annex building comes with the basics. So, you do not have to spend a lot of money on a care home. Some annexes are built to last. That is why they usually have a 10-year structural guarantee. If you can get an annexe building, your elderly family members can live near you. It can save you money since you do not have to extend your home or even build a new home.

It is Easy and Simple to Install 

It takes time and lots of effort to extend your home. Once you get the planning permissions, you may spend several months extending your home. You will never have some peace in your home for several months.  If you want to build a garden room to increase your living space, you can complete installing your garden room in one week. It, however, takes 4 to 6 weeks to install an annexe, depending on the size of the annexe. If you want to add extra living space to your property, do not extend your home. Build a garden room. It is easy and simple to install. The site surveyors can even handle the job. Once you decide to install a garden room, you just call professionals. The professionals will come to check your garden space. Then, they can help you pick a garden room that suits the available space. 

Multiple Design Options 

If you are a creative person, you get the freedom to design the garden room the way you want. If you want to add underfloor heating to your garden room, you are free to add them. In addition, you can decorate your garden room the way you want. Therefore, you can paint the walls and put wallpaper on the walls. You can do whatever you want with your garden room to make it more beautiful. If you are looking for decoration ideas for your garden room, use the internet to find several case studies and an extensive gallery. 

Suit All Properties 

Many homeowners do not rush to renovate or extend their homes. Why? They are not sure if it will fit with their home design. If you have an old property, you will have more worries. Why? It is difficult to combine the traditional with modern design. It is, however, easy to find a garden building that can suit your property. In fact, most of the garden rooms are versatile. So, they can suit any type of property.  If your garden is small, you can build a small garden room. It is cheap to build a small garden room. You can design your garden room to suit your property. 

Increases Privacy 

If you want to have more privacy, you can build a garden room. You can use your garden room to work. You will spend more time in your garden room without any distractions. If you, however, extend your home, some of your loved ones might disturb you. It is much better to build a separate room on your property, especially if you need privacy. In fact, you can watch movies and listen to loud music in your garden room. You can even bring your friends to hang out in your garden room. You will never disturb anyone while having fun in your garden building. You can even soundproof your garden room to prevent loud noises from escaping your garden room.

 

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7 Ways to Make Your Small Home Office Big

May 19, 2015
Lana Hawkins
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featured home office
Image Credit: Footer

Most businesses start at home or in student dorm rooms, while some others with more luck and more initial funding start in small offices and other more professional surroundings. No matter how good your startup idea is, you will definitely have trouble with space in your first office. Don’t despair, there are tricks that can make your space look bigger and more appealing to future clients and employees.

Laptops

Desktop computers take out a lot of space and the prices and specs of laptop computer are almost equivalent these days. In addition to this you will be able to do your business in motion and use all the practicality that comes with a laptop.

New Shelves

Great way to use more of your office space and the things you place on these shelves will always be visible and easy to reach. Some people decide to hire professional help, when doing simple tasks like this, but with a good DIY guide and adequate tools and materials you will be able to build and paint your shelves like a pro. You can find cheap and good quality tools in online tool shops.

Tamed Cables

This is important not only because you want to make your office bigger, but also for making it a safer place. For this task you can use everything from duck-tape to pegboard and make sure to mark each cable with different color band.

Lighter Colors on the Walls

This is one of the basic interior design tricks for making a room look bigger. Some people choose plain white, but this will make your office look like a hospital or some other health institution, so it is better to use warmer light colors, and also don’t hesitate to place some minimalist decorations on the walls.

home office
Image Credit: Footer

Simple Storage Furniture

Bigger office furniture that’s mostly used for storing can also be used as a clipboard or the place where you will put some important notices to your clients and employees. When it comes to office furniture, color should be a good match to the color of your walls and it can also have some decorations, but rather choose simple and inconspicuous pieces. Flamboyant vintage furniture is not functional enough, so don’t even think about Luis the Fourteenth.

Uncovered Windows

Be sure not to install any curtains on your windows. It is better to leave them uncovered and bring in all the light your office can get. The light will give it much more depth and if you want more privacy or you want to stop your employees from watching people go by, it is better to use shades or blinds than curtains.

Ceiling Tricks

In small offices ceiling is one of the most important and most visible parts. You should always draw attention to it, and keep it nice and tidy. A good idea is to paint the ceiling in some dramatic colors or even to cover it with wallpapers. This will make it look taller, and office will automatically look bigger.

Another great trick is to install shelves very close to the ceiling and store some things that you don’t use that often, but that are looking nice and representative. Clever space-saving lawyer, for example, would use these shelves for nicely bound law books.

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Smooth Decorator is a website dedicated to our little sanctuaries from the hustle and bustle of the outside world – to our homes, sweet homes. We believe that the foundation of a quality life needs to be set right there, in the place where we first dream things up, and that only when we organized our homes can we hope to organize the rest of our everyday existence.

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