Having a spacious room in your home where you can set up a home office is a luxury not many people can afford. Many people have to make do with a small room with narrow walls, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Narrow rooms can make excellent home offices if you are crafty with your setup. 

Having a separate space where you can focus on work is the goal that most people who work from home aim for. Whether your office is narrow or large, it will have the same function. A larger office allows you to do much more in your office. Still, a small office is excellent if you are on a budget or want to keep your space minimalistic. 

Benefits of Having a Small Office Space

Having an office space is crucial when you work from home. It provides an area where you can escape distractions and work peacefully. If you have a small space, it can actually significantly improve your concentration and productivity. Here are some of the many other benefits of having a small office space. 

It Is Easier To Manage

One of the most significant benefits of having a small home office is that it is much easier to manage. It takes you a lot less time to set up and clean, and this allows you to get done with a lot more in less time, making your life much simpler. Additionally, when you work in a smaller space, there are fewer distractions, which means that you can focus on your tasks much better. Since there is less space, you also do not have much space to place items that distract you. Fewer items also mean cleaning and keeping such offices organized is much easier. 

It Is Much More Efficient

Having a narrow office means you have limited space, forcing you to keep essential things nearby. Thereby, when you only have things related to work around, you are much less likely to get distracted. This means that you are efficient and get your work done more quickly. A smaller office is excellent for productive people as it caves in their space, which really helps get them in the zone to work. It also helps keep their attention focused on the task in front of them. 

Small Office Space Is More Affordable

A small home office is much more affordable than a larger one as you do not need as many furniture pieces to furnish it properly. If you have a small space, you will most likely want room to move around and would not want anything more than a desk, chair, or storage unit. Additionally, small spaces can easily look cluttered, so professionals advise minimally decorating small spaces. Therefore, you can save money and have a fully functional office where you can get all your work done. 

It Provides a Sense of Privacy

When working in a small home office, you will most likely be alone because there won’t be space to accommodate another person. Many find it much more comfortable working in an environment where they are alone. This is because it removes the worry of disturbing someone else or talking to them and getting distracted. 

Additionally, a small office gives you a sense of privacy to carry out your work however you like. It is much smaller, so it feels much more private and intimate as it’s just you and a desk where you work. Having a personal space also helps boost productivity by improving concentration. 

It Is More Organized

Small offices are much more organized because there is less room for clutter, which will force you only to keep what you need. This reduces paperwork and random items that tend to clutter more spaces. Additionally, you can add shelves in narrower offices, allowing you to make the most of your space. You are automatically more organized when everything has a place, and there is limited real estate to work with. 

Tips on Setting Up a Home Office in a Narrow Space

Having a small home office is quite beneficial, but you need to set it up well for it to be useful. When setting up a home office in a narrow-walled room, using every square inch is important. This means that you have to get crafty and think outside the box.

Although you may think a small home office means having the bare minimum, you can fit everything important if you are clever. Here are some tips to help you set up your home office to be functional even if you have less space. 

Purchase a Desk That Maximizes Space

If your home office does not have a built-in desk, you will need to invest in a desk. Since you do not have a lot of space, you can’t just pick any desk. Focus on selecting a desk that maximizes the space in your office. This means choosing a desk that has shelves and cabinets built into it. 

You can choose an L-shaped desk that you can push against a wall or a floating desk. The latter will help open up space on the floor, meaning you can place cabinets and devices such as paper shredders underneath it. 

Additionally, you can purchase a desk with shelves to store all your essential papers within reach. This is a much better option than getting a separate filing cabinet. Ensure that whichever desk you choose can be pushed against the wall as it increases space to add other furniture items. 

Keep Your Workspace Simple and Decluttered

When working, it is vital that your space is clean and decluttered; otherwise, you will feel frustrated and won’t be productive. Clutter tends to distract people, and having a clean and simple environment will allow you to be your most productive self. 

When you have a small space to work with, it is recommended that you keep your space clean and tidy up regularly. Clutter tends to make your area look smaller than it is. When your office is small, unnecessary items will make it feel claustrophobic. 

Ensure that you keep your desktop accessories to a minimum and do not have many things cluttering your desk space. If you work on a computer or laptop, ensure that you have enough space to arrange all your essentials and maybe one or two personal items like a plant. Otherwise, you risk distraction from these items. Too many items can make it challenging to work and navigate your room.

Purchase a Chair That Fits the Space

When purchasing a chair for your narrow home office, ensure that you do not buy a big, bulky chair. Since you have less space, you must maximize it. Some chairs that claim to be ergonomic are massive and take up a lot of space. Having such chairs in a small area can make it feel like you have even less space. You can instead go for a dining chair or a sitting chair. It is much better if they don’t have arms because desk chairs with arms tend to occupy a lot of space and make getting out of them harder.

Minimize the Appearance of Electrical Cords

One of the easiest ways to make your space seem larger is having a clean desk space. To do so, the first thing you need to do is to hide all your cords. Even in a large home office, the appearance of electrical cables at the back of your desk looks messy and can ruin the appearance of your space. 

In a smaller office, it becomes even more imperative to reduce the appearance of cords. You can easily hide them using cable sleeves and other such tools. Additionally, you can hang up your extension cord behind cabinets and store your power strip in them so there are no wires in sight. 

Color Coordinate Your Furniture

The color of your furniture significantly affects how your office appears. Suppose you use contrasting furniture, such as dark or brightly colored furniture, in a space with white or light-colored walls. In that case, the furniture will stand out more, causing the room to look much smaller. On the other hand, if you have light-colored furniture, it will blend into the walls and make it seem as if you have more space. 

Not only will color-coordinated furniture make your room seem bigger, but it will also help reduce distractions. Neutral and light-toned colors are the best for small spaces. 

Install a Floating Desk and Shelves

A floating desk or shelf is an excellent way to increase space in your small home office. When you have a narrow room, it is more beneficial to think vertically as there is less space to work with on the ground. In such situations, shelves work wonderfully as you can use your walls as storage space. 

Also, floating desks help free up space on the floor so you can place your devices there instead of having to relocate them elsewhere. These desks also allow you to add storage underneath your desk, which can help maximize your space. 

Use Storage Creatively

Since having enough storage in a home office is necessary, you must use your storage creatively and make the most out of it. If you have drawers, you can use drawer dividers to help keep them arranged and efficient. You can hang hooks on your walls, on the back of your door, and even on the inside of your cabinets. This allows you to hang stuff and make full use of the limited space you have. 

If you have shelves, aim to arrange everything so you can fit more into them. In such cases, jars and other small containers are extremely useful as they can fit a lot, even if they are small. By using your space creatively, you can store more and keep stuff off your main working area. 

Pros and Cons of Having a Small Home Office

Having a narrow-walled home office has advantages and disadvantages. It depends on what you value most and what fits your budget, lifestyle, and needs. Here are a few pros and cons that you should consider before setting up a small home office. 

FAQs

1. How do you make a narrow office look bigger?

To make your narrow office look bigger, you should focus on the type of furniture you purchase. Ensure you only buy pieces that are space efficient. You can also organize your cables, color coordinate your items and allow plenty of sunlight to enter the room.

2. How do you choose an appropriate layout when you have a small office?

If you have a small office, push your furniture towards the wall and go for vertical shelving. This will help make your space look big, and you won’t have trouble navigating around it. 

3. How to make a small office with no windows look bigger?

If your home office is small and has no windows, opt for reflective surfaces on the walls. This helps the space look much bigger. Additionally, they also mimic a window and make the area feel bright. 

Conclusions

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need a large home office to be productive and get your work done. Even if you have a small home office, you can get a lot of your work done, provided that you are clever with your office layout. If your office is narrow, you can think vertically and add storage space. Additionally, opting for smaller and more compact furniture that is color-coordinated can help make your area feel bigger and more efficient.