Working from home in your home office while looking after your kids can be a disastrous combo. Of course, you want to be as efficient as possible by keeping distractions at bay, but you also can’t ignore your children and leave them unattended. Luckily, you can establish a kid-friendly home office. With simple adjustments, you can improve the setup, allowing you to stay productive while keeping your kiddos busy entertained in your shared space. So, let’s cut through the chase! Here are the tips on how you could set up a kid-friendly home office.
Improve the overall work environment.
The initial thing to work on is improving the overall work environment, which entails improving your home office’s color, adding some accessories, and making a designated space for your kids. Doing this can generally make the atmosphere feel lighter and make the room less stressful for you and your kids.
1. Start by choosing a neutral and monotone color for the walls.
While neutral paint can spell boredom for some people, it provides a peaceful and soothing ambiance plus injects a sense of elegance and modernity. What’s great is that it also serves as an excellent canvas, making it easier to experiment when adding more vibrant, colorful accessories when you want to give your home office an energized look for your kids.
2. Create an accent wall.
Having an accent wall can do a lot for your home office. It serves as a focal point from where your family can draw inspiration and fun from. You can add a poster with your favorite uplifting quotation, which can boost you throughout the day. Meanwhile, you can post 123’s, ABC’s, or animal charts to keep your kids busy while also helping them learn in the process. Then, don’t forget your bulletin board so you can keep track of essential tasks. But also get your kids a whiteboard where they can have fun writing or scribbling.
3. Make a designated space for your kids.
To avoid your kids from popping behind your screen in the middle of your video calls with your clients, be sure to get them a designated space. It can be in the corner of the room or just in front of your desk so you can watch them closely. Next, throw in a comfy floor rug and a comfy chair where your kids can play. Then, get some toys to give them something to do as you work. A nice table would also be a great addition, as it can provide them a place to do their homework or read their favorite books.
Keep everything organized.
As you’re now with your kids, expect that your home office can start to be a bit messy, with toys, books, crayons, and art materials scattered around. Not to mention that you also have your sticky notes, pens, documents, and other office tools at your desk. As much as possible, you want to keep clutter away with some help from your kids.
1. Get as much storage as you can.
Without proper storage, there’s nothing to place all your and your kids’ stuff. Look for some file drawers, wall cabinets, roll-away bins, and pen holders for your supplies. Then, get plastic carts or containers for your children’s toys. However, getting storage is only one thing. Remember that you need to teach your children to organize their stuff, too. Instruct them on using the storage and placing their toys or school supplies in the appropriate drawers. That way, the efforts can come from both ends, and you can have your home office as neat and organized as possible.
2. Plan the storage location.
So, you’ve finally purchased the necessary storage and taught your kids how to use them. Yet, you forgot to place the storage in the ideal locations – chances are things will get messier and make these storage tools less efficient.
Go ahead and plan the layout in a way that is suitable for you and your kids. Do you have some important documents? Place them in the higher storages so your kids won’t be able to reach them. Is the toy cart too far from your kid’s designated place? Keep it closer so they can quickly get toys and place them back after playing. Are you writing often? Be sure to have a pen holder at your desk, so you can grab it when needed. By planning these out, you can fully maximize the benefit of having these storage items.
Make the home office fun for your kids.
Kids simply want to have fun. Feed their longing for their enjoyment, and it can quickly transform your workday into a fulfilling one. There are many ways you can make the home office exciting for your kids without having to leave any of your tasks at work.
1. Provide craft materials.
While kids love toys, they are always on the lookout for something new to do. You can fulfill that by setting up a craft nook for your kids. Provide materials needed for creating origami, scrapbooks, bead necklaces, dreamcatchers, paper rockets, paper planes, and a lot more! The possibilities are endless. They will surely get engaged and spend a long time doing anything through their creativity and imagination. Not only do you keep them preoccupied, but you also hone their skills.
2. Set up a snack station.
At some point, your little kids can get hungry and ask you for some snacks. To reduce time spent in the kitchen, set up a snack station where your kids can eat comfortably. It’s easier to clear any mess they create in the designated space, but if you can, you can also invest in spill-resistant bottles or bowls for your kids. That way, you have fewer things to worry about and instead focus on any important tasks at hand while your little ones enjoy their favorite snacks.
Final Words
Working from home while being with your beloved kids now never has to be a daunting task. With these tips, you can create a kid-friendly home office that can help you be an efficient at-home worker and a responsible and loving parent.