With many Brits either working remotely full-time or doing hybrid work, having a home office has never been more essential. Not all homes have the space to dedicate an entire room to working, so sometimes you will have to get a bit creative to make it work.

Here are some things you should consider before setting up a permanent home office.

Budget and expenses

Home offices range from laptops on desks in a corner of a room that has other uses, to fully adapted spaces that are only used for working. As such, there can be a range of costs associated with creating your ideal space as well as furnishing and decorating it.

Lofts can often be underappreciated spaces when it comes to being functional within your home. Converting yours into a home office means you can be away from the hubbub of a family home, whilst not having to deal with a morning commute.

However, such a conversion can be costly. You may need to save up for a few months to afford it, but with travel expenses added on, it can be challenging. If you are over 55 and a homeowner you may be able to release some equity in your home to boost your renovation fund. Use an equity release calculator to see how much you may be able to release from your home, tax-free.

Choose the right location

Family life can be hectic and hard to manage when you are trying to get some work done. When thinking about your home office, location within your walls is key.

You will need to consider any noise disruptions that may occur. It can be hard enough to concentrate without listening to your toddler have a meltdown about the wrong-coloured plate! Make sure your office is far enough away that such things won’t disturb you.

Natural light should also factor into your decision. Workers who are exposed to natural light have a reduced amount of eye strain, sleep better and feel better mentally. If it isn’t possible to increase your natural light amount, then consider how you will light the room adequately.

Furniture selection

If you are furnishing a small home office, you should think about dual functionality pieces. For example, if you decide to turn the space under the stairs into a workspace, then you will need clever storage. There are desks on the market that are packed full of storage space.

If you do not want a chair sticking out into the hallway or living room, then you may want to use a foldaway chair and store it on a hook on the wall to keep it out of the way.

Walls are a great place to utilise when you are running low on space or storage. You could put up some shelving for folders and files. If you use tools daily, use a wire rack attached to the wall to store tools so that they are easily accessible whilst being tidy.