New to WFH

[oustedbymymate]

Hello. I’ve just secured a new job which is mainly WFH bar site visits. I don’t have a spare room so just wondering where people set up etc? I’ve got an allowance from work to buy furniture and IT equipment and provided with a laptop. I’ve got two young (early primary) DC too so tips on a set up that works without them interfering with my desk in the eve would be good. Already thinking a set of lockable drawers.

Thanks

I just have a desk tucked away in the living room, I don’t have a spare bedroom either. I make I sure I pack most of it away at the end of the day to separate home and work and pack it away entirely on annual leave.
like many others I have been wfh since 2020.

desk in the living room. annoying to look at in the evening or weekend, but i like being in there with good light and i can hear the doorbell if a postie comes.

colleague has her set up in a large wide pine wardrobe in the bedroom with a slide out keyboard shelf and doors that close over the whole space at night. really clever. and she’s tucked away out of the main room. but i dont fancy that as the bedrooms my rest and relaxation space.

make sure the chair you decide on is fully adjustable. follow guidance on desk set up eg hands should be sloping slightly down to keyboard. feet flat on floor (or footrest) and hips slightly above knees, eyes level with top of screen. your office will provide H&S set up guidance to help you.

For confidential documents I have a two drawer lockable metal filing cabinet, and when it’s not in use the keys are left in a small safe that’s screwed to a fixed surface.

Currently sitting on top of the filing cabinet is a mini fridge and kettle.

The safe is also handy for keeping other documents and ID in, any cash, cards or cheque books, etc. You get into the habit.

It can also be a good habit to put your work phone in it after you’ve logged off and signed out for the day, unless you’re legitimately on call, especially if you’ve got kids.

Have a look at something like this

https://www.dunelm.com/product/bryant-small-hideaway-cabinet-1000253230?defaultSkuId=30925187&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Office_Desks-PMax_%5BGOO-PLA-FURNOFF-DESKS%5D&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19823512204&gbraid=0AAAAADGqyX3_zmqp9BOTMccT2-4gfL3hI&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIndrC48bglAMV6KNQBh1qMiIcEAQYAyABEgLbnvD_BwE

I had two sitting rooms and had a desk set up behind the door of the one I used least before I set up my home office. I’m not sure why you wouldn’t need lockable drawers because the whole world is very digital these days? One thing I would not forsake is a proper good quality office chair. You’ll sit on it for MANY hours and dining chairs etc are not good!

I had a hideaway desk from Next, worse piece of shit I have ever bought. I wider and better quality one would probably have been ok but I didn't like feeling close off by the doors (even when open wide) with mine. I'd did keep everything hidden which was good.

When I was in my smaller house, I was in my bedroom for a while, and then I moved downstairs and used my dining table as a desk, and I liked that because I had my TV on whilst working for background entertainment. I turned it off if I was in a meeting. I was able to switch off from it by transferring to the settee in the evenings.

I prefer to be upstairs so that in the holidays I am out of the way on days DH is looking after the kids.

We do have a home office but before that had a small corner desk in our bedroom.

I’m in the living room, desk colour matches our furniture and the chair our sofa. I pack everything away each night. A good set up is a must for wfh

I work in the corner of the bedroom. I bought a nice (pretty nice rather than functional nice) desk and a smart chair so it doesn’t look too office-y. I don’t have much stuff other than my laptop which I close at the end of the day.

My main tip for this generally is to maintain really good boundaries. My kids aren't especially well behaved but they have never messed with our work kit - I think it's because we don't work around them (only when they are in school /childcare or asleep) and our work stuff is all clearly separated from our living space where they are.

Will you be wfh and on calls when the kids are home in school holidays etc? If so, you need to be in a different room where you can close the door and work. Anything else is not fair on them or you.

this is one of the reasons wfh can be harder and more expensive than office work. You save on the commute but need more space.

If I had room for it, and could justify the expense in any way, I would love this:

www.cotswoldco.com/home-office-furniture/desks/chester-dove-grey-hidden-workstation/?xcm_campaign=Shopping-Cotswold&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1586207482&gbraid=0AAAAADSUgKn8-bPMZUckTJ_T7tT5ADo8B&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlerQBhDMARIsAB16H-UbKD86TuzWbf1qkSuG61jD5FzyLOCCgQWnGf18Y4Y_KC10xWgei0UaAlldEALw_wcB

Kids will be at school or holiday club. I have zero intention of working whilst they are here as it’s impossible. I will pack down at end of day. Most stuff is on laptop anyway but would like a good set up so just looking for ideas. We have a conservatory which is used as a play room so thought about portioning off some of it. We don’t have any room in bedroom and want to avoid the bedroom if possible

feel like the kids have a lot of crap so don’t want ‘my space’ taking over with that if you see what I mean!

Having said that there will be times when DH is at home looking after kids so conservatory may not work..
there is also an hire office space type set up near me so I might look into that on those days. Like you can go and hit desk for x amount an hour

A monitor is a good investment and can be used as a small TV if you have a need for it.

Definitely try to get a supportive chair too.

I’ve seen more and more hideaway desks in the shops recently, Dunelm have some or the Cotswold Co if budget allows.

I personally don’t like or need desks but got an Ikea folding table which goes in my box room and a chair. But I also sit in the living room which is cool even though there’s no proper working chair there.

I’ve been told by my new job to get a proper set up and they provide a budget for it. There is space in DS room for a desk he is only in it for sleeping not sure if that would work?

A corner desk or a fold away type might be an option, possibly with a room dividing screen behind you when working. If you need to make confidential calls though, then a separate room with a closable door would be needed. Do you have a garage you could convert? Garden room? Ideally I'd want lockable drawers, not the open shelves of these pics, but its just an example.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4626930?utm_custom6=LIA&utm_source=google&utm_medium=free_listing&utm_campaign=merchant_center&deeplink=true
www.diy.com/departments/celino-folding-desk-computer-laptop-table-foldable-workstation-study-writing-home-office-storage-shelves-102x59x85-cm/5060940799513_BQ.prd?srsltid=AfmBOooO4V98XQoF35mjgXigMI3-MJaEEwGV_J-29SLGwMMZE5p584beXAM
https://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/norvik-desk-with-shelves-365229
www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/risoer-room-divider-white-black-70182191/

I work 100% at home. We have no spare bedroom so I work in a corner of our bedroom - I bought a small desk that matches the rest of the furniture, a nice chair that doesn't look "too office" and I make sure I pack everything away at the end of the day in little drawers that I've hidden under the desk so just my laptop and second screen left on the desk. It's not ideal and I'd rather not work in the bedroom but there is nowhere else and being able to WFH with young kids trumps any aesthetic/comfort worries!

One day I would love to have the money to build a small garden studio to work out of.

DH works from home twice a week and will work at the dining table or in my eldest daughter's bedroom until she gets home from school then moves into my space as I finish once kids are home!

When I first WFH I had my desk in my child's room. It was fine while they were quite young but more tricky when they got a bit older and in holidays they wanted to play in there when DH was looking after them and I was WFH. I also had to make sure that I was rigorous about tiding everything up at the end of each day and my chair lived out in the hallway because if it was in their room they spun on it and tried to injure themselves 🙄

I’ve been wfh full time for a long time now and my favourite place to work is at the kitchen table. Our kitchen is large and bright and I like being in the centre of the house rather than tucked away in a separate room. When I’m done for the day I just close my laptop and pop it in a drawer. Easy!

Some people set up a small desk area in a hallway/landing if they have that. Room divider might help.

I find a 'ritual' at the start and end or working day helps partition the day mentally - in my case I read a book for 10-15 mins before and after work.

No children. I work at the dining table. Make sure you have good lighting. If you can clear away each day. I find when I don’t I feel like I’m living at work, not wfh

Get a laptop stand so it's at eye level. Makes it much easier. And separate keyboard and wireless mouse so it's basically like a desktop set up. A good office chair is a must. I got work to deliver one post lockdown dvt, which meant a phone health and safety assessment, it's very comfy and supportive.