How to organise work-from-home spaces for the whole family
With the sudden need for everyone to be working from home if they possibly can, our homes are having to become highly multi-functional spaces. While it can seem overwhelming and an impossibility housing everyone’s different needs, here are a few simple tips to help create flexible, functional and fun family workspaces at home.
Lighting
Product shown: Garden flower drinking glass, £4.95
The first thing to think about when creating a space to work in, is trying to make use of natural light. If you can position your work area near a window – this is perfect. However if not, you could pull in lamps from other rooms and move your space depending on where the light is at different parts of the day. Generally it isn’t ideal to spend the whole day in one position, so if you can move – that's great. We’re currently enjoying spending as much time working outside as possible!
Organisation
Product shown: Tropical Palm snack box, £5.95 (set of 3)
If you have a small home and are lacking in desk/table spaces you may need to move around or ‘hot desk.’ If so, being able to grab all your bits and move when needed is so helpful. I have little bags for my girls that have their notebooks, school work, pens and pencils along with snacks and a drink in them, so wherever they’re working in the house they can get started straight away. It also means everything they have is with them, so they don’t need to keep asking for help/snacks!
Sparks Joy
Product shown: Blue abstract A5 notebook, £2.95
To use a Marie Kondo phrase, I think it's so important to have a few things around your workspace that ‘spark joy’. I hung this rainbow my daughter painted above the bureau along with a tulip from our garden and an Aloe Vera plant, planted in a much-loved but sadly now chipped ceramic sugar pot. Including things the children have made or found is a great way to make them feel included and valued in the space.
Accessibility
For kids, especially in the current situation, it's a great time to nurture their independence. As well as having their daily bags, I do try to make sure that everything in each room is accessible to them should they need it. The girls each have memo boards to house their stationery as well as display things that are important to them.
Products shown:
Cardboard Learn to Stitch activity, £6.95
Happy Cloud paper cup, £1.95 (set of 8)
In the more communal areas, I’ve organised everything so that we all have adequate space should we need it. I try to have pens, paper, scissors and glue in each room because craft seems to be king in our home! Having a drawer each in a sideboard means there’s no rummaging through everything to get to what they need, which is always helpful!
Comfort
It can be really hard switching off from work when you’re working at home – for that reason, packing away things after the day at work is a great thing to do where possible. It is a helpful way for everyone to signal the end of the day and can become a useful winding down ritual.
Creating micro comfort spots are a fantastic way to ensure there’s always space to relax. It needn’t be anything more complicated than a cosy blanket draped on a comfy chair and a pile of much loved books, a deliciously scented candle or for children a little nook just the right size for den building.
We hope this was a bit of inspiration for your own workspaces at home. We'd love to hear how you're adjusting your living spaces - tag us with any tips, tricks or any photos of your work-from-home setup @RexLondonUK!
