If you're like me, you like it when the new year brings change, especially the kind of chance you notice every day. That's why I make an effort to refresh some part of my home at the start of every January. This way, I can breathe new life into the room without moving to a new space. As a remote worker who spends most of his day at home, it helps the passage of time feel like it's actually occurring.
One part of my home that I use especially often is my home office. There's nothing special about the room: it's the second bedroom in my apartment, and it has a split purpose as my TV and gaming room. As such, I try to do what I can to keep the adjacent spaces separate, organized, and optimized.
If you're looking for some inspiration for your next home office modification, consider these five ideas that are all low-cost, low-effort, and highly satisfying.
1. Move your setup near the window
Natural light is a valuable resource when you don't leave the house that often. Not only is it a great way to absorb some extra Vitamin D, but it's also good for your mental health to witness the passage of time. On top of that, being able to look beyond the confines of your office and focus your eyes on something distant is great for preventing headaches.
The best standing desks are all relatively easy to move, so why not try positioning yours near your window if you haven't already? This doesn't cost any money, and it could be the most refreshing change you make to your workday in the new year.
If you're prone to distractions and don't want easy access to the bustling street scenery outside, you can alternatively position your desk a few feet away from the window.
2. Invest in some plants
Trust the science: researchers at Texas A & M found that having "passive experiences" with plants, i.e. looking at them, is incredibly good for your mental health. If you have some free shelf, windowsill, or desk space, you can experience the same benefit rather easily in your own home.
If you've never owned plants before, you truly don't need much. The bare essentials you'll need to purchase are your plants of choice, some appropriately sized pots, and some soil. If you don't want to water them too often, you could alternatively try some low-maintenance succulents like a cactus.
3. Add some fresh color
For the first six months that I lived in my current apartment, I had nary a dribble of color in my whole home office. I found that, as a consequence, I almost never used it. That changed when I started hanging up some vibrant wall art and scored a patterned mat to place under my desk.
If you're stuck in a rut trying to figure out how to add some accents to your workspace, consider looking for a new office chair that can function as the visual centerpiece. For a prime example of a reasonably affordable chair with some cool color options, look no further than the editor-approved Branch Verve Chair which comes in seven different colors.
4. Consolidate your storage
Few things can bog down an office more than clutter. It physically gets in the way of your work, it can be visually distracting, and it's easy to lose important documents in the mess. If you aren't taking advantage of any storage systems in your home office, investing in some could be an easy win for your peace of mind.
Bookshelves also offer you more space to personalize your office. If you're a tchotchke enthusiast, for example, shelves give you a lot more space to spread them out (and, if the shelf is tall enough, keep them out of reach of your cat or small children).
5. Upgrade your seating
Whether you invest in one of the best office chairs or upgrade your existing one, you deserve to treat yourself to a more comfortable seat in the new year.
We spend a lot of time in our office chairs. For some, it's an eight-hour-a-day commitment. That's a lot of time for your back to spend potentially misaligned.
Simple upgrades you can focus on might be more points of adjustment, more breathable fabric, stronger lumbar support, or even new colors, as I mentioned earlier. All of these can and will have a noticeably positive impact on your quality of life as a home office desk dweller.
Treat yourself to a new office
This past year was difficult for just about everyone. Why not start the next one on the right foot? If you made it to December, you deserve to indulge in the luxury of a refreshed space. And you don't need to shake money out of your holiday greeting cards to make it happen.
Whether you add more light, color, or greenery to your office, you'll appreciate the slight shift in the way you go about your work after you've taken the time to brighten up your office. Beyond that, consider it an act of kindness to yourself; depending on how hard you worked in the past year, there's a good chance you're due for one.
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