Welcome to the exciting and chaotic world of shared home offices! If you’re one of the lucky ones who get to share their workspace with a loved one or even a pet, you know that it can be a bit of a challenge to keep things organized and productive. But don’t worry, because we’ve got you covered with 21 shared home office ideas that will help keep you sane and productive. From clever storage solutions to designated workspaces, these ideas will help to turn your home office into a haven of harmony and productivity. You already know the routine, grab a cup of coffee (or any other preferred beverage) and get ready to turn your shared home office into a masterpiece, because let’s be real, who wants to work in a cluttered and chaotic environment?
The last 24+ plus months have brought about major changes in pretty much every aspect of our day-to-day lives. Somewhere near the top of the list is needing to carve out space to work from home. Imagine, that you now need to carve out space at home and share the space with your spouse, partner, roommates, and or kids.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work in many ways. One of the most significant changes is the rise in popularity of a shared home office.
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If you’re working from home, you’re not alone. In fact, there are an estimated 25 million people working from home in the United States alone. And with the COVID-19 pandemic causing many people to work from home for the foreseeable future, that number is only going to grow.
A shared home office can be both functional, organized and stylish when done with the right materials. Keep in mind, that you may not get everything that you want, but you can get everything that you need.
Working from home can be a challenge, especially if you don’t have a dedicated home office. If you’re working from your kitchen table or living room couch, you might be feeling a bit cramped – and unproductive.
If you are thinking of setting up a shared home office, then this article is for you. Read on to learn about 21 shared home office ideas that will help keep you sane and productive!
Shared Home Office Must-Haves
- Noise Cancelling headphones
- Heavy-duty power strip with surge protection
- Your favorite scented candle that you have agreed upon
- Personal Fan – Not everyone is hot or cool in nature, hence having a fan may be a must-have for you and not your officemate
- Upgraded Electrical Outlets – Depending on the nature of the equipment that you have in your space, it may be worth having an electrician take a look at your space. I need to have a heater running in the winter, thus I had the electrician upgrade one of my outlets that could stand the higher voltage. I also recommend having outlets installed that function as chargers for our phones and other USB devices.
- Waterproof desk pad – this is essential if your desk areas are shared. It’s one thing to spill your coffee and wet your own paperwork, it’s a whole other level of foolishness to spill your coffee and wet your desk mates’ important paperwork. I promise you that I knock over my coffee at least once a month and my clear vinyl desk covers are my saving grace as I have important info underneath for easy access.
- Designated Personal Wall Area. Take advantage of the vertical space and carve out an area that is just for you.
- Separate bookcases or storage areas. One of my go-to for storage is Ikeas Billy Bookcases – You have the option of having open-face storage or glass doors. When sharing space it is important to have an area that is designated just for your stuff as well as private things. Just because you are sharing space, does not mean that your wife, hubby, or roommate needs to see all of your trade secrets from work.
- Filing Cabinets with locks– Privacy is a must and maybe you just don’t want your toddlers to have access to the architectural drawings that you worked so hard on.
- Plants– no office is complete without a plant. Check out Plants.com, they even have a designated area for plants that work well in your office.
- Memory foam seat cushion – if you didn’t splurge on an ergonomic chair then this is the next best thing.
Make sure you read up on 7 Steps on How to Create A Calming Home Office and incorporate this into your overall plan as well. You need to create a mini-blue print of how the space will be laid out. Talk with your office mate and hash out ideas, details, needs, desires, and wants. Be mindful that you may be spending 8+ hours a day in the space with another individual. It’s one thing to go into a corporate work environment where you may not have a choice in who occupies the cubicle next to you; however, it’s a whole other ball game when your office space is at home and you are sharing it with your spouse and he/she may not love your cat wallpaper the way you love it.
Here are a few starter tips
- Start with a Blank Canvas– If possible, then remove everything from the space and start from scratch.
- Paint your office – Nothing spruces up space like a fresh coat of paint
- Draw out your floorplan
- Re-use and re-arrange existing furniture. No need to break the bank if you are able to re-arrange and repurpose existing furniture
- Decide on the technology that will be used. It’s time to upgrade to a smart home office I have two printers in my office, one that only prints black and one that is a full-color laser printer with scanner & fax capability.
- Tap into your creativity – Don’t be afraid to go bold, you may literally have to draw a line through the middle of your space and design one half in what is meaningful to you and allow your office mate to design their half.
- Carve out a Zoom Area – most if not all of us are engaging in zoom sessions on a regular basis. It may be feasible to add an area that serves as a backdrop for your zoom meetings. – Sidenote- make sure you remove items in your backdrop that people shouldn’t see, ie., wine bottles, nudity, and more. it may be ok for your backdrop on TikTok or YouTube, but it’s not ok for a work meeting.
Adding an adjustable desk to your area will enable you to not sit all day. I compromised and added a Husky work table with drawers, it was cost-effective and absolutely brilliant.
If you are anything like me then you might not have a proverbial green thumb. Hence a Sweet Succulent Heart Garden works very well in my environment. It requires very little maintenance.
Transform your home office – See More! >>>>
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Resources
- Ashley Furniture is one of my go-to resources for office furniture. They typically have a good sale and I love the variety of styles they have available. My current office furniture is all compliments of Ashley Homestore. I was able to snag everything on clearance.
I currently have the Hamlyn Home Office.
- Thumbtack Is my favorite resource when it comes to hiring additional help on my various home projects. You can find a qualified professional that will come in and paint your office for you if you are not up to the task.
- Samplize – takes all the guesswork out of selecting the perfect color and color combinations. Use their easy peel-and-stick samples that are made with real paint.
- Shop Jonathan Adler Sale. Save up to 65% Off Retail Price
- Plants.com is my go-to source for finding the perfect plants for my home as well as sending gifts to friends, neighbors, and family members.
