How Can I Turn My Closet into an Office?

The real beauty of cloffices, though, is that they have doors that you can close. It can be hard to get settled when you work in a public area of your home. You have to move paper and pens at dinner time, and constantly haul out and put away books and folders. With a cloffice, you can keep everything you need in one place and leave it there when you’re done. Simply close the door behind you at the end of the day and hide the whole thing… without disrupting your work space.

You can get all the deets on her setup (including how she made that pretty herringbone wall design!) over on her blog. If you’re not keen on rewiring the inside of the closet, puck lights would be a good converting closet to office option. At the end of a workday, the closet door can be shut to separate the office from the living space. Depending on the kind of cloffice you opt for, it can also become a part of your room’s decor.

Consider the Space

I would recommend removing the shelving the day before you plan to start hanging up the paneling so you can allow the spackling to dry overnight. A practical cloffice starts with a desk or tabletop surface where you can place your computer and spread out paperwork. Begin by measuring the closet to see if your desk, printer, or filing cabinets will fit.

  • Draw out a calendar or a to-do list, or just let your imagination wander.
  • Storage will be your best friend when it comes to designing a home office in your closet that’s stylish and functional.
  • If space is really tight, consider a stool that can tuck under the desk in lieu of a chair.
  • Now that you’ve chosen the best space for your home office, it’s time to evaluate.

Not only does this seemingly normal closet open up to reveal an office, but it also hides a bold pop of color in an otherwise neutral room. The brilliant shade makes the cloffice feel like its own individual space, helping to set it apart from the rest of the room—and it doesn’t hurt that it’s incredibly fun, either. Cloffice storage ideas are incomplete without considering the sides of the closet. Add some shelves or cabinets to those areas to create further room inside a small workspace. The desktop is literally just a piece of 1/2″ plywood cut to the width of the closet, and the desired depth.

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If there’s already an outlet in the cloffice, mounting sconces to the wall or getting a regular table lamp are two of the many options. Here are some handpicked cloffice ideas that will help to create your own happy workspace. The term “cloffice” refers to the concept of turning your closet into a mini-office. Thus, what we call a WFH closet, or a cloffice, has evolved into a trend of its own.

I really didn’t enjoy going down there, so I typically left my laptop upstairs to float around from room to room. When Rex would work from home he struggled to get stuff done. It was too loud, disorganized and cold down in the basement. And when bills and important documents were around they ended up on the kitchen counter where they would sit for a month before I stuffed them in a drawer to later be dealt with.

How to Build a Desk in a Closet

My plans for the room include a paper organizer one of these walls. I also plan on doing some cute mirrors or other decorative pieces for my new favorite space. It may seem impossible to makeover an entire room for only $100, but it it totally doable with just a little creativity. Which is why this desk in a closet was the perfect solution. Once you have all of your tape up, you can start painting! I would highly recommend using a good quality roller to get a smooth paint finish.

Built-in desks can be a great way to maximize your closet office’s potential. Closets located in living areas also transform easily into stylish office nooks. Even if you currently use these spaces for storage, it’s not difficult to find another place for the contents of an under-used pantry, coat closet, or linen closet. Groceries can be moved into kitchen cabinets, guests’ coats can be hung on a coat rack, and linens can be stacked in baskets on bathroom shelves. A rug is an attractive way to define your space and it protects the floor from your office chair’s legs. A table lamp will give you some light for your workspace and add a nice design element.

Find some great fabric and use that to conceal clutter and add a pop of color. Since closet offices are generally small in nature, determine what elements of your home office are essential and which ones are for pure decoration and those that take up space. Stream line and organize files, and office equipment into storage containers, file cabinets and stylish desk and shelf organizers. Take care to measure the depth, height, and width of the space, so you know what size furniture and storage pieces will fit. Depending on your closet’s shape and size, you may need to consider vertical storage units or floating shelves, in which case depth will be a critical measurement.

  • After a basic cloffice setup is done, it’s time to take a look at 21 practical ways you can enhance your workspace and make it personal.
  • It struck a chord, especially with those struggling for privacy in small apartments and those looking for a separation between work and living spaces.
  • Add framed artwork or photos and decorative accents like vases and collectibles to show off your personality.
  • If your doors don’t fold, take advantage of vertical real estate by screwing thin sheets of cork to their back sides for posting notes and bills.
  • Considering the number of hours you’re likely to spend in your new favorite nook, you need something great to sit on.
  • Think about adding some organizers or installing some floating shelves.

Make them as minimalist or as frou-frou as you please. Note that flat letter-sized trays are just as helpful for paperwork organization at home as they are at your place of business. If you’re renting your home or apartment, look for battery-powered lights that can be mounted to the wall or shelf with removable adhesive strips.

A rolling cart can hold office supplies and store files, based on your needs. As your closet multi-tasks, so should your furniture in it. “No matter what set-up you choose, it’s important to have multiple layers of lighting,” Williams adds. Aside from a standard ceiling light, consider wall lights, desk lights, or stick-on lights to brighten the space. To attach the desk, add wood glue to the top of your frame.

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