Setting up a home office – the best tips

When working from home, you need a workspace that is both practical and harmoniously integrated into your home. No matter your work tasks, a home office should be tailored to your specific productivity needs.

A successful home office depends on setting up the right conditions from the start.

Working from home sounds idyllic at first. But before you launch your freelance career or strive for permanent remote work as an employee, you need to create the necessary conditions at home. Not every apartment is suitable as a professional retreat. A shared apartment or a studio apartment with a partner is probably not a suitable place for a home office. A spacious apartment or a classic country house is much more appropriate. 

The right place for your home office

A dedicated room is the perfect solution for a home office. It's simply easier to concentrate there. If you don't have a separate study, you can also utilize niches in your home.

Hallways, stairwells, or even parts of a built-in wardrobe can quickly be converted into small workspaces. These spaces might not be suitable for a 40-hour workweek, but they are very practical for occasional home-office days and checking the mail.

Desk corner in the living room

This "Little Colleague" desk is ideal for a small office corner. After work, your laptop and cables disappear quickly into its drawer, leaving room for decorations and flowers. The "Role Player" swivel stool provides comfortable seating in your home office, while the "Upsized" shelf on casters offers ample, mobile storage, and the "Bright Star" table lamp provides the perfect lighting.

Setting up your own office

You're the boss here. That includes the furnishings. Easy-to-clean, run-of-the-mill office furniture, complete with an ergonomic monstrosity and a dusty potted plant, is therefore a thing of the past. Everything here can be more homey and reflect your personal style.

And that's not just about aesthetics. If you enjoy spending time in your home office, you'll also be much more productive.

Secretary instead of a desk

The same principle applies when working from home: your workspace must be suitable for your work and offer sufficient space. However, this doesn't mean you need a bulky piece of equipment in your living room. Often, a small desk, or even a secretary's desk, is perfectly adequate for most desk-based jobs. This has an added advantage: after work, it can be easily folded away, and the work behind it is quickly forgotten. This is especially practical if you've set up a dedicated home office corner in your living room.

Alternative to the office chair

If you only use your workspace occasionally and perhaps even have it set up in your living room, you should opt for a lighter office chair. Many manufacturers already offer an office version of their regular chair ranges, which blends in better with the rest of your decor. However, if you sit at your desk regularly and all day, there's no way around an ergonomic chair.

Sit correctly

Looks and seating comfort are one thing, but the correct seat height is also crucial. This is where the 90/90 rule comes in: When sitting upright, with feet flat on the floor and forearms resting loosely on the desk, the angles at your knees and elbows should each be 90 degrees. However, sitting still all day isn't the goal. Intervertebral discs need movement to stay healthy. So change your sitting position regularly and get up from time to time.

Order in the home office

A creative mind rarely tidy? Perhaps, but anyone who spends too much time searching for important documents at the start of the workday, or simply doesn't know where to put their laptop on a cluttered desk or secretary, isn't very productive either.

Therefore, practice self-discipline: your home office shouldn't be used as a storage room, and ideally, you should tidy it up at the end of the workday. Dispose of waste paper regularly – and yes, even that – the used coffee cup goes with you to the kitchen in the evening.

Storage space in the home office

Attractive folders, trays, or baskets help keep things organized and can even double as decoration. Does all of this seem too exposed? Then put your work materials away behind cupboard doors or in drawers at the end of the day. Generally, however, you should plan your storage space according to three criteria:

1. Storage for items that need to be readily accessible ;

2. Storage for materials that are used occasionally

3. Storage for documents and items that are rarely used but need to be kept.

Light in the office

Natural daylight is ideal for a home office; it should be as bright as possible. However, if the glare is so intense that you can no longer see anything on your monitor, you should soften the sunlight with sheer curtains or blinds.

Speaking of monitors: Position your computer screen so that the window isn't reflected in it. These reflections are not only distracting but also tire your eyes more quickly. Ideally, the monitor should be positioned to the side of the window. 

Lamps and lights in the workplace

If you can't set up your desk on the sunny side of the room, you'll need additional lighting to ensure good working conditions. Ideally, combine subtle ambient light with focused, glare-free task lighting from a desk lamp.

However, avoid creating strong contrasts between the different lighting zones, as these will only strain your eyes unnecessarily.

Share your home office.

What? Sharing your home office? Yes, sharing is good. You can still work in peace and enjoy the benefits of working from home. But believe us, if you do this all the time, it can get pretty lonely.

Therefore, if you have friends or colleagues – for example, as a freelancer – you could perhaps work together one or two days a week. You'll see, a cup of coffee or a quick chat often works wonders and helps you forget annoying business emails more quickly.

Home office starter kit

Here's what you need for an optimally set-up home office:

• ergonomic office chair
• Desk (ideally height-adjustable, at least 160 x 80 cm)
• Storage options such as rolling containers or small cabinets
• sufficient lighting (daylight, desk lamp, ceiling light)
• Computer with keyboard and mouse
• one or two screens with a minimum size of 22 inches
• a notebook stand or docking station (if using a laptop)
• Headset (optional) for conferences

Working effectively from home: 7 tips

• Getting enough sleep: Those who have had a restful night can tackle the tasks of the day in the best possible way.
• Daylight is still the best light for working indoors. Those who don't have enough daylight at their workplace can buy a daylight lamp or spend their breaks outdoors.
• Ventilate regularly, especially in small rooms, as the air can quickly become stale. Fresh air helps you stay awake and focused, even after long hours of work.
• Set up a workplace that is as free from distractions as possible, for example, by switching off your mobile phone for a few hours or using a headset.
• Concentration-enhancing work light at the desk: Lamps with approximately 800 lumens and a color temperature between 3300 and 5300 Kelvin are ideal.
• Sufficient exercise: Assign yourself different tasks in different locations while working from home to ensure you move around regularly.
• Take regular short breaks: Studies show we work more effectively when we regularly allow ourselves short rest periods. Use making coffee or going to the mailbox to catch your breath.

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