How to Transform a Shed into the Ultimate Home Office

With so many people working from home for the past year, there has been a surge in home office setups and revamps. However, due to noise, family, and other distractions, some find it difficult to concentrate on work inside the house. Others have discovered that the blurred line between work and home life takes a toll on their wellbeing. 

Therefore, many are turning to an inventive solution: the backyard office. By converting an unused shed, garage, or cabin into a private workspace, you can work from home while still being physically separated from your house. Unique backyard offices make excellent, quiet getaways to get more done, and as designated focus areas, they help you leave work at work.

There are several things to consider when thinking about renovating an old shed and designing your perfect office. We’ll go through several practical pieces of advice as well as creative design inspiration. 

1. Consider the Logistics

Make sure the structure you’re renovating has the capability to suit your work needs. For example, is it large enough to fit all your equipment? You will need enough space for a desk, chair, storage, and possibly other furniture, like an armchair or small sofa. Then, ensure that you are able to set up electricity and Internet access. 

Next, consider the temperature. For example, if your summers are unbearably hot, will you need to install air conditioning to keep comfortable? 

Spend some time inside the shed or structure before you move any furniture. Make sure that outside noise from neighbors, dogs, or lawn mowers won’t severely interfere with your concentration. If noise is a problem, you can look into installing soundproof walls or sound-absorbing panels on the inside of the shed.

Once you’ve thought these practical factors through and determined if the cost is worth the renovation, it’s time to start designing. 

2. Maximize Natural Light

Natural light improves mood and minimizes eye strain, especially when you face a computer for most of the day. Therefore, if possible, you should maximize natural light in your backyard office shed. 

If your shed doesn’t have windows, consider installing them. Alternatively, if the temperature is suitable, you can leave the door open for a breath of fresh air while you work. Research has shown that exposure to greenery and nature reduces stress at work and even improves decision making.

For more light, add fixtures like floor and table lamps, or install track lighting on the ceiling. 

3. Keep Clean and Organized

In a small space like a shed, one of the most important things to keep in mind is to use your space effectively. To keep things from feeling cramped, you’ll want to minimize mess by keeping things well organized. At House to Home Organizing, we can help you create the perfect, clutter-free office space for maximum focus. 

Multifunctional furniture, such as cubbies that double as tables or sofas that have storage space underneath, will be perfect for compact organization. Keep your cable management in order and display only the bare essentials on your desk surface. 
In terms of design, minimalist furniture is a great choice because it emphasizes simplicity and functionality. In a small workspace, sleek and simple decor won’t distract from the tasks at hand. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t also personalize your office; hang family photos or include a pop of color with an accent pillow or two to make the space feel like your own.

Consider adding elements that will make the room feel bigger. Hanging a mirror on the wall will create the illusion of more space, as will painting the floor a light, off-white color.

For more backyard office design inspiration, check out 1stDibs’ visual below. 

How to Find the Best Way to Upgrade Your Home's Patio

Investing in a home requires more than simply just paying your mortgage payment on time. When you want to truly get the most out of your home investment, it is important to update and maintain various areas of your home throughout the time of your residence. If your home has a patio, there are a few ways to upgrade and update the space to help add value to your home while also providing you an opportunity to truly transform your yard space for dining, entertaining, and future events.

Calculate Your Budget

Before you begin upgrading or updating your home's patio, calculate the budget you have available. Calculate how much you are able to spend not only on construction and replacements, but also on updates as well as decor and other items you may envision for space.

Consider Your Vision

Consider the vision you have for your home's patio before you begin implementing changes, updates, and new upgrades. How much are you able to spend on your patio renovation project? What purpose do your envisioned upgrades serve for your home patio? How long will it take you to complete the renovation you have in mind? Having a vision of your completed patio project can help you to stick to your goals and any timeline you have in mind for the completed area.

Hire a Contractor

Hiring a concrete contractor or another contractor who specializes in patio updates and upgrades is highly recommended if you are unfamiliar with the process of working on patio spaces yourself. Hiring a contractor is a way to ensure the vision for your completed patio is brought to fruition, even if you are interested in an entirely new patio or surface area to work with outdoors.

Smaller Updates

It is also important to keep smaller updates in mind when you are in the process of upgrading your home's patio area and space. Consider the type of decor as well as the overall aesthetic you are going for with your patio space. If you are unable to completely overhaul your patio space with new concrete and by hiring a contractor, there are plenty of other ways to go about transforming the outdoor space on just about any budget.

Upgrading and updating your home's patio is a great way to add value to your home. It is also a way for you to build an entirely new entertainment space for your loved ones as well as any guests you host at your home in the future.

Guest Post - What I Wish I Knew When I Moved Homes

Moving houses can be exciting. You can’t stop picturing yourself in a better neighborhood, in that spacious home with a marvelous kitchen. Most of the time, moving signifies a point of newness where you start a new life that is exciting and promising.

On the other hand, planning a move and actualizing it is a tough task to pull. Amidst the excitement, the whole process can be overwhelming and stressful. If you fail to prepare yourself properly, there is the possibility of some things going against what you anticipated. Before you get out the packing tape and start boxing your things, consider these 4 tips to make your move something you won’t regret later.

1.      Get rid of stuff that you no longer need

If you are like most people who hold onto things for a long time, your house could be full of things that you no longer use. Moving those things to the new home will only make your move difficult and expensive. Take time before the move to sort out such things and plan on how to get rid of them. You can donate, sell or trash the ones that are beyond repair.

In that breath, it is also good to sell your old house first before moving to a new one. This way, you will know how much money you have. You will be clear on the budget for the new home as well as all the repairs that might be necessary. However, you might need to sell your house faster for you to use the cash to pay for the down payment for your new home. But how do I sell my house fast? If that’s your predicament, you need to know that there are trusted cash home buyers in the region ready to give you an offer in the shortest time possible. Just scout for one and contact them to make a deal.

2.      Create a checklist

Moving to a new house is a tiring task. Your biggest goal should be to have your back and sanity intact at the end of it all. However, that is not going to happen if the boxes are to get mixed up and you have to sort them out after the movers are gone. You will also have it rough if some boxes are forgotten or misdelivered and you have to do a follow-up later.

You will save yourself a lot of trouble by labeling every box carefully. Ensure that you write a number and the room where each box belongs. Then list them on a checklist and make a copy. Keep one copy and give the movers the other copy. This way, both of you will have something to tick against to ensure that all boxes are delivered correctly.

3.      Figure out the essentials

If you are moving to a new geographical area, you must figure out the important things before making the move. The last thing you want to do is get stuck looking for a drug store or grocery store when you need them the most. Sure, Google is your friend, but Wi-Fi can fail sometimes. Research the area way before you move. Ensure that you figure out all the routes to your house and the nearest amenities.

It might also interest you to befriend the neighbors from the word go. These individuals have been there longer and they hold precious information that might come in handy when you need it. 

4.      Budget

Moving can be stressful and disruptive. The last thing that you would want is for it to disrupt your finances and land you into debt. It is advisable to have a budget in place before moving so that you are sure how far you can go with the expenses.

Put into consideration all the expenses involved in paying the movers and providing meals to your friends and family who volunteer to help you. Besides, consider the day-to-day expenses in the new house. It would be wise to allocate a bit more than you did in the previous house until you figure out the average costs.

Conclusion

Moving homes is a task that is easier said than done. Besides demanding enough finances, it is a process that requires you to be there physically. Even as you put a budget, you need to clear your calendar to ensure that you have enough time to oversee everything. Additionally, keep in mind the above tips. They will go a long way in helping you move successfully.

Author Bio: Avery is a real estate consultant who partners with CEOs, executives, and solopreneurs to grow their personal and professional goals, human-to-human. After spending nearly a decade working with real estate and marketing, Avery knows what truly drives conversions, serious goals and good outcomes. It’s how well you connect with the heart-beating people you’re trying to help and communicate your understanding back to them. 

Cool Ways To Improve Your Kitchen on a Budget

Brightening up the kitchen adds life to the whole house. Since we spend so much time working in this space, keeping it beautiful is crucial to our well-being. A well-adorned space makes the chores less of a drag as we enjoy spending time and immersing ourselves in a room. However, redecorating is often surprisingly expensive. Fortunately, there are still many cool ways to improve your kitchen on a budget.

Explore Fixture Options

Kitchens are full of little fixtures and hardware that wear out after so many years of interactions. These features include handles, doorknobs, and even flatware. For the most part, nice new fixtures don’t cost much to replace, and you can find many attractive, decorative, and relatively inexpensive options by shopping smart online. Lighting, too, is less expensive than most people imagine. Adding LED panels, changing out covers, or even adding a simple ceiling fan is typically possible for under $100.

Many stores supply discounted furnishings and fixtures. These might simply be older models or samples of stock that didn’t sell. Other times, resale stores carry a broad array of items salvaged from remodeled or even demolished homes and structures.

Splash in More Color

Adding paint is always one of the coolest ways to improve your kitchen on a budget. Of course, the easiest way is to pick a new color and go to town. Repaint the cabinets, walls, and even appliances with a new color or texture. You can also touch up your paint or accent it with cool weathering techniques—or sand it down and stain it for a more rustic look.

Nowadays, unusual and fun types of paint are incredibly accessible. Experiment with metallics, accenting, and more. Adding a section or wall of the paint-on chalkboard is also a fun project that can add a playful spin to a kitchen.

Look at Drawers and Shelves

As with previous examples, there are many ways to approach a complete change of cabinets, drawers, and shelves. However, after adding paint, a new countertop, or similar makeover options, you may decide to keep your original pieces. Give your furnishings an even fresher lease on life with an interior makeover.

Drawer interiors and shelf surfaces are easy to protect and decorate using affordable contact paper. Not only does it add more color and texture to a space, but it also protects typically unfinished interiors from dirt, grime, and stains. For cabinets and drawers, there are many inexpensive organizer tools. Spring-loaded wood inserts divide your drawer into sections in a more attractive way than the more common plastic dividers.