Although these words may make you cringe now more than ever, the home office is not as dreadful as you may think! There are definitely some key strategies you can implement to make this space as functional and practical as you would like it to be. I highly recommend that you apply these tricks to your home office (or if you are back in your commercial office) in order to make sure that your space is performing for you!

Dedicated Space

Personally, I think this is the MOST important element of having a productive home office. You will never be successful with accomplishing your work if you are setup on a coffee table, recliner, kitchen island, or dining room table. I highly encourage you to invest in a desk and a quality chair and put it somewhere that you will be comfortable staying for a long period of time. For some, this is a spare room or nook in your home. Others enjoy looking out of a window. For me, I like to be in an open space but I like to face the wall so I am not disturbed. Play around with the placement of your desk until you feel that you are not distracted at all and you can solely focus on your work.

Lose the Distractions

Speaking of distractions, we all know that working from home presents its own challenges. Kids, pets, TV, laundry, dishes, spouses, roommates, home improvement projects, and daily tasks can all occupy our minds while we are working from home. I always try to dedicate an hour of my time in the morning and half of my lunch break to taking care of the day-to-day household chores. I always save my home projects for the weekend and make sure my pets are taken care of so I can focus on my work. For me, playing music in the background is a great way to shut out all the noise and remain focused. Kids, as we know, can be another story but we have to do what we can to make sure we dedicate our focus to the tasks at hand. I also advise you to make sure your TV is turned off while you are trying to work.

Ergonomics & Functionality

This is one of the most important, yet often overlooked, elements of a home office. I spent over two years working at a commercial office furniture retailer where I studied the proper way to sit at a desk. This might sound crazy, but YES, there is an exact science to how you are sitting at your desk. By making sure you are sitting and working correctly, you can reduce stress and potential future injuries caused by sitting in awkward positions. First, the top of your computer screen should be at eye level so you are not having to drastically bend your head down to focus on the center of your screen. Your armrests and keyboard should be level so your arms remain parallel to the floor. Your knees should be bent at a 90 degree angle and your feet flat on the floor. Also, make sure your back is supported and you are not bending or slouching at any time. You will find that these adjustments will really improve your motivation and help your productivity.

Declutter & Organization

This tip can be tricky for a lot of people who spend countless hours at their desk. I find the neater and more organized my space is, the more I am able to focus on my work. I understand the frustration of not being able to find the paper you are looking for or having to search through all of your desktop folders to find the right document. I feel that if you can organize your desk and office, make designated physical and digital folders, and keep your email inbox categorized and clear of unimportant emails, you will find that you are not being pulled away from your work. You can also try unsubscribing from spam emails or just leaving your email closed and only checking it every half hour to hour so your attention always remains on the current task.

Aesthetics

Finally, your office should be a reflection of your home, taste and style. Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself and your office! Having the proper storage and materials will only help you to be more productive in the long run. Your office should be located somewhere that you want to be and a place that you gravitate towards. If your desk is worn down and junky, you won’t feel the desire to sit there and work! Remember, investing in a home office (really your entire home in general) is self-care and self-improvement. Upgrading your home only makes you feel and function better!

The kitchen has always been the heart of the home but lately the trend in kitchen design is shifting to make them appear more like a living space in your home. Many of the more industrial features have begun to fade away and now we are seeing more open shelves with little to no upper cabinets, ‘furniture like’ lower cabinets, large center islands and open concept designs that integrate multiple spaces in one.

Ever been to a party and notice that you are spending most of your time hanging out in the kitchen? Well now, that is by design. There are a lot of tricks that designers are using to change how we perceive kitchens. First, appliances are being hidden into the design much better than they used to be. We use to always put the microwave above the oven but now they are being tucked away under the countertop or in a butlers panty. They have been replaced with beautiful statement hoods that usually sit atop a gorgeous range. Some designers are adding wood or antiquated mirrors overtop of the refrigerator to hide the stainless steel that we are used to seeing.

Kitchen islands are becoming the new command center as they continue to grow and expand. Even countertop manufacturers are taking notice and many of the quartz companies are creating extra large slabs for a seamless look.

Finally, the design of cabinets have made a major shift as well. The upper cabinets are starting to disappear and we are seeing the emergence of open shelves and doorless or wireframe cabinets. Even the lower cabinets are changing. There has been a rise of additional drawers over doors and many people are adding ‘feet’ on the bottom to make parts of the kitchen look like furniture.

While not all of these concepts are brand new, it seems that many of them are here to stay as they continue to get integrated into many new and remodeled kitchens.