With the recent boom in popularity of online companies in a wide variety of industries, more and more businesses are beginning to work out of much smaller premises or, in some cases, a home office.

For a company to be run productively and efficiently from home, it needs to be both ergonomically sound as well as aesthetically pleasing, so that the space is welcoming if you are meeting with potential clients.

However, as your home office is in your humble abode, it will need to be practical for your family’s day-to-day living. The space needs to promote productivity and allow you to focus as it is your working environment, but at the same time be accessible enough for other members of the household to use if needed.

As your office space will be both precious and limited to you, so introducing clever designs, furnishings and storage will optimise the room available. Here’s a few top tips to get the most out of your home office:

Keep your desk practical

Your desk or workstation will be the most important aspect of your home office, as it’ll be where you complete the majority of your jobs and tasks. However, being in a much smaller space than the average working environment, it needs to be both practical and sized appropriately in relation to your room.

Choosing a more aesthetically-pleasing desk would be a benefit – it will be a piece of furniture

within your home, so you wouldn’t want an unattractive feature spoiling the rest of your décor.

Clever seating is key

To maximise your space, you’ll need to cut back on furnishings and one of the main suspects taking up room is the office chair. Although you may be the sole worker in your home office, scenarios such as potential client visits, project collaborations and other meetings must be taken into consideration.

For the ergonomic upkeep of your space, it may be worth investing in a suitable desk chair for when you are working alone, as you may end up suffering from back pain using a lower quality model all of the time.

However, using a number of foldaway chairs, as seen at Staples, would be ideal for meetings as you can bring the seats in and out of storage when needed, rather than having them cluttering your office space.

Super space saving storage

The classic office set up would be littered with paper trays, filling cabinets and notepads full of vital information relating to the business. But your home office will not have the luxury of room to incorporate all these storage spaces, so you’ll have to think more cleverly.

To keep your floor space as clear as possible, mounting shelving units on the walls above your desk would be ideal, as the files would be out of the way and keep the rest of your wall space free. Fixed and floating shelving units are easy to install and would be suitable for any décor style you are bringing to the office, as well as being highly practical.

Alternatively, you can make use of the space under your desk through baskets or boxes. Not only do they provide an extra storage space, they’ll also add to the aesthetics of your room.

Maximising your office space is vital in ensuring you work efficiently and productively, so follow these helpful hints to keep your office a part of your home.