You’ve aced your interviews, got your diploma, and have settled in a new place. While getting set up in your new environment, consider how to create a tech-savvy home office on a budget. Break out your Excel sheet and get online to find the best items and tech to use in your new home office.
From Grad To Worker: How To Assess Your Needs
Every home office is different—you may multitask well, so you look into dual monitors, or you may find too many distractions around you, so you look for noise-canceling headphones. As you go from graduate to worker, you’ll see firsthand that your home office environment differs from your friends and colleagues.
Work Tasks
Professional work tasks will vary immensely from those you had as a student. Since you work from home, things may seem loose and easy at the start, but as time progresses, it becomes imperative to balance work and play. In essence, you must learn productivity. Evaluate your job duties and check with your boss on what to buy—they are your go-to for anything specific needed for the job—before you start shopping for any tech gear.
Tech Requirements
So, you have likely discussed what to look for with your boss and developed a better understanding of what to get for a budget-friendly home office. Start learning your budget as you decide what to buy. Also, consider building a wishlist of things to receive as gifts later; it’s never too early to create a birthday or holiday gift list!
Focus on what you need for now. Do not buy anything you can get later, especially if it’s the highest-priced item on your list. Ensure you have the required software or hardware to get started, a suitable desk for your office, and that everything is running on the latest updates.
Generally, your office checklist should include the following tech:
- An adjustable standing desk
- Noise-canceling headphones
- Wireless keyboard and mouse
- A webcam in case your laptop or computer doesn’t have one or has poor video quality.
- A laptop stand in case you don’t have or want a standing desk.
You need the right technology to make working from home easy. Working from home is a fun experience, so don’t buy something that looks nice but doesn’t provide functional value to the home office. Now, let’s consider the space.
Space and Organization
Depending on where you live, you may have limited room to work with, so you’ll have to get creative. However, try getting a place with at least two bedrooms or a studio with enough space to place wall dividers up so it feels like a separate space for work if you are looking for an apartment or home.
Things might be trickier but still manageable if you’re living with your parents. Avoid placing the office in your bedroom, as you won’t be able to concentrate on work. Consider another space, such as the basement or a spare bedroom. A basement, finished or not, can be an excellent place for the home office because it’s separate from your family.
Measuring Your Potential Home Office Space
Ensure you measure the room before moving in. Assessing the size of a room or space in an apartment is also essential because you need to ensure that everything fits.
Measure the basement’s dimensions and check the wall space, focusing on the windows, doors, and outlet positions. These measurements will determine where to set things up. Also, check the insulation as unfinished basements accumulate moisture, trap heat during the summer, and quickly become cold in the winter since they’re so close to the ground.
Measuring the Spare Room for a Home Office
Focus on the space’s actual size. You could double it as a personal space for yourself on top of being a home office if the room is large enough. Ensure there are enough outlets to plug in your computer and set up your desk. Also, make sure to check the view as it will help to have a pretty distraction during small breaks between tasks.
Smaller spaces do need more work. Instead of pushing the desk against a wall, place it in the middle of the room and then put other things around it, such as a table and chair, so the room feels slightly larger.
Research Your Resources
After finding the perfect spot for your home workspace, consider where to purchase your tech, office furniture, and decorations. Remember, it’s not a requirement to buy new things. You can upcycle or go to thrift stores for decorations and technology or buy refurbished items from a friend.
No matter what resources you have available, take advantage of them so you can save for something better later. The same goes for decorations and furniture, but the only furniture you should upgrade is a computer chair and desk.
How To Shop for Your Home Office
Shopping for your home office is essential. However, the right way to shop is to use your resources. Keep an eye on discounts, especially for newly graduated students! Companies sell tech and office furniture at incredible prices to graduating students. Take advantage of these sales just as much as you would buy refurbished items!
Fundamental Essentials To Buy for Your Office
Every home office needs essentials, such as a monitor, preferably dual and portable, a wireless keyboard and mouse, a printer and scanner, and a router. These things ensure you can fully work from home. Without these critical items, you may need to go to the office more often, which can be challenging if you live far away.
How To Personalize Your Home Office
Personalizing your office is the last step in our guide to creating a tech-savvy home office on a budget. Focus on your lighting situation before decorating your workspace with plants, motivational pictures, or an accent wall. Your office may not have enough windows for natural light, so consider adding an LED desk lamp and other light sources throughout the room.
Consider mounting an LED ceiling fan light that allows you to use a remote to change the light settings and fan speed to fit your needs. You must also have cable management. Use zip ties or a cable organizing system to avoid cris-crossing and breaking wires. Now, add your decorations! Just don’t add too much to the room to prevent distractions and safety hazards.
Buy Your Tech Essentials From Wisetek Solutions
After you have moved your tassel, signifying yourself as a graduate entering the professional world, let’s help you find better deals on tech. Wisetek Solutions provides all who work from home easier access to refurbished technology, such as our Apple desktop computers for sale. No matter where you are in your career path, ensure you make sustainable choices when making serious tech purchases. We’re here to guide you; let’s start crafting that amazing new home office!
