Family Encyclopedia >> Home & Garden

Tips for setting up a home office

We have been working from home as much as possible for months. It is therefore not surprising to have a well-furnished home office. With these tips for setting up a home office, you can work comfortably and well within your own four walls.

From office work to working from home

We have now been dealing with all kinds of measures for almost a year that have ensured that we have gone from the office to home work en masse. This is quite a challenge for many people. Not least because you suddenly have to work very differently and your house is not set up as a workplace. Yet many people also embrace the new way of working and many people also thrive on it.

Tips for setting up a home office

If working from home has become the new standard for you, it is important to have your own office at home. This is preferably a separate room with a door that you can close behind you. This is especially a must if you have a family. You can read everything you need to set up your home office below.

You need this to be able to work from home

If you have to work from home, you need different things.

  • Laptop or PC
  • Printer
  • Desk
  • Office chair
  • Good Wi-Fi
  • Telephone (mobile and/or house connection)

Laptop or PC

Whether you choose a laptop or PC depends on your budget, wishes and requirements. A laptop has the advantage that you can take it with you everywhere. A PC works better if you just leave it on your desk. In addition, a PC is ergonomically better, especially if you work long hours behind the PC. In addition, a computer has the advantage that you can easily replace parts, which is not so easy with a laptop and it also costs a lot more money.

Printer

A printer is always handy. There are different models for this. You can choose a simple printer with only a print function or you can opt for a so-called 3-in-1, where you can also scan and copy in addition to printing. You may not need the printer yourself that often, but a printer is always useful, especially with children at home. You can easily and quickly print things for school, ideal if there is another dropout and the children have to follow online lessons. A coloring page can also be printed in this way.

If you order a printer, don't forget to order enough ink cartridges. There is nothing more annoying than wanting to print something only to find out that the ink has run out. When choosing ink cartridges, you have to take the printer model and brand into account, so that the cartridge really fits.

Keeping an extra pack of paper in stock isn't a bad idea either. It can be hard especially with children when it comes to paper.

Desk

You can really go in all directions with this when you set up a home office. It is important that you can store everything you need on the desk. Think of the PC or laptop, printer, telephone and important accessories such as a notepad, pens, pencil tray, agenda and, for example, a pack of paper. The more stuff you need, the bigger and more extensive your desk needs to be. A desk with drawers on one or two sides is ideal, because you can store things in it that you want to have close at hand, but do not need every day.

Office chair

The choice for a particular office chair is very personal. It is important that the chair is adjustable and offers sufficient support. Especially if you spend whole days sitting at your desk, the chair must offer you optimal support and comfort.

Good Wi-Fi

Fortunately, this will not cause any problem in most cases. Do you have a home office in the attic and the connection is less? Then you can purchase a WiFi amplifier. It also sometimes helps to move the router.

Phone

Most people have a smartphone these days. In some cases it may be advisable to also be able to use a house telephone for working from home. Just coordinate this with your employer and see what is best in your situation.

Set up home office light

Once you've got everything you need to work from home, it's time to get to work. When furnishing, take the incidence of light into account as much as possible. The best light is daylight. Arrange your desk in such a way that you benefit optimally from this.

Keep in mind that it is less pleasant to work if the sun shines on the desk all day long. You can prevent this by installing blinds or an awning. Daylight is a must, as it benefits your health. Therefore, as a home office, choose a room with sufficient daylight.

Don't have much daylight? Then it is necessary to create enough light with lighting. Because light affects your body, you must ensure that you have lighting of at least 500 LUX, preferably much more.

Less is more

It is good to work in a well-furnished office. For most people, this also means as little 'clutter' as possible. Therefore, make sure you have a well-organized desk, but also keep the rest of the furnishings limited. Do you have a lot to store? Then preferably opt for closed cabinets.

Accessories for your home office

While there should be as little moving around in your office as possible, that doesn't mean you have to work in a sterile white room. On the contrary:by adding a few accessories you make it much more personal. That works a lot better. Houseplants are recommended. The greenery of the plants provides peace of mind. Moreover, there are a lot of plants that purify the air, a nice bonus if you have to sit behind your screen all day.

Reading tip:10 easy to keep houseplants for when you don't have green fingers

In addition, you can brighten up your office with a nice rug, a large clock and, for example, a photo of your partner or your family. With these accessories you can also add some color to your interior.