Nowadays, when working from home has become a cosmopolitan trend, it’s only logical that more and more people are hoping to find other creative and effective ways to transform some part of the home into a home office. If you wish to have a spacious, multitasking, and calm area where you could do all the paramount work, you can easily shift your home office to the garage. Believe it or not, turning your garage into a home office represents a smart and adequate way to use up the space and make it diverse, purposeful, and neat. From the stylish and sophisticated to professional and basic, here are some useful tips on how to integrate a garage into a home office.
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Clear out the clutter
First things first, before you can insert all of the digital amenities, gathers, and other furniture, you need to empty out all the unnecessary things. People tend to pile updated things in the garage, and if you wish to convert it into a home office, you must ditch all the things you no longer need and de-clutter them. Do a thorough inspection and determine which things to keep and which to throw out. Designate a space for the home office desk, make sure you find a nice place to store the thing you need to hang on to. Get some decorative storage boxes and organize all the things you wish to keep. Clear out the clutter by thoroughly cleaning it before you do some remodeling.
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Adapt the space appropriately
Once you have made the garage usable as the workspace, you need to survey the space from top to bottom and get some basic remodeling done. This includes soundproofing the area as you don’t want your kids’ loud chit-chat impeding you from doing an important online meeting. Similarly, most garages have very poor insulation, and you might even need to ask ourselves how much insulation do I need before doing major work. Also, you’d probably need to repaint the walls, get new outlets for overhead lighting, maybe place tiles or opt for other flooring solutions like adding a new hardwood floor. If needed, you would need to replace or add windows and add another layer of drywall to the space to make it adaptable for all seasons and weather.
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Make it cozy and welcoming
The chances are you won’t have business partners over, but that doesn’t mean you cannot make the garage space comfortable and warm. First of all, you’ll need to ensure proper heating and cooling as garages are not meant to be all-season living areas. To adapt the space lucratively and fast, consider investing in a portable space heater and an air conditioner. Even though this isn’t a permanent solution, it will keep the space cosy. Next, consider the style you wish to implement in your new working space. Garages tend to be industrial, but you can make the surroundings rustic with modern finishes, or go for a minimalistic approach. Place all the pivotal items first. Start with the desk, chair, storage area, shelving, and then add some personal and more invigorating accent pieces and plants.
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Tech up
Those lucky enough homeowners to have an attached garage won’t have a problem with Wi-Fi connection, however, others might. As most remote work depends on a meticulous Internet connection, fix all the possible issues, and conduct a connection test before you move into your new office. To have a great, speedy, and reliable internet connection for video meetings and another crucial browsing, try to set up a Wi-Fi extender to boost up a poor internet connection.
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Add additional lighting fixtures
Garages are commonly known as dark and deserted places, and they are not very suitable for staying there for long hours. But if you want to convert it into a practical home office, you would need to change the lighting. Add overhead lighting, task lamps, and if necessary, install two or more windows to let natural light in. With enough light, you would be able to perform any task without worrying about having sore eyes, plus with adequate lighting, you won’t feel tired and you would create a more open-plan space.
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Personalize the ambient
Even a seemingly dull and dark place can be altered into a pleasant space. Especially if you are going to spend more than six hours per day in your garage, you need to add your own personal touch. After placing all the vital furniture, office stationery, and other tech gear, equip the ambient with family photos, framed artwork, plush warm rugs, and a few air-purifying indoor plants. With the right accessories, you would be able to immaculately show off your flair.
It can be hard to imagine that such basic space can be transformed into an effective office area. However, with a proper makeover, styling, and a little bit of creativity, you can easily convert your garage into a home office.
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