Are You Short on Home Office Space?

Quickly Convert a Closet to a Home Office Nook

When I got my first computer and launched a consulting career more than a few years ago, I was desperate to create some type of office space in my tiny apartment. I couldn’t imagine where I was going to find that necessary nook until I found some inspiration in Martha Stewart and set about converting a closet into a functional and space saving home office nook - what a terrific concept!

With a bit of elbow grease and forethought, I was able to set up my first home office. Although my current office has expanded to include a work table and window, I still fondly remember the cozy sense of purpose I felt from my converted closet office nook.

Here are a few suggestions to quickly convert your closet into working office:

• Remove the closet doors because you will feel completely closed in such a small space with a door. You may later want to replace a traditional door with sliding doors or a simple curtain to hide your office when company visits.
• Take measurements and never eye anything. You simply don’t know if your old desk or file drawers will fit in the space until to take accurate measurements with a steel tape measure.
• Now that you’ve removed the door and taken measurements, measure your existing office equipment to see what fits and what doesn’t.
• Make a list of what you need. If your current desk doesn’t fit, consider installing your own tabletop inside the closet. I wasn’t that ambitious so I purchased a computer cart/workstation that worked quite nicely in small space because it also held a printer, speakers and had an area to store papers.
• Create storage because there is no room for chaos in a convert closet office space. A small set of file drawers, shelves on the walls or even a built-in cabinet make great storage.
• Where are your electrical outlets? Does your closet have an electrical outlet inside to use or is there one close enough outside the closet to run a power surge line? This may be an expense if you need to run electric into the closet. I choose to use an outlet right outside the closet, which wasn’t a problem when I removed the door.

As you can see, you can make convert the closet permanently by adding fixtures if you are renovating your own home or choose portable components to create a home office if you are renting. You can renovate your closet into a small yet luxuriously efficient office or an effective, sensible work space without breaking your budget or feeling claustrophobic.