What if working from home goes on forever?

As daunting as that may sound, remote work is surprisingly productive — leading many employers to wonder if they’ll ever go back to the office.

If you have been working from home and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, it may be worthwhile to update your home office and make it work for you. Working in an environment that brings joy and inspires you will help you stay on task and contributes to greater productivity.

Follow These Steps When Designing Your Home Office

Do you already know what your personal design style is? Great! You are ready to skip ahead and follow our recommended five steps.

If you aren’t sure what your personal design style is, take my fun home office design style quiz at the end of this post!

No matter what your personal design style is, here are five steps to consider that will help you achieve a functional and aesthetically pleasing workspace.

1. Stay Organized

Before you stockpile organizational bins and file cabinets, put some thought into how you actually organize. If you already scan your receipts and keeps things digitally, why buy a filing cabinet? You have the flexibility of creating your workspace the way you need it. Do it in a way that will work for you long term.

2. Elevate Your Thinking

Even the smallest home office can be fully stocked with great decor and organizational solutions. The trick is to think up. Maximize your vertical square footage by adding floating shelves or installing wall cabinets. Fill them with useful bins alongside colorful books or meaningful artwork.

3. Let There Be Light

Sufficient lighting makes work easier. We strain our eyes staring at screens most of the day. Don't make it worse by limiting lighting in your home office. Use natural lighting as much as possible, but make sure to supplement where it falls short.

A well-lit office is a happy, productive one.

4. Cut The Cord Clutter

One of the worst things about offices is all the tech clutter that accumulates. You probably need your computer and printer, but that doesn't mean you have to stare at cord tangles all day. Take steps to free your home of cord clutter. Mount a power strip underneath or on the back of your desk. Use cable ties and command hooks to wrangle any cords that get plugged into that power strip and feed them along the back of furniture out of sight. You'll be amazed at how removing that eyesore of cords will make your office feel clean and bright.

5. Make Yourself At Home

Your office is an extension of your home. It should look and feel like one. Decorate with the same themes you've used in your house and incorporate items you love. Don't limit yourself just because this is a workspace. You'll be more productive in a room that brings joy, so why not put some extra care into creating an office that feels like home?