Creating an Apartment Home Office

Dec 22, 2017

Whether you tend to work remotely, need to catch up on paperwork, or simply enjoy having a designated quiet space to read, creating a home office space is a great solution. We’ve gathered five tried and true tips and tricks to creating a home office space, no matter how many extra square feet your home does (or doesn’t) have!

Identify a Space for Your Office

While homes outside of New York City can easily feel like McMansions, with designated office space the norm rather than the exception, New Yorkers don’t always have the luxury of a separate office in the home. Even though you may not have your own office room, don’t let this deter you from creating a space for an office!Whether you set up a desk under a sunny window in the living room, create a nook for business in the master bedroom, turn your dining room table into a work station during the 9-5 hours, set up your hall closet as a designated work space, or use the guest bedroom as a dual sleeping/working space, there’s plenty of creative ways to do this! Just start by figuring out where you have the most wiggle room, and which space you will be able to comfortably work from.And as an alternative, many of Glenwood’s apartment buildings feature furnished lounges or conference rooms for residents to utilize. The Grand Tier and Hawthorn Park in Manhattan’s Westside neighborhood are two great options.

Shop for a Desk

Once you have the office “space”, it’s now time to shop for your office’s most important item: a desk! This will vary wildly depending on the size of your office space–for example, if you have a nook in your living room to actually fit a proper sized desk versus if you will be working from your couch and need a portable laptop desk that can easily be stowed away under the couch or in a closet at the end of your work session. Depending on what kind of solution you are looking for, consider shopping in a furniture store such as Crate and Barrel located in Downtown Manhattan, or an office supply store such as Staples, which has locations on the Westside and Midtown East.

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Embark on DIY Organization

Keeping your space organized is half the battle to keeping it well-used and functional. Rather than run out and purchase loads of organizational gadgets, however, really sit down and spend the time thinking about what your office space is primarily going to be used for, and then go from there.

• Are you a 9-5 freelancer working on many different projects at the same time? Consider getting a filing system that can contain all the projects you’re currently working on to keep them all contained and organized.
• Do you primarily use the office space to catch up on work in the evenings and weekends? Consider a calendar white board, which will help you to easily track when a project’s due date is approaching and what you have left outstanding.
• Is your office used as a quiet space to read? Perhaps a leather bound journal for taking notes and maintaining to-be-read lists would be appropriate!

Here’s the Key: don’t run out and spend a fortune on staplers and paper clips and printers and scanners if those things aren’t going to be used on a regular basis: focus on what is really going to support you, and get those items.

Personalize with Accessories

Now that your space is identified, you have a desk and an organization system, the fun part starts! Make the space yours with accessories. From a cashmere throw over the back of your desk chair to help you stay warm and cozy during the winter, to a deliciously scented candle to make the space pleasant, to stocking up on your favorite brand of pens and notebooks, putting your own personalized touch on the space will make you want to spend time there–even if it is to get work done!Sites such as Apartment Therapy regularly feature apartments and homes across the globe, which gives great design inspiration for home offices, no matter the setup!

Give Yourself Office Hours

Depending on exactly what purpose your home office serves, this will of course vary. Whether you plan to work out of your home office space full time or if it’s simply a place to work on your current hobby, it’s equally important to set specific times you plan to use it. For full time workers, this will prevent you from working outside your office hours (just because you are home doesn’t mean you should be on call at all hours!) and for folks utilizing the space for their passion project, setting office hours will ensure you actually spend time every week working towards that project, and it doesn’t get pushed to the back burner simply because it’s not a money maker or your full time job.

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Not all Businesses Should be Conducted from an Apartment

Unlike working from a house or town home, working in an apartment building has some limitations. If your business is expected to have frequent visitors, or you need to receive a lot of packages for your business, you should make other arrangements for where you set up your business. Either situation is disruptive to your neighbors, and building services. We suggest you consider renting a co-working space, which is more affordable than renting a small office. But if you just occasionally need to work from home, or your business is conducted primarily via phone or internet, than a small home office can be a great convenience for you.If you are in search of a new home with plenty of space for an at-home office, Glenwood’s luxury buildings are sure to have exactly what you’re looking for!How did you set up your home office? Share photos and tips on Facebook and Twitter!