The Best Ways to Use a Small Office Space

Say small office space to people and they’ll all think of something different. This isn’t a bad thing, but it can be hard to specify what exactly a small office is.

For some, it will be a small space in their home, or a separate room if they have the spare space. For others, it’s a shared space that multiple people and businesses use. It can also be a small office perfect for a new or small business.

Being so versatile, it’s hard to define. It’s also hard to know what you should do with it once you have a small office space of your own. Our team of experts at Williams Sillitoe have come across a range of office spaces over the years and we’re going to share some of the best ideas with you.

Great Small Office Space Ideas

To get the most out of any small office space, you need to get creative. Space is at a premium, even in a home office, and to make sure you have everything you need, you’ll need to get inventive with what you need and how you arrange the area you work in.

Furniture plays a big part in your setup, so finding the right pieces that let you make the most of your space is important. Minimising distractions can also help, but it’s important to know how you work and tailor any space to bringing out your best results.

Here are just a few small office space ideas that can get you started.

Keep Focus with Lighting

Start with the right lighting. Natural light is the best, but sitting next to a window or in a room with plenty of light streaming through isn’t always possible. The angle of the light can make working difficult at times and windows can be distracting.

However, it’s important to have good lighting to focus your workspace and avoid eyestrain. Lamps are a good way to do this, but they take up precious space. Look for lights that can be attached to a wall or tall lights that can settle above you. This stops you using up work space but makes sure you have the right light to work in.

Vertical Space is Just as Important as Horizontal

When we think about workspaces, it’s often about the horizontal. A desk, a chair, maybe a cabinet or drawers for storage. This, and any other furniture, is using the horizontal space, and that includes the size of the desk and anything we need on it or to do on that surface.

A laptop or monitor, keyboard, writing space, tools and equipment – they all take up space.

What if there was a way to get more space without a bigger desk or taking up more space in a room?

Layered desks, with shelves beneath or above the main workspace you’ll be using, are great for storing equipment and supplies, or different pieces of technology you need. Home office workers can even make use of the walls around their desks to put up more shelving, too.

Create Specific Areas for Different Tasks

Sitting at a desk all day is boring for everyone. Even a few minutes to stretch the legs or walk around the office can help clear heads and keep blood pumping. This is difficult in a small office space, as there isn’t much room to begin with and what you have has probably been assigned as desk or work space.

However, keeping certain areas clear for other tasks can help people focus. Whether it’s a sofa for meetings over coffee, a whiteboard on a wall for coming up with ideas or something else, desks are just one part of an office.

Think about what tasks your employees carry out and what you can do to help them improve results. This can be much more valuable than another desk or two.

Using Shared Office Space

Small office spaces are a great option for businesses with few people or on a budget, and while you can certainly adapt them to your specific needs, there are other ways to increase space.

Shared office space offers an alternative. This is a bigger environment, but you will often be sharing it with other workers, whether they are freelancers, self-employed, or from another business.

Depending on the shared office space you have, it may come furnished or it might be empty, but with some smart additions, using some of the tips above, you can find a bigger office that fits your needs and allows you to grow.

Flexible Office Space

Another option to consider is flexible office space. The terms you agree will depend on the type of business you have and the shared space you find. What it does do is avoid tying you down to an office every day of the week.

If remote working is at least a part of how your business operates, then a small office space might let you do the tasks you need to as a team while solo jobs can be done remotely. This means more of a focus on setting up your home office while looking for the features you need in a shared environment.

For some, this is the best of both worlds.

Looking for your own small office space?

Knowing what you want from an office is important, as is making sure it’s got some level of future proofing for when your business grows. There are plenty of ways you can make a small office space work while capturing the essence of what your business is all about.

Our team at Williams Sillitoe can help you find the right small office space for your business, making sure you have everything you need and enough room to grow. Get in touch with us today and find out how we can help.