WORK-FROM-HOME
Mariah Hoffman
Photo cred: Stacy Keck
2020 shook up a lot, to say the least.
For many, that included shifting to work-from-home. For some, it was a privilege to work remotely from the comfort of home, while for others, maybe a burden working in a small space juggling multiple family responsibilities. Either way, if you’re anything like me, working/ living in a small space is constantly a balancing act and can be challenging. But it’s not impossible, with thoughtful adaptations. Having years of experience living in a tiny home and small spaces, I think I’ve found a few tricks to help adapt to these new circumstances.
Let’s be real. Working from home shouldn’t just be another way to glorify being accessible or productive at all times. I think healthy boundaries are important in any work environment. Sometimes we need to just be in our sweats all day. We’re still living through layers of collective trauma. But if you are living and working in a small apartment, studio, tiny home, RV etc. below are some tips that I’ve found to make the best use of the square footage.
See tips below.
I installed my Ikea multi-functional work/ dining table to fold down flat over my trailer wheel well. Photo cred: Stacy Keck.
5 Tips for Working-From-Home In a Small Space:
Headphones: This is particularly relevant if you are sharing a small space with a roommate or partner. Seriously, headphones are a game changer if you haven’t tried this yet. Reminds me of college dorm days.
Clutter-free neutral space: As important as it is to have dedicated work spaces, having a neutral landing space that is non-work related is important. That can be a couch/ coffee table, bookshelf, kitchen cook space etc. Even a bedside table that gets cleaned regularly can signal a sense of respect for personal space.
Tools at the ready: If you’re anything like me, I usually stay ready with multiple microns, markers, post-its and journals on deck. Find a way to organize all these misc. work tools in a way that is centralized so they don’t end up all over the house. I’m still working on finding my favorite multi-tool caddy solution for this.
Natural light: If you have the option, try setting up your workspace to take advantage of natural light. We get enough screen time as it is, let’s do our eyes a favor and lean into natural light when possible. Pro-tip: If you have a window directly behind you, your camera image will look blown out and hard to see since you will be back-lit. If possible, try positioning your desk to have a window adjacent or in front of you instead.
Folding tables: If you have the space/ option, tables that can fold flat can be a great option to add extra work/ table space when needed. I intentionally designed all the surfaces in my tiny house to fold flat for just this reason. If you want to make a custom folding table, you can buy the hinges online and top it with a sealed piece of wood. See image below for reference.
I custom made these folding tables using hinges I bought online and birch that I sanded and sealed. Photo cred: Stacy Keck.
BONUS TIP:
Phone alarms: I’ve said this one before, but I keep going back to it! Creating boundaries while working from home can be tough especially if you live in or share a small space. I joke that it's not "Work from Home", it's "Live at Work". Try setting "Start of Business" and "End of Business" alarms on your phone to remind you when it's time to start, turn off, shift, or even just step away from the computer for a minute. Just because we CAN be accessible at all times, doesn't mean we SHOULD be.
What else has helped you navigate working-from-home in a small space?