Closet offices (or “cloffices”) are all the rage among employees trying to make working from home as pleasant and structured as possible in an apartment or small house. While the idea of typing emails from the couch or taking phone calls from the bed might seem alluring at first, most people quickly discover that having a simple, dedicated space is necessary for maximum productivity and comfort. The problem is: where?
Enter the cloffice. No, that’s not a typo. Closet + office = an office in a closet. And according to cloffice fans on social media, they fit the bill (and the available square footage!) when it comes to WFH success.
Keep reading for our take on the trend and advice on how to install or improve a cloffice in your own home.
Photo Credit: @onthedailywith.chels via Instagram
Closet Office Ideas
Although a huge amount of closet office ideas is available via a quick search on Instagram or Pinterest, we did the heavy lifting for you and picked out some favorite tips on how to turn a small closet into a beautiful and functional home office.
Create separation between home and cloffice. One of the most important aspects of your cloffice is that it is a distinct space built just for work. Whether you use a boldly colored paint, a fresh wallpaper, or sliding doors, determine some way to make the cloffice stand on its own. This will also help you walk away from work at the end of the day, which is a real challenge for many remote workers.
Photo Credit: @flynnhaus via Instagram
Move out the excess. You can’t have a cloffice without an empty closet. Take your seasonal clothes to an easily accessible self-storage facility, and donate any excess or outgrown items to local nonprofits. It’s hard enough to focus on tasks sometimes; you don’t want to be distracted starting at your dry-cleaning pile or share a workspace with a bunch of old shoes.
Be thoughtful about the lighting. Staring at a computer screen all day can do a number on your eyes. If you’re trying to turn a closet into an office, don’t settle for whatever lighting source is already installed. Take a long hard look at all of the lighting options on the market, which range from sconces to desk lamps to battery-operated puck lights that can work wonders with no rewiring. Pick the one that helps you – and your eyes – stay focused.
Get serious about storage. One of the best tips we found for cloffice success is to use actual closet storage options from the Container Store, IKEA, or any other store that sells closet systems. These pre-designed options will help you squeeze all the storage you can out of your square footage. Other choices for your office supplies and paperwork include floating shelves, freestanding and wall-mounted document storage systems, and decorative bins and baskets.
A cloffice is just a closet with a few key components. Namely, a desk, a chair and a high-speed Internet connection. You can’t have a cloffice without ‘em.
Be choosy about chairs. When it comes to chairs, be sure to find one that stays comfortable all day long. Less expensive office or dining chairs can be outfitted with pillows in a pinch, but if working remote is going to be a career constant – you’ll eventually want to get a chair that won’t do a number on your back and bottom. Make sure whatever chair you get is adjusted for your height and desk.
Deck out your desk. Desks are the centerpiece of your cloffice. You can go simply with a wall-mounted, floating piece of wood or butcher block. Or you can take it up a notch by finding an actual (narrow) desk to squeeze into the space. For our money, we love the legless options because you can put a rolling file cabinet or storage bins on the floor on either side. Whichever desk you choose, invest in a few cute containers to store your pens, notepads and other office supplies on top.
Photo Credit: @myfarmhouseish via Instagram
Install speedier WiFi. Last but not least: your Internet connection. If you need a boost for maximum productivity (and minimal annoyance), consider investing in a WiFi booster. Brands like Linksys, NETGEAR and Sonos, among others, offer a many different types of WiFi extenders. Visit an electronics store or hunt around online for the best option for your specific situation and wireless needs.
Fun Cloffice Ideas
We’ve covered the critical components of your home office closet, so let’s turn to the fun ones. Think about little touches you can add to your cloffice to make it a more personal, enjoyable space from which to log your 40 hours. Of course, tastes can range from modern and spare to lush and bohemian – and that’s OK. The most important thing is that it’s comfortable for you. (If you’re looking for ideas for kid cloffices – or any work from home setups – be sure to also check out our recent blog, Online School is Now in Session: Seven Tips to Set Up Student Work Areas.)
Personal tastes aside, we couldn’t help but add a few fun cloffice ideas to round out the article.
Make space for Fido. If you’ve got a small dog or cat that is loving all the extra time you’re at home, make a special space in your cloffice for them. A small bed on the floor or even on your desk (if you’ve got a particularly large workspace – or small critter) can do wonders for your mental health. Pets are proven to reduce stress and increase happiness so why not include them in your cloffice plans? You’ll both be happy you did.
Get some greenery. There are plenty of plants that grow in low-light or low-humidity places, so don’t let your cloffice get in the way of your green thumb. Other options are fake plants, which come in a wonderful variety these days and are extremely realistic. Studies have shown that looking at a plant can decrease stress and increase productivity, so why not give it a whirl and see if they will work for your WFH set-up?
Photo Credit: @millcityworkshop via Instagram
Add personal accents. You may think it’s corny to have pictures of your kids or pets on your cloffice desk when you’re often sitting just feet away from them, but personal touches can make a world of difference in terms of comfort and serenity. If you were used to framed pictures, signs with motivational sayings, or one-a-day calendars at your actual office, don’t go without them in your cloffice. It’s the little, familiar things that will likely make you the most at ease.
Photo Credit: @homewithyoshi via Instagram
Cloffices are a wonderful, and oftentimes very cost-effective, solution for many remote employees struggling to find a space to call their own in a cramped home environment. With all the changes to our lives over the past few years, you deserve to treat yourself to an elevated workspace that inspires you.
