Home Office Setup Ideas for Every Work Style

Working from home is a dream for many, but making the move from the office can require adjustments to your normal routine. Your home office setup plays a big role in your overall performance, so getting it just right should be a priority. Two key factors when setting up your space are having the right equipment and understanding your work style. To help you get started, we’ve put together this guide to home office setups for every work style. Discover your ideal setup, and you can be even more productive at home than on-site, whether you’re at your primary home, second home or combining work and fun on a workcation. Now, let’s clock in, shall we?

Essentials for a home office setup

Having the right equipment is the first step toward making the best home office setup for your work style. Check out the essentials to improve your productivity from the comfort of your home. Spoiler alert: It all begins with — you guessed it — a committed workspace.

A checklist outlines the necessary equipment for a productive home office setup.

A committed workspace

Having a dedicated office area in your home can help you get into work mode more quickly. You save time by not needing to tear it down and set it back up each day, and through routine, you’ll associate the area with work instead of leisure.An ideal workspace will have the following qualities:

Privacy: Pick an area in your home that is away from household activity.
Quiet: You can soundproof the room by installing acoustic panels on walls, adding window inserts or hanging soundproof curtains over doors.
Adequate lighting: Swap out dim light bulbs for ones labeled “6500K” or “daylight.” Have an adjustable desk lamp to spotlight certain areas. Use a ring light for video calls.
Suitable electrical outlets: Use multi-outlet adaptors with surge protection to connect all of your devices.

If you can’t dedicate a whole room as your personal office space, setting up a multi-functional space is also an option. You can designate a corner of your basement or zen room as your permanent office or even jump on the “cloffice” trend (closets outfitted as an office). No matter your preference, consider using a room divider to improve privacy and try to angle your webcam so that the background is professional for video calls.

Ergonomic furniture

Having furniture that properly fits your body can improve your productivity while also keeping you healthy. Sitting in awkward positions for hours every day can lead to spinal pain, poor circulation and breathing issues. To improve your posture and comfort, get furniture like this:

Desk: Your desk height should allow your elbows and knees to bend between 90-110 degrees while sitting. Consider using a desk height calculator to estimate proper heights. A sit-stand desk can provide even more options for comfort.
Chair: Your chair should also rest at a comfortable height that doesn’t inhibit circulation. Try using a chair that provides adequate lumbar support, or use a lumbar chair insert for improved comfort.
Correct monitor height: Your monitor should be positioned so you’re looking at the top third of the screen. You can purchase specialized stands to increase the height or even place your monitor on sturdy books to get a few more inches.

Once your furniture is in a perfect position, fill your desk with the equipment you’ll need to get the job done.

Necessary equipment

If your company’s office had a one-size-fits-all layout, now is your chance to customize the small things to your liking.Make your job easier by getting equipment like this:

Monitors: Get a second monitor to make working in multiple browser windows easier to manage. Alternatively, get an extra-wide monitor if you find it difficult to keep track of two screens.
AV equipment: Most computers these days have built-in webcams and microphones, but if you have a lot of video calls, it might be worth investing in ones with better quality to maintain professionalism.
Multi-port hubs: If you’re working from a single computer at home, you’ll likely need some adaptors to make sure there’s room for everything to connect.
Mouse and keyboard: Similar to the ergonomics of your furniture, having a mouse and keyboard that are the right size for your body can increase your comfort throughout the day and help you avoid carpal tunnel syndrome.
Printer: Investing in a quality printer can help you maintain professionalism at home while avoiding the need for trips to the office or library.

After acquiring all of your must-have equipment, look into getting some extra tools that can make your days go by a little bit easier.

Productivity tools

Here are some additional productivity aids you may find beneficial:

VPN: A virtual private network (VPN) offers increased security and privacy while using a public network. Your company may have its own VPN for accessing company files. If it doesn’t, consider investing in one for more cyber protection.
Password manager: This is another tool your company may provide for you. A password manager makes it easy to access needed websites from any device while keeping the passwords safe.
Noise-canceling headphones: If your home is noisy, a quality pair of headphones can drown out ambient noise and help you focus.
Daily planner: This can be a journal, whiteboard or app. Choose the best option to keep you on task and meet your deadlines.

Now that you have an idea of all the equipment you’ll need to do your work from home, learn how you can outfit your office to maximize productivity.

How to set up your home office based on your work style

A flow chart helps people create the perfect home office setup by identifying their work style.

Everyone’s work style is a little different, but most of us fall into an established category. Identifying your work style is the first step toward knowing how to set up a home office and increase your comfort and productivity. Here are the four types of work styles we’ll be covering:

Logical workers prefer a space to do their own thing and see projects through to the end. They like to solve their own problems with well-thought-out solutions.
Proximity workers value a careful balance between independent and collaborative work. They’re capable of being autonomous while still benefiting from the feedback of co-workers.
Detail-oriented workers value order and accuracy. They tend to be perfectionists and want to make sure small issues are resolved before they can worsen.
Idea-oriented workers are big-picture thinkers who don't settle for the status quo. They’re unstructured in their work habits and might need outside accountability to see things through to the end.

After identifying your preferred work style, optimize your office space with our suggestions for a custom setup. If your office is lacking the professional appearance you want to promote to others, download our Zoom backgrounds to take it to the next level.

Home office setups for the logical work style

An image displays the perfect home office setup for logical workers.

Since this work style means you’ll likely be carrying the brunt of the workload for your projects, find an area in your home that offers the most solitude while providing enough space to work. Add soundproofing to the room as an alternative way to mute distractions if physical isolation isn’t possible. Invest in multiple monitors to make it easier to juggle all of your different responsibilities. Use a wall or desk mount, and choose a wireless keyboard and mouse to save space on your home office desk setup.

A computer monitor displays a Zoom background that can stand in for a logical home office setup.

Home office setups for the proximity work style

An image displays the perfect home office setup for proximity workers.

The perfect home office setup for the proximity work style is one that lets you collaborate when needed. If you live with another person, consider sharing an office area with them when you work from home. That makes it convenient to springboard ideas off of them when remote co-workers are unavailable.Invest in a quality webcam and microphone if you’ll be hopping on a lot of meetings. Be conscious of the location of your office setup at home. Put your desk in a spot that gets lots of natural light so that your appearance on video calls is professional. If you don’t have control over the state of your background, use an artificial background to improve the appearance.

a computer screen with a picture of a house

Home office setups for the detail-oriented work style

An image displays the perfect home office setup for detail-oriented workers.

Easily keep track of all the little details by working from a desk with a large tabletop. Having a designated place for all of your things will help you stay organized. Use shelves or a desk with drawers to keep unnecessary items out of mind until it’s time to focus on them. Since the best way for you to be productive at work is through order, hang a whiteboard on the wall to serve as a daily planner. Use it for checklists or quick reminders and get the satisfaction of wiping the board clean after a job well done.

A computer monitor displays a Zoom background that can stand in for a detail-oriented home office setup.

Home office setups for the idea-oriented work style

An image displays the perfect home office setup for idea-oriented workers.

Mobility is key to the success of this type of working style. Get a sit-stand desk with a monitor mount that can fully rotate. Being able to move freely without interrupting your workflow is a huge plus. If possible, work from a laptop instead of a desktop computer and think about placing a small sofa or extra chair nearby for more seating options within your office.A generic daily planner may not be enough to keep you on task day to day. You may even consider getting a personal assistant app that can sync with your devices and hold you accountable to deadlines.

A computer monitor displays a Zoom background that can stand in for an idea-oriented home office setup.

Embracing your unique work style and catering to your strengths is the not-so-hidden secret to accomplishing your tasks. Whether you need inspiration for your primary or second home, these home office setup tips can help you stay productive wherever you are.

An infographic helps workers identify their preferred work style and perfect home office setup.

The best home office setups for every work style