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Category: Better Living

Home Office Importance

Was your job moved from the work office to your home office during the pandemic?

Our world is rapidly changing in some irreversible ways – so is our nation’s workforce. According to Workplace Analytics – prior to the 2020 Covid plague – approximately 43% of the workforce was able to work from home occasionally and only 3.5% of the workforce worked from home full time.

This quarantine has more businesses accepting the idea that their employees can work remotely. It is estimated that 25-30% of the workforce will work from home a couple days a week when this is all said and done.

If your company switches to remote work, will your home office be ready? Can you honestly say that your office is equipped to help you be productive? 

Here are a few things to keep in mind when purchasing a new home and a couple items that will help transform your office into a productive space.

Pick the right location

Some people work best in quiet, some thrive in chaos. It is important to know which kind of person you are.  Pick a room in your home that melds well with your working habits. Pay attention to things like air vents, proximity to play areas, noisy pets, outdoor construction, etc. You’d be surprised how many small things can become large distractions.

Pay attention to lighting and background

Natural light and fresh air are a great way to help with mental health. Position your desk so you get plenty of light, but won’t be blinded for hours a day. Keep in mind, light can cause glare streaks on screens. If your company utilizes video calls, make sure your background is not distracting from your presentation and try not to sit with a window directly behind you. It silhouettes you and blinds your co-workers. Layer artificial light with natural light – it should help with eye strain and glare streaks. A new coat of paint can be helpful in a new office as well! Light green tones have been proven calming in office spaces. Get a plant to help oxygenate the room and don’t forget to open that window for a bit of fresh air every once in a while!

Make it ergonomic

Get comfy! If you feel uncomfortable, or start to develop pains from repetitive motions, you will become distracted. You should consider spending a little more to get a chair, desk, keyboard, and/or mouse that is ergonomically correct. 

Eliminate clutter

Clutter causes distraction. Eliminate unneeded items from the office and only keep essential items on your desk – computer, notepad, pen – things you need for your job. Before you start your workday or workweek try your best to eliminate clutter and chores in the rest of your home. 

Keep distractions handy but hidden

Taking short breaks away from work can be beneficial to your mental health and physical health. Take a few minutes a day to look away from the computer – check the news, have a snack, do a light workout, call your mom, or down a cup of coffee. Whatever it is, it should help you refocus and destress. Make sure the distraction is handy to grab when it’s break time, but put away for work time.

Establish office schedule/rules

Distractions can be a great way to reboot the brain when you’re stuck on a problem, but hold yourself accountable to a “distraction time frame” – even the best of us can get lost in the world of social media and forget about time. Communicate do not disturb times with others in the house – it can be a sign, a closed door, or a specific time of day. Rules and schedules should help keep you in the right mindset for the job, so if that means snacks, screentime, mandatory breaks, visiting time, etc then you do you and stick to it!

To find homes with room for offices see our listings page or Contact an agent to find a home with a great home office that fits your needs.

 

Find out more about the working from home trend and more ways to spruce up the office:

https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2020/04/02/home-offices-expected-to-become-essential-for-buyers?AdobeAnalytics=ed_rid%3D400405%26om_mid%3D2285%7CRealtorMagNews_2020_04_06%26om_nytpe%3DREALTOR%20MAG%20NEWS

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/10-hacks-to-improve-your-home-office-productivity.html

https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/styled-staged-sold/sheltering-in-place-keep-your-business-humming-with-the-perfect-home-office

https://globalworkplaceanalytics.com/work-at-home-after-covid-19-our-forecast

 

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Things to Unpack First After a Big Move

When you’re surrounded by boxes,  you need a  strategy on how to tackle them to prevent feeling overwhelmed.

Congratulations on purchasing your new home! The hard part is all over, now it’s time to make this space your own… But where do you even begin?

First things first

No matter how much you want to get it over with, there are three important things to do before you can actually start unpacking.

  1. Clean and prepare your new home. It’s easier to wipe down shelves, clean windows and mop floors before your belongings are in place. Make sure your home-to-be is spotless when your items arrive. If you can’t get to your new place early enough to do a thorough cleaning, consider hiring professional cleaners to do the job for you.
  2. Inspect and organize your belongings. Check all the delivered boxes and household items against your inventory sheet to make sure nothing is damaged or missing. Then have each of your possessions taken to the room where it belongs. If everything was properly marked and labeled, sorting your items will be a piece of cake.
  3. Set major furniture and appliances. Position your large furniture pieces and bulky household appliances first. Then you can put any smaller items you unpack later directly in their rightful places. Plan your interior design well in advance so you don’t end up moving heavy pieces around several time

Tackle the necessities

What matters most when unpacking your items after a move is ensuring that your essentials are immediately accessible. So prioritize your belongings, and unpack only the necessities first.

 

  Bedding

 

You may not be able to unpack the entire bedroom right away, but you’ll definitely need at least the bed the day you move in. Reassemble the bed frame (if necessary), lay down the sheets, unpack the pillows and spread the blankets so you can get a good night’s rest — you’re going to need it

Provided that you have a change of clothes and some comfortable indoor shoes (as well as curtains on the windows to ensure your privacy), the rest of your bedroom items can wait until you find the time and the energy to deal with them.

 

Bathroom items

Without a doubt, your personal care items, toiletries and medicines should top the list of the most important items to unpack after your move. Put out toilet paper and soap, find your toothbrush and toothpaste, hang the towels and the shower curtains, and unpack any other bathroom essentials you’ll need to wash away the weariness and stress of moving.

 

Kitchen necessities

Kitchens tend to take a very long time to unpack and organize properly due to the large number of items that need to be sorted and carefully arranged.

As soon as you’ve hooked up the large appliances, such as the fridge and the stove, move on to your smaller kitchenware. Plates, silverware and glasses should be the first to find their places in cupboards and kitchen cabinets, closely followed by cooking utensils, pots and pans, and pantry items.

 

 

Kids’ and pets’ items

If you have young children, unpack some of their favorite toys, books, games and blankets during the first few hours in your new home. Keeping your young ones happy and occupied will let you concentrate on your work and finish it faster.

Of course, you should also take care of your pets’ needs immediately upon arrival. It’s a good idea to pack adequate pet food and some of your animal friends’ favorite toys in your open-first box.

 

 

 

Finishing up

When you’ve unpacked the three most essential rooms in your home (bedroom, bathroom and kitchen), everything else can wait a bit. There are no deadlines to meet, so you can set your own pace when unpacking and decorating your new place — just unpack in order of priority without procrastinating.

Remember, if you stay organized, set reasonable goals, clean after every unpacking phase and dispose of the packing materials in a safe and eco-friendly manner, your new surroundings will soon stop looking like a warehouse full of boxes and start feeling like home.

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How to Feng Shui Your Bedroom

  1. No TV, Computer or Exercise Equipment
    Let go of the TV, computer or exercise equipment in your bedroom. The good feng shui bedroom energy is destroyed when these items are present in your bedroom. In addition to creating high EMFs (dangerous for your health), they also bring the energy of work, stress, and are mainly a distraction and bad news for your relationship (with yourself or your loved one).
  2. Quality of Air in Your Bedroom
    Open the windows often or use a good quality air-purifier to keep the air in your bedroom fresh and full of oxygen. Be mindful of the quality of air in your bedroom. You cannot have good feng shui in your bedroom if the air you breathe in is stale and full of pollutants. Please note, though, that plants in the bedroom are not good feng shui unless your bedroom is fairly large and the plants are located far from the bed. Essential oils can also help you purify the air in your bedroom, but be sure to choose actual essential oils (they have healing properties) vs. fragrance oils (which are mostly toxic).

View our PDF with 6 more awesome tips on how to Feng Shui your bedroom!

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All the Best Cleaning Tips & Tricks!

  1. Clean Your Ceiling Fan
    Despite my rationalizations, ceiling fans get dirty and eventually need to be cleaned. Here is the most painless way to tackle a dusty ceiling fan:
    You will need:
    • A pillowcase
    • A ladder
    • Dusting spray (optional)
    Directions: Spray the inside of your pillowcase with dusting spray (this will help clean the blades AND help repel more dust from accumulating), climb ladder, and cover fan blade with pillowcase. Then, gather the top of the case together and slide it off of the blade, taking all the dirt and grime with you.
    Repeat on all fan blades. This chore used to take lots of time, effort, and paper towels.
  2. Clean and Freshen Your Mattress
    While it’s impossible to wash your mattress, this cleaning trick will have it smelling and feeling fresh in no time!
    You will need:
    • Baking soda
    • Essential oil (optional)
    • Vacuum cleaner with furniture attachment
    Directions: Strip the mattress of all bedding. Put a cup of baking soda into a container with a tight-fitting lid, add 4-5 drops of your favorite essential oil (I love lavender!), replace the lid, and shake! Now sprinkle the mattress liberally with the baking soda mixture. Allow the baking soda to sit on the bed for an hour or two. This allows the baking soda time to soak up any body oils. Then, use the vacuum’s furniture cleaning attachment to vacuum up the baking soda. Go over it several times, in different directions, to ensure optimal results. Your mattress is refreshed, and the lingering smell of the lavender essential oil will ensure a good night’s sleep!

View our PDF detailing 5 more great cleaning tips & tricks!

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