Having a small office space doesn’t mean the office can’t be functional. Click here to learn how to make the most of a small office layout.
There must be hundreds of books, articles, and references on how to make small spaces work for our professional needs. Labels such as Feng Shui, minimalist, and cozy spaces have even been used to make these small workspaces sound more glamorous and appealing.
The reality?
Small spaces are easy to make efficient, effective, and personal. In fact, small spaces may be better suited to fit our professional needs in the workplace. There is less room for error and less opportunity to lose or misplace important materials and documents.
Just because you may have a small office or workspace doesn’t mean you can’t have quality functionality. Smaller workspaces need a bit of extra organization, planning, and finesse to create the perfect use of a limited area.
Check out a few of these ideas to make the most of your office layout.
Small But Mighty Office Layout Ideas
Have you ever experienced an office where you have to step over things or turn sideways in order to walk around the workspace?
In a large office space, these types of situations don’t always happen. However, take away some square footage and things become a bit too cozy for anyone’s comfort levels.
Just because your office space is small doesn’t mean that it can’t be fabulous and efficient. Here are some tips to maximize your office layout.
Choose What You Need
There’s a large portion of the world’s population that are closet hoarders. We love to keep memorabilia and things that we are convinced we’ll need at a later date.
However, this must be curbed if you want to maintain an orderly, effective, and well-designed small workspace.
A few things to remember:
Don’t clutter the walls
Just because you have something framed doesn’t mean that it needs to be hung on the wall.
Hang things like your diploma/certification and maybe a few job-related honors and awards. These show your credibility in the field and can make a workspace look tidy and professional.
Don’t Overdo The Office Supplies
Just because they make an office supply doesn’t mean you need to buy and display that office supply. Choose only the supplies that you need and avoid buying in bulk. Many times, the bulk prices end up being more expensive and they tend to take up quite a bit of room.
Go Easy On The Furniture
If you don’t need a giant, oversized armchair for daily operating needs – don’t buy one.
Choose only the furniture that you need for your small workspace to function and that fits your office layout. Having too many unnecessary pieces of furniture clutters a small space instantly.
Keep A Tidy Desk
There are pictures all over the web making fun of the over-cluttered, paper-stacked office desk. They are usually associated with funny memes that indicate stress, being overwhelmed, or feeling burdened.
If a picture of your desk resembles something that would be made fun of on the internet, you may need to do some quality Feng Shui’ing to remedy your office layout.
Not only is a clean desk an efficient desk but studies show that keeping a desk clear throughout the day can reduce stress.
Use Efficient Storage Options
Storage, done correctly, can offer the most benefits to optimizing a small workspace in your office layout plan.
Try to choose storage options that double as other types of functional space or furniture. Also, consider chairs and desks that have sleek lines and avoid bulky pieces that take up too much of your precious floor space.
Open It Up
Gone are the days where the typical office layout is appropriate for most industries. The dawn of collaboration and the shift to more of a focus on teamwork have created a need for a more open office design.
Depending on the needs of your business, your layout can accommodate more of an open model floor plan to maximize space.
If you and your employees are on the phone most of the day, consider maximizing the use of the outer perimeter of your office. This can allow for a more quieter environment, but still, provides ample room to move around.
If your business needs rely on the constant collaboration between employees, design your office layout in the center of the room. This allows plenty of extra space to roam, move, and interact without issue.
On The Go Design
A great option for small workspaces is flexible office furniture and features that allow for creating different spaces at different times.
If you need a temporary meeting space for clients that is more sectioned off from the rest of the workplace, partitions and movable walls are great options to incorporate in your office layout design.
Moveable desks and chairs are other great options to create different workspaces for different needs, as well. These can be easy to store and easy to move.
Small On Space But Big On Efficiency
Small workspaces and office layout designs don’t have to be something that inhibits the success of your business or company.
Choosing the right types of furniture, using the right types of organization and space design, as well as maximizing the square footage of your workspace can ensure that you maintain a thriving business or service.
Organizing an effective and efficient layout is something that can be overwhelming and stressful. However, it doesn’t have to be.
If you need a bit of professional attention, planning, and/or organizational support, it may not be a bad idea to consider hiring an expert or looking for outside ideas. Having an extra eye to help design the perfect workspace is something that can be worth every penny.
Also, consider searching an office workspace company that knows how to outfit all kinds of workspaces. Smaller workspaces will need a bit more creativity to make the most of their space.
Need some help maximizing your smaller workspace? Check out companies that offer a wide variety of office furniture, ideas, workspace options, and storage features that can perfectly create your stress-free office setting.
You don’t always have to go big!