It's so frustrating when you get in the zone and are ready to get to work but something comes along and you get distracted. You're thrown off your game, you get side tracked and it's super hard getting back into that ready-to-work mindset. You know that if you have a hard time staying focused on your work, chances are your kids are the same way. 

Now that families are working/learning from home due to the pandemic, a home office is incredibly important. In Homelight's Q3 2020 survey, 7% of real estate agents said they have clients who aren't just looking for one home office, they want multiple home offices!

If your family is in desperate need of a dedicated space to get work done in, then you're going to love these tips that'll make creating a home office a piece of cake. 

1. What is the room going to be used for?

Yes, we know that the space is going to be used as an office, but you need to be more specific. Will you be the only person using the office or are you going to have to share it with others? Will the space be an office and that's all or will it have other uses? 

2. Start with a blank canvas/room

Now that you have a clear plan for the room, you need to take everything out of it. That means all pictures, furniture, accessories, and so on. The reason why you want to remove everything is so that you'll have a blank canvas to work with, which will help you plan the layout and what things you'll want to put in back into the space.

3. Sift through everything you've removed from the room

While you're removing stuff from the room, take this opportunity to go through everything. Figure out what items you need and whatever you don't need. For the items that you don't need, you'll want to figure out if you're going to throw it out or donate it. 

Also, while you're taking stuff out, clean everything and anything. This means wiping down your furniture, dusting any knick knacks or books, throw the curtains in the wash, clean the windows and so on. 

4. An organized office is a productive office

Once you've cleaned everything and are ready to put stuff back into the room, have a plan! Organization is super important if you're trying to have an office you can be productive in. It's a great idea to have a filing cabinet (or two if necessary) to store all of your important documents. If you'd rather not have a filing cabinet, a bookcase with labeled folders works great too. 

For your desk, use small containers to store things like thumbtacks, paperclips, rubber bands and other small items. You can also use a desk organizer for your pens, pencils, papers and notepads. You can even repurpose baby food jars or candle jars if you're feeling thrifty!

5. Create a schedule

Some people find writing down a schedule helps to stay on track throughout the day. You can use a planner or a calendar to jot down appointments, meetings, due dates, and even break times. But, not only will a schedule help you stay on track, it'll also be useful if more than one person has to use the office space. For example, if your kids need to log on for class, you can write them in that time slot so they can work without interruption. This is a great practice for households who have multiple people needing to use the home office.

Being productive when you're working from home can be pretty rough, but when you have a home office, it's a little easier to stay focused. Plus, it's a great feeling to know that you can get your work done in peace and at the end of the day, you can close the door and enjoy time with your family!