If you call your private residence your office, you aren't alone. The number of Americans working from home is on the rise, as employers become more flexible with working arrangements and modern technology makes it easier to collaborate across distances.

When your home doubles as your workspace, it's essential to have a designated office where you can concentrate solely on your professional duties.

But what can you do if you're tight on space in your house? Don't stress. These small office ideas for any home have you covered.

7 Ideas: How to Create a Home Office in a Small Space

You don’t need a big room to create a productivity-enhancing work area—as the below small office ideas for home prove. Read on to find out how to create a home office in a small space.

1. Find the Fitting Spot to Work

You can adapt many small spaces to create a home office, from a small guest room to a large hall closet or a nook under a staircase. If you have a basement, attic, or laundry room that's liveable, this can also prove helpful.

When selecting your space, prioritize areas that don't have a lot of foot traffic.
For example, it's probably best to steer clear of the kitchen—unless you want to be interrupted every time your partner, child, or pet comes looking for a bite to eat.

2. Set Apart Your Interior Space in The House

Suppose you don't have a separate room; set aside space in an existing room. You can use a corner of the living room or your bedroom for your makeshift office, for example. Even a nook in a little-used hallway can work.

Whatever spot you choose, find a way to mark off your space visually. Why? This helps ensure that your workspace is used for just that—work. It can also be a handy signal to kids, pets, and partners, making it clear to them that when you’re in your “office” to work, you shouldn’t be bothered.

Use a room divider, curtain, or sliding doors to give your office corner some privacy for work. Alternatively, to set off your home office space and showcase your one-of-a-kind style, use peel-and-stick wallpaper decor in your office corner. This will set apart the interiors visually.

3. Get a Flexible Desk for the Room

The desk is the most prominent and essential furniture of any office. Unfortunately, this means it can take up a lot of space. It doesn't have to.

Opt for a high desk or adjustable-height table model where you can stand or sit with a tall chair. This allows for plenty of storage space underneath the desk when it's not in use.
Plus, standing is shown to be better than sitting all day. Research suggests that standing instead of sitting can help keep you healthy, reducing the risk of obesity, diabetes, and other ailments.

If a high desk isn’t comfortable, opt for a simple office desk without many drawers and compartments (which make for a bulky appearance). An essential work surface with a slim drawer or two makes for a sleek and modern look.

4. Choose the Right Chair

Your office chair can also take up a great deal of room if you aren't careful. Steer clear of bulky, oversized executive-style office chairs. Instead, opt for lighter and more streamlined swivel chairs.

Ideally, your chair will have wheels, allowing you to maneuver it easily around your small space. An adjustable height office chair is also a great idea, especially if you are crafting a versatile workspace with multiple work areas of different heights.

5. Opt for Floating Storage

You likely have work supplies, tools, technology, and documents that you need to store safely.

Instead of keeping these essential goods in bulky filing cabinets or large shelves, opt for floating office shelves that hang on the wall without taking up space below. You can hang multiple shelves on a single wall, "stacked" on top of one another.

This approach will make your offices look more prominent and leave more floor room for other items.

If you need more interior space than a floating shelf can offer, look for open-backed ladder-style shelving. This also spares you the trouble of hanging multiple shelves, allowing for a fast and easy office setup.

For essential documents you may need easy access to quickly, hang a bulletin board or pegboard about your desk.

6. Prioritize Multifunctional Small-Space Furniture at Home

Small-space furniture isn't necessarily small—instead, it's all about being versatile.
For example, if you can't forego a filing cabinet, get one that has wheels. This allows you to quickly shift it around your space, creating more room where and when you need it.

Multifunctional furniture pieces and accessories are also a valuable ideas for small spaces.

Some shelving units and bookshelves can also do double duty as desks. For example, you can set up a flat, finished board as your work surface between two shelving units, using the shelves as your DIY desk “legs.”

Finally, look for items that double as storage. A chair or ottoman with a hidden compartment in the seat is a great way to gain storage space.

7. Don't Forget the Finishing Touches

You want your small home office to be functional. However, you also want it to be comfortable.
A pleasant place to work can boost productivity and enhance your mood on the job. Focus on small accessories or decor that have a significant impact without taking up much space.

Adding some office plants is a great home office idea. They don't take up much room—plus, research shows that plants can reduce stress in the workplace. If you're strapped for space, opt for small succulents. They're tiny and easy to maintain for a small home.

Finally, use lighting to make your home office appear larger. Natural light gives the illusion of a larger space. Open the curtains and let the sun inside the home office or study.
If your small office space doesn't have windows, create a similar effect using bright contemporary lamps set in the corner (not overhead) of the house.

The Final Word on Creating the Perfect Small Home Office Ideas

As the above small home office ideas have hopefully proven, you don't need a lot of room to create an effective workplace in your house. With the right home office furniture and a bit of creativity, you can create your dream office—even if you're tight on space. Explore designer office furniture at RJ Living to create modern home office designs you will love.