In today's world more and more people are finding themselves working from home instead of heading into the office each day. In fact, some studies show that at least 5 million people are working from home at least half the time.

It's one thing if you are working from home temporarily. But if you are working from home much of the time now, you need a designated workspace.

You might be thinking, I live in an apartment, I don't have a place for a home office. Yet, if you are going to continue to work from home and be successful, you probably need a better office space than the kitchen table or the sofa.

Read on for these tips to consider so you can create a functional and friendly home office space in your apartment.

1. Location, Location, Location

Sure, you live in an apartment and you might not have a whole room to dedicate to a home office. You can still have space for working at home.

Step back and evaluate your apartment. Study how you have things laid out. Do you have some wall space you can designate for a home office?

Consider your entry hallway or dining nook? Maybe near a window in your living area?

If needed, consider how you might rearrange your furniture to create a nook that you could use for a home office.

2. Get a Design Aesthetic

This office will be in your home. You want it to have a specific design aesthetic. Sure, if you go into the office, you are stuck with whatever your cubicle looks like. You must conform to the office look and feel when you are there.

That is not the case when you are working from home. Go beyond thinking of just plunking a desk against the wall and dragging over a kitchen chair.

Think about how you can design a home office space that feels like a truly designed space versus a space that fell together with whatever you could find around your apartment.

3. Consider Your Furniture Needs

Now that you know where your home office will fit and what look you want it to have, it's time to consider what your furniture needs.

Of course, you will need something that will act as a desk. Some people will only need enough space to place their laptop computer. Consider how you like to work.

Will you want more work area? Some like the look and feel of a traditional desk. Others might prefer a small table that acts as a desk because it provides more work area.

You also want to consider storage needs. Will you need a place for files, for example.

Your desk chair is also an important consideration. If you are going to be spending a lot of time at home working, then you want to invest in a quality desk chair.

4. Distractions

Many people find working from home great. They love working in their comfy pants with the coffee pot close by and maybe even their beloved pet sitting on their slippered feet.

For many others, working from home is a minefield of distractions. Accept that working from home does present some unavoidable distractions.

Think about how to set up your home office to help eliminate some of those distractions. For example, you might love the natural light that comes with working in front of a window. Yet, it also faces the playground area where kids gather to run around and make lots of noise.

Do you want your desk facing the TV? Probably not. Think about how to arrange your desk to best eliminate distractions.

5. Make Your Office Part of Your Home

Yes, this might seem contradictory to the idea of creating a separate office space. But this office space will be a part of your home. It might be in your living room or eating area.

You want to make the office space blend instead of standing out. Consider choosing furniture that blends and coordinates with the rest of the furniture in your home.

You might integrate some of the same style of art into the office area that is hanging in other parts of your apartment.

6. Consider Office Must-Haves

Certainly, as a virtual worker, you have needs related to technology. Make sure your office space has a high-speed wifi connection. You will want to consider if you have any need for printing at home while working and arrange a printer as needed.

You want to make sure you have adequate plugs near your office area. You will likely need to plug in multiple tech devices once you spend an entire day at your desk.

7. Personalize Your Space

If you are going to spend a fair amount of every day in your at-home office space you want it to be an inviting and appealing place to sit.

Consider how you can personalize your space so it is appealing to you. Perhaps you want a framed photo or two of your favorite people. Get a pretty jar for a container full of your favorite pens. You could add some decorative shelving above your workspace to hold your office supplies.

Add a plant, candle, or fresh flowers to your workspace to make it more friendly.

Tips for Making Your Home Office Work for You

It's a new way of life for many workers and it requires adjusting to being at home and doing your job too. Create a home office that not only supports your work but makes it inviting to sit down at your desk too.

Use these tips to create a home office in your apartment so working at home becomes inviting and positive.

If you are looking for a new apartment, we have just the place for you. Contact us today to learn more about our available apartment options.