Thankfully, you can easily remedy this by converting your Rancho Santa Fe garage into an office space. While this may seem like a time-consuming and even unnecessary task, you’ll find it worth the effort.
For one, having a dedicated home office that is removed from your main living space can really boost your productivity so you can get more done in less time. Also, the IRS offers a tax deduction for people who use a part of their house specifically for work and business purposes. Not to mention creating a home office is extremely cheaper than leasing a co-working or office space on a monthly basis.
In this post, you’ll find exactly how to go about creating a garage home office that’s efficient and minimal or stylish and extravagant – whatever you want!
How To Prepare Your Garage To Be Used As An Office
Okay, so there are two ways to do this: just clear out the clutter from your garage and put in a desk and a chair for a basic, no-nonsense setup. But if that’s all you wanted, you wouldn’t be reading this post now, would you?
To create an “official” productivity corner in your garage, you’re going to have to think about insulation, ventilation, lighting, painting, and garage storage cabinets.
Before we begin, keep in mind that some cities require you to obtain certain permits for such a garage conversion project. We recommend consulting with our experts at Garage Excell in Carmel Valley to know more about this. We have 13+ years of experience in the garage renovation and improvement industry all across Los Angeles and can help you determine the state and federal requirements to go ahead with your project.
Once you get the permits you need to convert your garage into an office, you can start with the rest of the process:
#Creating a layout: Remember, your garage’s organization and functionality will have the biggest impact on your productivity so find a design that will maximize these two factors. Our Garage Excell designers can help you with this.
#Insulating and ventilating: Most garages in Del Mar Heights are not climate-controlled. Since this space is typically meant to store vehicles and unused equipment, it’s understandable that it doesn’t have any temperature management system.
But your new garage office should be open, airy, and cozy; you can’t work in a dank, closed space for long hours. This means you need to insulate your garage properly and make sure it has plenty of air circulation.
#Removing the clutter: A messy garage is not good for your health and nor for your mental concentration. Clear out the junk that doesn’t belong in a home office and organize the rest into a carefully designed garage storage system. Once you have de-cluttered the room, apply a fresh coat of paint.
#Lighting: Garages don’t often receive natural light and working in a dark garage can wreak havoc on your eyesight as well as your mood. Multiple studies show that dim lighting tends to cause a lot of strain on the eye, which can lead to headaches and eye issues. You can also experience drowsiness and lose motivation, resulting in low productivity.
Consider installing some large windows in your garage for natural light to filter in. Also, add an electricity cable that runs to the ceiling and buy a lamp for your desk. We recommend plenty of LED bulbs because they mimic sunlight.
#Installing the right garage door: Your old garage door may not be appropriate or secure for your new office (especially if it’s outdated). If you’re expecting potential clients to drop by your house, consider replacing it and investing in an upgraded model.
#Adding the right furniture: Once you have taken care of the above, it’s time to get furniture like garage cabinet systems that will make your garage look like an office. The biggest tip we have for you is to spend on a high-quality ergonomic chair. Do NOT cheap out on this as bad posture due to a cheap chair can lead to back pain, rounded shoulders, joint degeneration, spinal dysfunction, and a potbelly!
You can also put rugs on the floor if you’ve got an unfinished cement floor, or you can install some nice polyaspartic epoxy garage flooring for aesthetics and durability.
#Setting up your gear: Next, sort out your gear situation. Figure out everything you need to get through your workday – your computer, phone, printer, Wi-Fi router, stationary, and whatnot. Our Garage Excell designers can create custom garage cabinets for you to store all these items discreetly so they don’t take too much space. Make sure you’ve got a speedy and reliable internet connection in your Yorba Linda garage. If the connection is poor, you can set up a Wi-Fi extender to boost it.
#Personalizing the space: And that’s pretty much it! For the final touch, you can bring on the indoor plants, custom artwork, and family photos to show off your personal flair.
#Routine maintenance: Keep your workspace clean and tidy by vacuuming or mopping it regularly.
Is Using My Garage As An Office A Good Idea?
Why go to so much trouble when I can just use my living room or kitchen table as an office? This is a question we get a lot from potential customers, and we don’t blame them. After all, the garage is a catch-all space for all the seasonal and unused household items, so most homeowners don’t spend any time or effort in making it “livable”. And turning an unfinished, messy garage into a home office must take a lot of work, right?
Well, look at it this way: if you have children and pets running around the house all day, how are you going to accomplish any work-related task that requires your utmost focus? What if you have an important Zoom meeting coming up?
Since a garage is not inside your home, it offers fewer distractions. You’d also be far away from your television screen, couch, and bed, which means most of your time will be spent working (and not couch-potato-ing). Another reason why garages make the best home offices is that they are already multi-purpose. You don’t have to sacrifice a living room or the guest bedroom for your work.
Let Garage Excell Create A Fun & Functional Home Office In Your Garage
Our custom garage cabinets and other garage storage systems will keep your new workspace clutter-free and organized easily. Whether you are using your garage as an office, a home gym, or an art studio, our exclusive garage wall cabinets are just what you need.
We can also help you figure out the best layout and set up your workstation in a way that maximizes your efficiency and productivity. To schedule your free consultation, please contact us online or call us at 877-573-6637.