What's A Home Office?

The words, home office, can mean different things to different people. For instance, if you were to talk about a home office to an architect, you would be told that you need a space at least 10x10 sq.inches, complete with a door to close it off from the rest of the family living space. But, what if you live in a little apartment and you don't have ten square inches of extra space, never mind ten feet by ten feet. How then, does a person with very little space manage to create a home office?

If You Live In A Small Space...

If you live in an apartment, unless you've taken one with an extra bedroom that you can convert to an office, you probably don't have much room to work with. However, many apartments do have long hallways that dead end into nothingness. This space can be captured and with a little creativity, turned into an office space. By installing some shelving and a desktop against the end wall, and adding a chair, you have created a workspace which will house a computer, files and paperwork.

The Bookcase Caper

Your living room can double as an office in a very clever way. By using three bookcases encased in a frame with a hollow door on tracks, you can use one section of the bookcase as an office center which can be covered up by the sliding door when not in use. This kind of hidden treasure works very well in a studio apartment where space is at a premium and there's literally nowhere to go.

Use Flexible Furniture And Things You Can Hide

Rather than going to the office supply store to outfit your home office, look for ways to make your furniture multitask. For instance, use a two-drawer file cabinet as a bedside table. Just throw a great tablecloth over it to hide it when you don't need to get into it for anything. A pretty vanity, antique wooden secretary, a great writing table or small desk with upholstered chair work well as furniture and office space as well.

By using flexible furniture, each piece can do double duty. A slim console table can be used behind the couch to hold a lamp for reading while you sit on the couch and with the addition of a chair, can be used as a writing surface as well. Antique tables with folding sides can be used as work surfaces and then folded down when guests visit to allow for more room.

There's Always the Closet, You Know

Shelving can be installed in a closet where you can also put a small table or desk and a roll out set of drawers. Slide a hall chair or kitchen chair into the space when you need to work, and just close the door when you're away from work. Your laptop or desk top computer can remain in the closet and nobody will know but you.

With a little creativity you can find clever ways to put an office into a very small space.