How to Renovate Your Home Office for the Highest Impact: 6 Tips
Whether you work from home full time or use a hybrid schedule, you deserve a home office perfectly designed to suit your needs. Your own space will boost your productivity and overall satisfaction with the arrangement.
However, you want to make changes to increase your house’s integrity or resale value in the process. These tips will guide you toward the right projects for your home, giving you the best office to reach your goals.
- Storage
Installing storage solutions in your office area will help you keep your desk clear and improve your focus on more important things. Plus, you’ll save a lot of time during your day by knowing exactly where to find important papers and supplies.
Your easiest option is to buy movable sets of drawers, a printer cart or a filing cabinet. These are fine if you’re on a budget and just need more storage.
However, your best bet is to upgrade to built-in storage in the long run. Working with a designer or DIYing personalized storage cabinets and drawers in your office area will help you perform better and demonstrate the true purpose of the space to future buyers.
- Lighting
Lighting is essential to good work. You’ll want a balance of both task and natural lights. Working in a room without windows and one overhead light won’t help you function at your peak. Natural light will keep you more alert, boost your mood and even help you sleep better at night. Task lighting reduces eye strain and improves focus.
Bring a contractor in to see if adding one or more windows to your space is possible. You can also reroute electricity to set up your new task lighting.
- Soundproofing
Working from home can often be distracting, especially if you don’t live alone. Someone chatting on the phone, the kids running around or the dog barking as people walk by outside will all pull you away from deep work.
Soundproofing your office space can help redirect your focus from all the noise back to work. Adding extra insulation or specialized ceiling tiles could be just what you need.
- Room for Two
Since more people than ever are working from home, having a dedicated office space is considered a bare minimum for some homebuyers. If you want to improve your resale value and reduce future time on the market, optimize your space for two people.
Two built-in desks and plenty of storage space will entice couples or roommates who both work from home. It could also be an excellent place for kids to complete homework or as a craft studio.
If you lack square footage but have tall ceilings, build up. Create a loft space where you can place one small office underneath and one above.
- Rooms to Repurpose
You don’t have to settle for conference calls at the dinner table or writing proposals from the couch. Repurpose one of these preexisting spaces in your home.
Under Stairs
In most homes, you can utilize the square footage underneath the stairs is better. Maximize the space by hollowing it out and placing your office inside. Use vertical storage and custom built-ins to make the new alcove your ideal work-from-home location.
Guest Room
If you’re lucky enough to have a guest bedroom, your job of creating an at-home office space is mostly complete. To maximize your renovation budget and the highest return, reinvent the space as an office and a guest room.
Instead of keeping a bed frame in the room all year, purchase a sofa bed or murphy bed. Both options have come a long way in recent years — you can find comfortable possibilities in an array of styles to match your taste.
Closet
Lovingly referred to as the “cloffice,” closet offices are perfect if your home abounds in storage but lacks space. Take over an ill-used or unnecessary closet to convert it into your dream work area.
Use one that gets direct sunlight for at least part of the day, if possible. You’ll also want to install good task lighting. Work with a designer to create the perfect built-in setup to maximize your small space.
- More Extensive Home Office Renovations
These renovations come with a higher price tag, but most will grant you more space and a higher ROI.
Garage
Your garage is another area of untapped potential. Even if you store a car inside, you likely have extra room along one of the walls to create your ideal home office. Again, you’ll want to focus on adding storage and better lighting.
Bring in a contractor to help you make those arrangements, improve the insulation and add drywall if you didn’t have any before. Depending on your location, you must also run heat or air conditioning into the space to keep you comfortable and safe while you work.
Finally, upgrade your garage door to lift curb appeal and hold in all the hot or cold air. A small project like this has a comparatively small price but has an 85% ROI when you sell in the future.
Upgrade Your Kitchen
Upgrading your kitchen is a significant investment. However, you can maximize your purchase by incorporating your office into the space.
Cabinets and drawers designed for kitchens also work well as office storage. Repurpose countertops for a work area and you’ve got it made. Depending on your changes, you can expect between a 56% and 71% ROI on your kitchen renovation, which could rise even higher with an included office area.
Finish the Basement
Another option is incorporating your dream home office into a basement conversion. This often unfinished space is a gold mine of potential. You can design your new office down to the last detail, choosing every aspect since you’re starting from scratch.
Finishing your basement would cost you $22,850 on average, depending on the degree to which you want it finished. This renovation project adds significant usable square footage to your home and is a draw to potential buyers in the future.
See What Your Home Has to Offer
While it may seem impossible to fit a fully functioning office into your current home, you probably just haven’t tapped into its full potential yet. Whatever your budget, you can find the perfect location to center your work.
