Nowadays a lot of us are working from home. I’ve been working from home for years now and have put a lot of time and thought into making my office a place where I love to work. I’ve used a few tricks to make sure it’s a great space to hang out in. From adding pretty plants everywhere to making sure it feels like “me” and speaks to my personality when I walk into it.

Here are a few tips to help make your home office one of your favorite rooms and get the most out of your office space

Make it INSPIRE:

Your office space should inspire you. If you don’t like how it looks aesthetically than you won’t want to work there. If it reflects your personality you will definitely be in a better workflow and feel more confident. The key is to find a perfect balance between form and function. Make sure it’s chic and stylish but not impractical! Make sure the way you decorate serves you and your workflow. This post with a few ideas on a Pinterest- Worthy home could strike some inspiration.

Artwork

Speaking of inspiring you, make sure you have some artwork to energize and feed your creativity. It could be a few art pieces from an artist you love or a mood board of cut together images that make you feel creative. I have a shelf in front of my desk that has a few books and pieces I love as well as art.  There are so many great places to get cheap, pretty art also like Urban outfitters, Society 6, Minted or Desenio — or consider supporting independent artists by buying a print on Etsy. Either way, artwork should always be integrated somewhere in your professional space.

Invest in great chair + desk

You’ll be spending hours here so you want to be comfortable. I would never sacrifice comfort for something stylish but you could just have both! If you want a chic chair, be prepared to spend more money to make sure it is also comfortable.  I haven’t sat in these chairs personally (so not sure HOW comfy they are), but here are some that look like they could be comfortable and are also pretty:

Organize + Keep clean:

 One of the most important things is to always keep it clean. Home office spaces can be small so it’s important to make sure it’s clean and you make the best use of the space. I have made it a habit to clean it at the end of the day so that the next day I can walk into a clean office with a clear mind and be ready to work. Make sure to invest in the right filing cabinets, shelves, drawers, calendars, paper storage, baskets (these work for everything from plants, trash to hiding miscellaneous things). Get rid of anything that does not belong in your office! Check out this post for more on this topic.

Plants:

You guys know I am such a plant lady. As I shared in my last post “6 Tips for a Pinterest Worthy Home”, Plants really add life to any room! Plants can also help lower stress levels and fatigue so having a plant or two on your desk or near can be helpful. Reduce that anxiety and increase that productivity! Here are a few plant accessories and fake plants that are beautiful (I have this one in my home and people always think its real.*insert smiling mischievous emoji face*)

Find that Natural Light

Set up your desk near a window! Natural light helps increase mood and creativity which can then boost your productivity as well.  Any extra light can help keep you awake and alert. If you don’t have good windows, look for a few lamps to add extra light! Love this chic desk light here.

Candles, Oils, Scents, music:

I make sure I’m as relaxed as possible when working. If I have a long day on the computer I really like to set the tone so I can focus. I find music increases my productivity. I know I will sound like a grandma here, but classical piano can really get me focused. I also enjoy house music to get my mind moving quicker through long days of editing. Having a diffuser with essential oils that are energizing can also be super pleasurable. Set the tone for a relaxing, enjoyable space so you can really get in that workflow!

Invest in the right technology

Investing in the right technology can make a world of difference! I recently bought an HP Tango printer because I heard it was small, aesthetically easy on the eyes, and wouldn’t jam up and break on me. I’ll report back, but so far it makes my space look less cluttered and has made me have less anxiety since it works so smoothly. Other important things are external hard drives so you make sure you don’t lose any info, cord organizers so you can stay clean and organized and make sure everything can connect and unplug easily to outlets when needed. Here are a few things you may find helpful below:

Have all your essentials near

Making sure you have everything you need in one room and at hand will help reduce stress and keep you on track. Aside from the technology you may need, make sure you also have all the extra random things like a hole punch, extra ink for the printer, packaging tape, scissors, scanner (nowadays you can use your phone), pens, filing cabinet. Before you finish your office space make sure you make an “essentials” list so you can get ahead of it before you catch yourself having to run out to the store mid workday.

Much love!

XX Francesca