Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, home offices have become an essential part of every living space, no matter how big. Even if you have a small apartment, you probably have a nook which you call your home office. Ideally, that would give you the space to do everything you wanted. But when space is at a premium, you need to find clever hacks to optimize what you’ve got.

There are ways to maximize small spaces in your home with clever tips and tricks. It’s often the case when people downsize their living situations, they are amazed by how much they can fit in a much smaller place. However, it can be tricky to hack a home office. You don’t want it to spill over into the living part of your home, but sometimes you have no choice but to take up some extra room.

To help you make the most out of your tiny home office, here are some simple ways to optimize your space.

Use a Closet as… Your Desk?

Good closet space is a great feature in any home, but when you are converting a room into an office, it takes up unnecessary space. You’re not keeping your clothes in there, after all. The smartest way to make the most of this is by turning the closet into a desk. This might sound insane but it actually works.

If it is a closet with horizontal shelves, you’re already halfway there. Simply remove redundant shelves and use the most conveniently-placed shelf as your desk. If it is simply a large space with a rod to hang your clothing, you may need to do some DIY work – but really not very much.

All it takes is a plank of wood, sanded and varnished, to create a chic desk. Remove the cupboard doors and voila, your working space is ready. The only drawback with this, is that it can be a bit claustrophobic looking at the inside of a closet all day, but there are certainly ways to make your office more aesthetically pleasing.

Make Plants Your Decor

It is always tempting to decorate your office with items that clutter your desk. We all fall into that trap at one point or another, only to get annoyed every time a piece falls over when you shift your laptop. A better way to decorate your office is by using plants.

Plants create an organic sense of space, even when there is very little of it. They bring the outdoors in, making it feel like your office spills over into nature. Plant life is representative of a sort of natural freedom, and your office will feel the effects of that freedom.

At the very least, you’ll have some cool plants to look after, helping you engage with nature and the interior of your office. But what’s most important, when dealing with a small space, especially one not highly ventilated, these plants can literally breathe life into your cramped room.

Apply a Fresh Coat of White Paint

Crisp white walls give your office a greater sense of space. If your office is already painted white but has faded over time, give it a fresh coat. If, however, your office is painted a dark color, your space will already feel extremely cramped. Changing the color to white will open it up, especially if you have good sunlight streaming in through the windows.

Leave Your Storage Elsewhere

After years of working, we all have a lot of files, documents, and notebooks cluttering up our offices. They belong there, of course, but that can change.

Since you are probably not going to use any of these things for the foreseeable future, put them in storage or keep them in a free space in another part of your home. It might also be worthwhile to go through them with a critical eye and make the tough decision to discard what you’ll probably never look at again.

Put Up Floating Shelves

You may want shelves in your office to keep any supplies or files. Of course, shelves can take up a lot of space, especially if you have an entire bookshelf. By putting up floating shelves instead, you make space for your things while taking up as little space as possible. Even if you cannot use the space underneath your floating shelves, you will feel the benefit of that space being left empty.

A small home office is inevitable for many people working from home. The above hacks will help you make the most of the space you’ve got.