How to turn a closet into a home office?
If you need to work from home and just don’t have enough space a good solution could be to make your home office in a closet.
But to build a home office in a closet is more than simply empty out the closet from clutter and put in a desk. If you want to make a productive and organized home office in your closet take into account:
- Where is the best location of a home office in a closet?
- Do I need to be able to close the home office closet after use?
- How can I have proper lights in my home office closet?
- How can I finds the right desk for my home office in a closet?
- What is the best chair for a home office in a closet?
- How can I find the the right cabinets and storage options?
- How can I keep my home office in a closet organized?
- What equipment do I need for a home office in a closet?
- How can I make my home office in a closet look nice?
So no matter how large your closet may be, there are a number of things to consider. But of course, creating your own home office in your closet has many benefits:
No more piles of paper in the dining area or at your dining table
and no more balancing your notebook in bed or in front of the tv.
The good news is that basically any closet can be utilized to make your workplace. All you’ll need is a workout area, a nice place to sit, and creativity – and of course some tips and tricks on how to do it.
So here are some suggestions on how to make the most out of your home office in your closet.
If you scroll down you will find the 100 best home office in a closet ideas
Get inspired and write us if you have more tips or want to share your closet home office. More ides you will also find in the article How To Create A Home Office For Small Spaces – 7 Tips On How To Make It Happen. and 50 SMALL OFFICE LAYOUT IDEAS FOR YOUR HOME OFFICE
So lets have a look at each point one at a time:
Where is the best location of a home office in a closet?
Before you start it’s important to give thought to the location you will have your new home office.
While your best closet choice in terms of size and distance may be the one by the front entrance, all of the visitors in and out of your house may be too distracting.
Select a spot that works together with your work style and helps you be productive and effective. That may be a nook under the stairs or even a bedroom closet.
As said, virtually any unused niche or nook may be utilized to make your private office space. All you need is really a work surface, a comfortable place to sit, and it needs to be designed to be practical and inspiring for you to work.
Which closet you opt for will be based on the dimensions of your home and the people that you share it with. Of course, if you don’t have enough space to create a regular home office in your place, most likely there is also not an empty closet that you can use right away.
So you need to be creative and see how you can empty your existing closets to make room for your small home office.
For example: If your bedroom has two closets, consolidate your clothes into one and use the other for your workplace. If you just have one master bedroom closet, free up that space by purchasing a couple of wardrobes for your shoes and clothing.
In maybe you have a guest bedroom that rarely gets used. Can you use that closet for your new home office if you don’t want to transform the entire room into an office?
Then you simply can close the closet door on your workplace whenever you have overnight guests.
Closets situated in living areas also change easily into trendy office nooks. Even if you currently use these spaces for storage, then it’s not too difficult to find another location for your stuff.
Maybe you can use an under-used pantry, coat closet, or linen cupboard for storage. Groceries can be transferred into kitchen cabinets, guests’ coats could be hung on a coat rack, and linens can be stacked in baskets on bath shelves.
So there are many ways to create room for your project of creating your own home office in a closet.
After picking your small work area location, it is time to think about the layout of your home office.
Home office in a Walk-In Closet
Designing a walk-in closet office is more like designing a little room instead of a tiny office nook. Many times, these huge spaces have enough space to integrate your office and your clothes storage together.
It requires a bit of planning to pull this off, but it is well worth the effort. You do not want to trip over your gym shoes every single time you work at home. Or end up feeling smothered, wedged between your spouse’s business suits and your winter coats.
Creating zones is the trick to creating a walk-in closet office space. If your closet does not already have built-in wooden shelves, drawers, and cabinets, search on the internet for large closet organization systems.
Use baskets to organize sweaters and intimates in your shelve. Think about what you can do to keep your clothes and shoes organized and out of sight and make room for your little office space.
Then you’ll be free to utilize the rest of the space to design your workplace getaway.
Define your office space and make it look separate. For example, have a nice area rug on the ground beneath your work zone.
Replace your plain overhead lighting with a vibrant chandelier or other elaborate fixture. Accessorize your desk using a lovely lamp and framed photos of your nearest and dearest
If your walk-in cupboard has windows, think about bringing small houseplants to your office. If you have the chance to place your desk under your window you have already great lighting and a beautiful view. And you literally can put your clothing storage behind you.
The point is: Make your office feel like a comfortable place to work. Otherwise, you will not be able to work productively in your new home office.
Home office in a Built-In Closet.
Built-in desks can be a great way to make the most of your cabinet office’s potential. By custom fitting all the elements of your own office and integrating them into the existing layout of the space, you can minimize the amount of small gaps or wasted spaces that a normal desk or filing cabinet might produce.
Include lots of storage shelves, shelves, and bins on the walls, to free up as much desktop area as possible.
If you’re a seasoned contractor or DIYer, you can build an entire desk and shelf system into your cabinet workplace. You can find many ideas below.
But even if you are not, hiring a carpenter to put in custom shelves and a built-in desk with drawers to carry all your supplies and files can be a good option. That way you really are able to fill out the space best possible. And it may even cost less then you think if you are not too fancy abut the details and looks
Do I need to be able to close the home office closet after use?
Many cabinets or closets come equipped with two or four-panel folding doors. These may continue working nicely. If you want to upgrade your new home office you can also think about replacing them with much more trendy panels or bran doors.
Occasionally a very simple hardware upgrade is all that is required to bring fresh life into your own doors.
Sometimes folding doors are dropping into the closet when you open them. That might cause a problem because there might not be enough space for it once you include your worktop and seat.
If that’s the case you can remount the door to swing instead.
This is a great time to look at buying a completely new door that may function as a focal point in the area.
But if you don’t need to hide your office when you don’t work think about taking away the cabinet door completely.
Most small rooms with a door will still feel like a cupboard. But a tiny corner with no door might easily pass as a cute house office which you have built in your area.
If you actually need to have privacy it might be an option to add drapes or a sliding barn door to separate and specify your office area. In reality, this door design adds personality to any space. You simply have to be certain you’ve got wall space at the width of your door opening, to adapt the trail and also opened door.
But most of the time your current closet door might do the job just fine for your home office.
Just like the majority of home design choices, your options are limited only by your budget and DIY abilities.
Before you decide also think about how new doors will for to the design of the rest of your home.
How can I have proper lights in my home office closet?
Closets are not famous to be brilliant, naturally lit, or sun-drenched. Together with the power outlets set up, you will want to begin lighting it.
Of course, adequate lighting is essential for your new workplace.
Very few cabinets are having overhead lighting. And even if – it is likely insufficient light for working daily.
Add lamps and activity lights to help brighten up things.
But if your cupboard already has a light fixture, then attempt to utilize it. Replace a bare-bulb using a multi-light fixture that can illuminate any particular zones on your workspace.
LED lighting strips installed under cabinets or shelves are a terrific way to light up your work surface without including a visible light fixture.
With any luck, you’ve got an outlet in the cupboard. When there’s not, then hopefully there is a socket nearby you may plug your gear into.
But generally, you will have to bring a socket or two in your cupboard office. That is probably not a DIY job, however.
If your budget is tight, then a power strip and extension cord that you can plug in into a nearby wall socket can work as well.
But for a really well-lit cabinet workplace, you might want to call an electrician to include sockets and lighting fixtures to your work zone.
But nicely and professionally installed lights can enhance your small home office. Not only will this make sure that you have proper lighting for your office desk area but also will look great if you don’t want to close your office after work.
This of course is not an option if you are renting your place. In this case, you may need to work with extension cords. There are also many good options of pre-assembled lights which could be mounted onto the shelf or wall using removable glue strips.
How can I finds the right desk for my home office in a closet?
To find a proper desk for your new home office make sure you have the correct height, width, and thickness of your possible home office.
Depending on the cupboard or closet, it may be no deeper than the diameter of a hanger. Usually, that is approximately 17 to 18 inches wide. The ordinary desk, however, is anywhere from 20 to 30 inches deep.
So to find a suitable desk for your home office in a closet can be a challenge. Before you buy any desk or other furniture for your office make sure you know the exact dimensions.
The same principle applies if you need to have binders or even legal-size paper in your office. Make sure the cupboard you are considering can fit the width and thickness of these supplies.
If you need to keep a secure filing system, you’ll require a cabinet that also will fit in. Make sure that you also can open the drawers if your officed desk has a cabinet attached. This is especially important if you plan to put your desk into a corner of your closet. Sometimes the doors of your closet are taking away a few inches on each side.
So, get the approximate dimensions of your must-have tools and supplies and double-check to make sure they will fit in the space.
Cut out paper templates or use tapes on the floor to outline the dimensions of your desk. So you’ve got a good idea of how everything will and will not fit.
As you are calculating and measuring, though, do not forget to include yourself! It’s simple to say X, Y, and Z will fit when it is not in use.
A chair may fit well under a desk, but what happens when you are sitting in that seat? Would you open drawers without banging your legs? Should you push back from the desk to stand up, will you hit the wall?
To make sure you will comfortable in the small home office in a closet, try it out before arranging anything. Take a chair to your potential new office desk and see if you can sit comfortably without feeling cramped.
You will find that what looks perfect in theory does not work at all when actually trying it out.
Sure, it could be great to have anything and everything you need in your home office. And you may envision a great office desk with all the features you like to have. But there could be times, however, when you need to compromise. In a home office in a closet, functionality often trumps style.
Nonetheless, in a closet workplace, that likely won’t work. If nothing else, you likely can not match a standard desk in the cupboard office.
You might need to choose a very simple desk or just a fold down from the wall style desk.
How can I find the the right cabinets and storage options?
The next essential component in your home office in a closet are cabinets. Smaller fitted closets may not have space for any sort of cupboard or cabinet at all. But most closet offices are having at least space for drawers. The most logical spot for a little cabinet is under the desk.
But as mentioned before, many closets are not deep enough for regular desks with drawers. You could of course do your own customized cabinet.
Just be aware that cabinets aren’t as easy as shelves when it comes to doing it yourself. So be sure to measure your under-desk distance carefully before purchasing any type of cabinet that must fit there.
Allow for ample knee and legroom for when you’re seated. Do you plan to close the doors of your closet office after work? Then you need to make sure that your office chair will fit in and you still can close the doors completely.
On your desk use many different bins, boxes, and jars to store your little office supplies. These storage bits are not only practical but also give your new home office a personal touch.
But be as minimalistic as possible. With limited space, you don’t want your home office to look small and cramped. So don’t use every inch to put something on. It only will make look your office space cluttered.
Make them as minimalist as possible. We found it helpful also not to use many letter-sized trays for the paperwork.
Most often it just becomes a storage place for unused papers and only takes away valuable space.
Even if the space in your closet home office is limited, you still can create a workplace that will suit your needs if you put a little effort into a smart layout.
At the same time be aware that you may not be able to store all things in your office that you would like to.
So when deciding on your home office storage, it is beneficial to figure out what things you really need on a daily basis. Focus on these things and make them available in your new office.
How can I keep my home office in a closet organized?
In a standard home-office, you have lots of space for your own stuff. There is usually a large desk space that has room for your computer, your monitor, printer, papers, charger, and many more items.
You also would have much space for cabinets and shelves. So you have many options to organize your stuff. That means in a regular home office set-up you would need to be very selective about how many office supplies, paperwork, and other things you store.
Still, your home office would look great and organized.
In a closet home office, things are different. You don’t have much space. Thus you would need to be selective on what you want o store in your office and how to organize it.
Running shelves up the rear of the closet is a simple and obvious solution. But maybe you can get more out of it. How about adding some rails on the shelves to hang pen holders, pictures, or other items up and away from your desk?
Or can you make use of pegboards? Pegboards are a great way to create more space and it allows you to be creative. You can add these boards on doors and walls to make flexible storage space for whatever you need.
But of course, in a closet home office shelves are among the most efficient methods to create a lot of storage places in your office.
Here are also some ideas on how to make the best use of shelves in your closet home office.
Because a home office in a closet could be such a tight space, it is important to use every inch of the wall. Shelves are among the best ways to put in a lot of storage to your comfy nook.
You even can make these shelves yourself. Your regional home improvement store offers hundreds of easy-to-install shelving solutions.
From midsize floating shelves to rows of ideal book-height boards on mounts, there’ll be a shelf design ideal for your space.
You can even paint these shelves the exact same color as the walls, or paint them in an accent color. You really can be creative here.
Below you can a number of nice ideas on how to arrange shelves. There is not only the wall to wall shelves. You can arrange the shelves alternating with document baskets that hang on them. Or place baskets on each shelf to carry items you’d rather keep out of sight.
Adjustable shelves permit you to maximize the space you have available. But make sure you only store things here you really need for your daily work. Don’t clutter them with things you actually don’t need. It only will look overcrowded and not pleasant to work in.
Open storage systems do offer complete control over the storage space. Not only are you able to get shelves of any thickness, but useful pegboard-style drawers or panels can be added in also for stationery.
Depending on where you want to have your closet home office and if you intend to leave it open you can use the shelves also to put some things on display. Or you can add a picture or other items to make it look cozy and comfortable as well.
But of course, this will only work if you don’t clutter your small office with many things.
This is especially important if your closet office is in a living room or hallway. In that case, remember to leave lots of places to display treasured items to maintain them visually pleasing and functional.
Have a look at the more than 100 closet home office ideas below and get inspired. Use a variety of home office storage ideas. Use shelves for books, magazine holders, drawers with document hangers for paperwork, drawers for pencils, and cabinets to hide away bulky items or printers.
There are so many possibilities for using shelves and other storage options that we can describe them all here.
But the idea is to keep in mind to not put too many items in your small home office.
The layout inspirations you can see below for creating your workplace for your personal preference and liking, are just a few to give you an idea.
What equipment do I need for a home office in a closet?
Since office desk space is limited in a small closet home office you can not use the variety of equipment you would usually have in a regular home office.
So try to think about what equipment and gadgets you really need. A laptop might be better for this office than a bulky desktop computer with a large monitor.
Of course, it depends on what kind of work you are doing. if you are into graphic design you may just need a larger screen.
Do you actually need a large printer? Or can you use a multi-purpose printer that combines a scanner, printer, copier, and fax system (in case you still need it).
And you need that on a daily basis or can the printer maybe store away somewhere else in the house? If you use a wireless printer this a great option.
Yes, you are going to need to walk to where it’s to use it, but it can be well worth it if it lets you get back some precious desk or storage space. And it can keep your office clean and tidy and still you have the option to print in case you need it.
Limit other electronic gadgets to a minimum. All electronics also need power and a place to store them and a place to actually use them. If at all needed try to find wireless solutions. it looks much better and you can decide to hide them somewhere else if you don’t use them as often as you thought.
A great idea is to have a small automatic scanner to scan all documents that come in. I have used a small Fujitsu ScsanSnap scanner that directly stores all papers to Evernote, a great free online cloud. So I don’t have any large folders in my office and still, have access to all documents from my laptop.
In a later article, I will describe you can set up your paperless office yourself. That is especially helpful to keep your small closet home office organized and clean.
What is the best chair for a home office in a closet?
Finding the right office chair is always crucial in any home office. After all, you need to sit on the most part of the day. So the office chair needs to be comfortable but also ergonomic.
And even if you will work in a smaller closet home office – it doesn’t mean that you need to make here any compromise.
Of course, space may be an issue, and you might need to settle for something smaller or more simple than you would otherwise prefer.
So the large leather high back executive office chair you always wanted to have might not be an option.
But the are many very good office chairs that have all the features of larger office chairs, but take less space. You can have a look at our shop as well. Many good options are available at a great price as well.
Resit to use your dining room chair or any folding chairs. They might look better or take less space. But if you intend to work in your office on a regular basis, a good chair is a good investment in your health.
Also, if you intend to close your office either with doors or a curtain, make sure your office chair of choice will fit in.
How can I make my home office in a closet look nice?
Make your office inspiring: Converting your closet into a home office does not mean it also has to look like a closet.
Think about what color you want to use for your office space. There are many options and you can get some ideas in the more than 100 closet home office ideas you can see below.
Once you decide on your wall color you can choose some pictures and other accents for your wall to make your home office cozier.
Many craft and office supply stores have a great variety of desk accessories that will bring a personal style to your closet home office.
Adding an accent into the back wall of a cabinet generates an intriguing focal point that can help it not to look like a cupboard.
You also can use a vinyl background, an accent wallpaper, or even a thin peel-and-stick wood veneer. There are millions of ways to make your closet home office cozy and inviting.
Your choice of color also can have an effect on your mood when working. Darker colors usually make the office smaller. So in an already small closet home office, a background color that is too dark might not be a good choice.
Lighter colors are opening up space and give the impression of a larger space.
Consider also using wallpaper as a background. In a small closet office, this can help to define the area. Some ideas you can find also below.
Also, put up some inspirational pictures, and bring in plenty of artificial and natural lighting wherever possible. The more you’re motivated to work, the more pleasant your closet home office experience will be.
At this point, you also need to decide if you want to close your closet home office after work or you want to keep it open.
If you want to close it you have different options a s well. Instead of the regular closet doors consider using fabric or window treatments as a means to shut off your office closet.
Sometimes finding the right home office design requires just a bit of creativity and flexibility.
But, as you can see, with some creativity and ingenuity, turning a closet into a home office can allow you to be productive and efficient. Regardless if you plan to work from home temporarily or permanently.
What are the benefits of turning a closet into a home office?
What befits does it have to make a home office in a closet rather than use any space in your home for work?
At first, it might seem not really a great step forward, turning your closet into a home office. But take a moment to think about the great advantages:
A smaller space means less to organize, which consequently might help you in keeping your desk and work area cleaner.
You have easy access to your closet home office. You don’t have to organize an entire room – so you can start your work right away.
Also by keeping your work at a small defined area you have still your entire moe for yourself. All the other rooms are still looking great. You don’t have to take over the dining table, couch, or kitchen table.
No paperwork and laptops scatted around your home! You can keep your work where it belongs – to your office.
Especially if you live in a smaller apartment or house you don’t want to be reminded of your work in every corner of your home.
So a closet home office is a great way to accomplish it.
Whether you’re searching for something simple where you can work from time to time, or something more permanent – a home office in your closet can be the solution.
You’ll love the way your new place inspires you to do more!
