Make Your Home Office Homey - On a Budget!

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Make Your Home Office Homey - On a Budget!

With more and more people working from home, creating the ideal workspace has become a common pursuit. Ideally, you'll want your area to be well organized, comfortable, inviting, and designed nicely without breaking the bank with your upgrades. If you’re making updates as a precursor to listing your home for sale, these tips from R & R Real Estate Partners can help you make informed choices and raise your home’s value along the way.

Re-envision Your Space

There's a good chance that you were sharing a workspace over the past few years with kids learning from home or a spouse co-working alongside you. Once it's time to upgrade your space, start from the ground up. Take everything out of the room, add a fresh and cheerful coat of paint, do a deep cleaning on flooring, or replace it if necessary, and take measurements to give you an idea of how much square footage you have to work with in your redesign.

According to Good Housekeeping, this is a great time to rethink how you use your workspace and make sure it’s reorganized in a way that meets everyone’s needs. And that can apply to software, as well. For instance, investing in an online bookkeeping tool to streamline your accounting process will save you a lot of time and stress down the road – especially come tax season.

Add Big Items First

One of the largest items in a home office is usually a desk, so you want to place it first and work around it. A stand-up desk can be helpful if you have issues with back pain, and may also help you be more alert and productive. You can also get a high chair to go with the desk, or use an adjustable desk that gives you options. You'll also want to add in bookcases, shelving, side tables or printer stands, and ensure that everything is within easy grasp so you can stay well organized. If you have multiple people sharing a space, color-code individual boxes for each person so everyone has easy access to their own work necessities.

Boost Your Mood

There are a number of ways your workspace can feel light, airy, and cheerful. Add a comfortable oversized chair if there's room, install “up lights” and live plants, and use window coverings that can be open on nice days. If you have a picturesque view from one window, consider placing your workstation toward it and crack the windows for a fresh breeze every chance you get. According to Elbow Room, you might also consider a tranquility fountain, colorful or calm artwork for the walls, and desk accessories that are both functional and visually appealing. Try to keep the space for work-only - your mood can be dampened if you’re on assignment and see a laundry basket out of the corner of your eye.

Avoid Breaking the Bank

If you're doing an office upgrade on a budget, consider shopping at estate sales, consignment centers, and secondhand stores. If you're a crafty person you might even be able to find a beautiful piece of furniture in need of some TLC at a local thrift shop or garage sale. When it comes to accessories, discount home goods stores often have inexpensive organizational products that can add a pop of color into your office schematic without running up credit card debt. You can also look into repurposing products – for example, a slim sofa table can make a great “extra” workspace in a home office, and inexpensive garage storage racks can be painted and used for home office storage. 

In addition to creating a workspace that's inviting and comfortable, any structural changes you make can help boost your property’s overall value. If you're planning to sell soon, keep an eye on what buyers are looking for by checking out online home tours and viewing house listings. Take before-and-after photos and keep receipts for all of your changes so when it's time to appraise your home you can tally your upgrades.

Creating a comfortable, up-to-date office isn’t just about feeling good while working. It’s also a great way to maximize efficiency. And it can even increase the value of your home, making a modern office a must-have for any entrepreneur!

R & R Real Estate Partners brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise about buying and selling real estate here. It's not the same everywhere, so you need someone you can trust for up-to-date information. Call (505)280-6365.

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