Working from home has a lot of perks, but it also comes with plenty of challenges. For example, I often get distracted by random chores nagging at me as I try to type away at my keyboard. And on the days my son is home from school, well, let’s just say I’m grateful for having a dedicated workspace.
However, not everyone who works from home gets to enjoy a separate office area. When space is tight, people may carve out a corner in the living room; others use the dining table. Consequently, ask a bunch of people who work remotely, and you’re likely to hear quite a few different favorite work-from-home spots.
But trying to meet a deadline while family members are chattering away in the background isn’t easy. Still, apparently the challenge is worth it. According to the IKEA 2024 Life at Home Report, people who work from home are more likely to be happy with their home life.
However, the key to success is creating a reasonable balance between your personal and work life. A big part of the puzzle is creating a dedicated work area that’s efficient, functional, and offers some privacy.
Flexible Work Zones
If you’re working with limited space, flexibility is critical to creating the work zone you need in your home. Folding desks, hideaway work surfaces, or pieces with a slim footprint are all viable options.
The best desk for you depends on several factors, including how much space you have and what type of work you do. For example, if your office area is in your living room, you could use a slim desk behind the sofa.
A narrow table could act as a sofa console when you’re not in work mode, and shift easily as needed. For example, pop up your laptop, pull up a chair, and roll in a cart of work supplies, and you’re in business.
Here are a few hardworking desk ideas that make it a breeze to create a home office in a small space.
BJÖRKÅSEN Laptop Stand
This folding laptop stand is ideal for tiny spaces that offer little to no extra room for a desk. It holds your computer, or can even act as a stand for music or drawing. The height adjusts and the top tilts, providing several adaptations to suit various tasks.
The attached cup holder is perfect for keeping your favorite drink close at hand, or use it to hold pencils, pens, or other supplies. The desk comes in a few different colors, and the top folds down completely, making storage a snap.
TONSTAD Desk
Sometimes, all you need to make an office area work in a small space is something with a minimal footprint. For example, the TONSTAD slim desk offers a sleek work surface and a classic design that blends well with many styles. Plus, don’t let the streamlined frame fool you; this desk can hold up to 110 pounds.
Place it behind your sofa to double as a console table or tuck it away in a corner with a screen. It also has a drawer to keep essentials at your fingertips and comes in a dark or light wood tone or off-white.
BILLY Bookcase With Folding Table
IKEA’s BILLY bookcase is iconic, but the popular range has expanded over the years. Now, you can get this BILLY shelf with a desk to set up a quick home office in seconds. The table folds away so you can access it when you need it, but free up floor space when you don’t.
IVAR Fold-Down Desk
Offering a more rustic, natural finish for your home office area is this IVAR shelf with folding tabletop. You get storage and a functional work surface in one unit.
Drop-down desks are great solutions for office zones in shared spaces, since you can fold away the desk when you don’t need it. Plus, when the desk drops down, it also hides the storage below. Therefore, you get to keep work items out of sight when you prefer to think about relaxing instead of your next assignment.
NORDEN Gateleg Table
If you decide to double up your home office and dining room, the NORDEN Gateleg Table could be just what you’re looking for. This flexible design is especially helpful when your dining room also has a third function, such as a living room.
The two sides fold down independently. Therefore, you can transform this piece into everything from a slim console to a large dining table, and the included drawers offer storage for office essentials.
Privacy, Please
A must for making a home office work in a small space is privacy. If you need to share a room with others, or you simply want to hide work chaos when you’re not on the clock, masking your work area is key.
You can get creative with furniture placement, hang curtains, or try one of these IKEA picks to create a separate office area at home.
FRYKSÅS Desk With Built-In Divider
If you don’t have enough room to add a separate screen or divider, then this could be the perfect solution for your home office spot. This rattan desk with built-in privacy is just right for a small space.
It offers an ample work area without taking over too much floor space, with a built-in privacy screen to maximize functionality. Plus, the style doesn’t scream, “office,” so it’s easy to incorporate this desk into a den, bedroom, or family room.
ÖVNING Portable Desk Divider
When space is really tight, you may end up needing to set up camp at the kitchen island when work calls. But privacy is still important, so a portable desk divider could be just the thing to keep your work secure and protect it from nearby cooking splatters and splashes.
A portable screen is also great if you need to set up a shared work zone for the kids or between yourself and others. The divider even has several compartments that make it easy to keep pencils, notes, and other supplies within reach.
RISÖR Standing Screen
A standing room divider is a privacy superhero, and it looks stylish, too. If you set up your home office area in a corner or nook, just pop up this screen to offer 24/7 separation.
Another great thing about screens like this is they can stay standing without detracting from the room’s aesthetic. Therefore, you can leave your desk as-is during a mid-morning work frenzy, and nobody will be the wiser.
MITTZON Acoustic Screen
When your work requires even more privacy, a sound-absorbing privacy screen helps block out visual and auditory distractions. This standing screen attaches to others, allowing you to create all sorts of configurations to suit your needs.
Movable Storage
When it comes to an efficient work area, storage is vital. You need a way to keep all of your supplies, files, and other essentials easily accessible. However, when space is tight, home office storage tends to move down the priority list.
The solution? Movable storage to keep your office organized and on-the-go. With these flexible solutions, you can maintain your organizational system, but tuck it away when you don’t need it. Consequently, you don’t need to take up space with things you don’t need all the time.
HELMER Drawer Unit
These rolling drawers look good and provide ample office storage on wheels. Roll it wherever you need it, and then move it out of the way when you don’t. You can keep the unit in a closet if space is an issue, or simply move it around to wherever your office is going to be that day.
ÖVNING Desk Organizer
A portable desk organizer makes it easy to set up an office area anywhere you need one. You can keep all your items organized while still moving them around easily, whether you need to relocate or simply pack up work at a moment’s notice.
RÅSKOG Utility Cart
A rolling utility cart is a simple, efficient way to set up your home office on wheels so you can take it wherever you need it. For example, you can roll this cart up to the kitchen island, over to the window seat, or next to the coffee table. Portable storage means you don’t have to waste time moving a bunch of individual items.
ÖVNING Rolling Cart
This rolling cart offers compartmentalized storage, a secure top, and a fun style. The beauty of this particular piece is that one side is open, and the other is closed. Therefore, if you can’t tuck it away in a closet, you can flip it around to keep your work chaos hidden.
Cord Control
No matter how sleek and streamlined your office space, if you have a bunch of wires and cords all over the place, it looks cluttered and messy. Cable management is a top priority when you want to maintain a tidy work area in your home.
FÖRSÄSONG Cable Management Tray
Gather all the wires and cords into this attachable cable tray that tucks under your desk or a shelf. The tray keeps ugly wires out of sight. But that’s not all! You could also use this secret tray to stash things that look overly office-like, such as a stapler or tape dispenser.
KALKSTUFF Cable Holder
The KALKSTUFF cable holder keeps all of your wires under control so they don’t turn into a jumbled mess. Moreover, you can stick them anywhere courtesy of double-sided tape, so there’s no need to use tools or put holes into any of your furniture.
Space-Saving Lighting
You can’t really get a lot of work done if you don’t have any light. But not just any light will do. Basically, to have an effective office area at home, you need to have adequate lighting that helps prevent eye strain.
However, bulky lamps take up valuable square footage from your work zone, which is a no-go when you’re creating an office in a tight space. Therefore, it’s important to select lighting with slim designs or versatile setup options so you can make the most of the room you have.
NYMÅNE Work Lamp
This clever work lamp with built-in charger illuminates your work area and provides wireless charging, making it a double-duty dream. Since the charger is included, you get to nix an extra cord on your desk. Plus, the bendable arm enables you to maneuver the lamp exactly where you need it, offering the ultimate task lighting.
NÄVLINGE LED Desk Lamp
This super slim LED desk lamp packs a mighty light in a small package, making it a great fit for tight spaces. The spotlight design is modern, stylish, and effective, providing a glare-free glow that makes it easy to focus on your work.
NÄVLINGE Clamp Light
What if you don’t have any desk space to spare? Well, you get a clamp light, of course. Clip this lamp onto an overhead shelf or a nearby piece of furniture to instantly light up your work zone. The adjustable arm and head also let you direct the light where you need it most, and the unassuming design fits well into any style.
Create an Office in a Closet
Setting up an office inside a closet is another favorite of remote workers, if you can spare the storage space. Sure, you could always stick a desk and some shelves in your “cloffice,” but don’t be afraid to get creative.
Using a system like IKEA’s BOAXEL closet system could give you a streamlined workspace just as easily as it could clothes storage. This is only one example to give you an idea of what you could do when you think outside the box.
However, you could try another shelving system or install your own DIY workspace. Hackers have created a home office inside the PAX wardrobe or hidden desks in wardrobes before.
Are you starting to pull together a vision of how to fit a home office into your living space? We want to see it when you bring that vision to life, so make sure to share your hack!