DIY Projects Perfect For the Home Office

With Kiwis opting to work from home more than ever before, there’s never been a better time to upgrade your home office set up. Improve your productivity by creating a dedicated space that’s comfortable and organised for you to do your best work. We’ve compiled a list of easy home DIY projects to help you turn your home office into a stylish and functional space. From DIY desks to storage solutions, we’ve got you covered at Hirepool. 

HOME OFFICE MUST-HAVES 

There are a few basic things every home office needs to ensure you are comfortable and productive. If you’re looking for a place in your home such as a bedroom or alcove to convert into a home office, you’ll want to ensure your space has the following: 

• Natural Light - better than artificial light for working 

• Access to Power - for computers and office appliances 

• Comfortable Ergonomic Chair - if you’ll be sitting for extended periods (and enough room for it) 

• Adequate storage - for reducing clutter and storing office supplies

• Internet Access - there’s nothing worse than trying to work with a dodgy signal 

• A desk - small or large, it needs to be at a comfortable height and able to hold your essentials

While this list is by no means exhaustive, ensuring you set up your home office with these things in mind is a great start. Kitting out a home office can be expensive, especially if your home requires you to get creative with custom built-in solutions. Luckily there are a handful of easy DIY projects that you can do to create the perfect home office without spending a small fortune. 

1.DIY THE ULTIMATE DESK 

A great desk is the cornerstone of every home office. For many, sitting at your desk is where you’ll spend the majority of your time, so you’ll want to make sure you like it.  Your desk needs to be functional and allow you enough space for your computer or laptop or other tools, but not large that it will get cluttered easily.  A quality desk can be expensive and finding one that fits your decor style can be tricky. Luckily you can DIY one instead! Keep office ergonomics top of mind when creating your desk so you are comfortable whilst working.

Source

TRESTLE DESK DIY 

A trestle leg desk is one of the easiest desks to make yourself - the materials are affordable and can be picked up easily from your local hardware store. It’s a great option if you want a simple and stylish desk with the added benefit of being able to pack it away for any reason.  You only need a handful of materials, such as timber, screws, hinges and rope to achieve a beautiful result for half the price of a store-bought one. You can customise by painting your trestle desk legs or covering the desk top with vinyl for a glossy or textured finish. 

Source, Source 

FLOATING WALL DESK 

Whether you want a large shared desk with lots of room to move or have a tiny nook to convert into a workspace, a floating desk is one of the simplest ways to achieve more desk space with less. Drill brackets or supports into your walls, ensuring they are level and able to bear the weight of your desktop and anything you would put on it. Add shelving above to keep essentials and inspirational items close. 

There are several tools that might come in handy as you build your DIY desk. Hire any equipment you don’t have from Hirepool and keep the cost of your office project low. 

1. A compound sliding saw or mitre saw will make cutting timber pieces a breeze 

2. A  cordless circular saw can also come in handy when cutting shorter lengths of wood

3. A drill and drillbits will bring your desk pieces together 

4. A handheld sander will speed up the process of  smoothing out the edges and top of your desk

5. Other small tools such as a tape measure, ruler, combination square and pencil are vital to have on hand

6. Don’t forget your safety gear such as earmuffs, dust mask and eye protection too!

UPCYCLED DESK 

If you fancy a quick fix or have an eagle eye for a second hand deal then you may want to consider upcycling a second hand desk. Look for desks that are solid wood so you can easily sand back and paint, or metal legs that simply need a good clean and a new desktop. Hire a handheld sander to save time and energy and get your desk set up in no time. 

There are lots of tutorials for all kinds of DIY desks online, most of which can be created with fairly simple and inexpensive materials. If you’re unsure about the best tools for your particular desk DIY, call in and have a chat to the Hirepool team, our local experts are always happy to help point you in the right direction. 

Handy Hirepool Tip: A standard desk is 74 to 76 centimetres high and commonly 61, 76 and 91 cm deep. The width can vary, so we recommend selecting the width and depth of your desk to suit your space. 

2. SORT OUT YOUR STORAGE 

When it comes to keeping areas of your home tidy, your home office is one such area that benefits from keeping clutter at bay. It can be hard to get into the swing of your working day if you have piles of paper, folders, coffee cups and sticky notes strewn across your desk. Sorting out your storage solutions in your home office is a must! 

source

ADD SHELVING 

Shelving is one simple way to keep items off your desk, but still accessible and easy to reach. 

Floating shelves look clean and simple, and can double as an art feature in your office, especially if your desk faces a boring wall. Adding brackets to your walls at regular distances can help you create a modular shelving unit that works for your space, and can easily be removed and refinished if you need to repurpose the room down the line. 

BUILT-IN STORAGE

If you work from home permanently and want a space set up with lots of storage, consider tackling a custom built-in solution, drawing up a configuration or installing pre-made shelving and cabinetry. 

Cubby style shelving can be put together easily from timber or even upcycled wood.  The options are truly endless, so have fun searching for inspiration before you suss out your storage solution. 

Source

BUILD A PEGBOARD 

Got lots of little tools or items you need to keep close at hand? Consider a pegboard to keep all your bits and pieces organised and readily accessible. Follow this simple DIY for creating a pegboard with shelves, or pick up a sheet of pre-drilled pegboard from your local hardware store and cut it to size. 

Handy Hirepool Tip: Easily cut timber with a handheld saw to create a frame around your pegboard for a more finished look. 

Hire a few tools to simplify your DIY 

When you’re ready to create shelving or storage solutions, swing by your local Hirepool branch and pick up a few handy tools such as drills, planers and sanders to get the job done. 

3. A PLACE FOR YOUR IDEAS 

Need to keep track of important thoughts, dates or ideas? Make sure there’s a place in your office for keeping your notes and inspirations in sight, but off your desk. 

Source

PINBOARD DIY 

Sure there are plenty of pinboards or corkboards in the world, and you may be able to pick up one that you like from a local stationery store. If however, you are after something in a particular shape or size to suit your space, these can be easily whipped up in a weekend. Check out this DIY linen Pinboard for an understated canvas for your ideas. 

Source

GRID MESH WALL DISPLAY 

Pin up your best ideas while keeping your essentials close with a grid mesh wall memo board. Head to your local hardware store to pick up some steel reinforcing grid mesh and cut to size with an angle grinder, before spray painting (optional) and attaching to the wall. Check out the easy DIY instructions before dashing out to pick up supplies. 

Source 

CHALKBOARD WALL 

If you happen to be a visual thinker and need to draw up ideas and notes, consider painting a chalkboard wall to keep your dreams in sight. This is especially handy when you share your office as a homework space for kiddos, or when your tiny co-workers come and “visit you at work” and need to be distracted while you finish up your zoom call. It’s also a great way to keep sticky notes from going missing and cut down on the paper used in your home office. 

Pick up a can of specialised chalk paint from your local hardware store or paint supplier and get painting. Hire a wallboard sander and painting equipment like ladders or scaffolding for high stud rooms from Hirepool and get the job done quick smart. 

Handy Hirepool Tip: Save your home office from getting covered in chalk dust by investing in chalk pens instead! Notes are less likely to be brushed off by accident but can still be wiped off with water. 

READY TO DIY SO YOU CAN WFH?  

Create a dedicated space at home that you love to work in so you’ll feel inspired to ‘head to the office’ every day. Achieve great results for less by tackling some easy DIY projects to make your home office work for you. We have a huge range of tools and equipment available at Hirepool to help you tackle interior repairs or reno jobs. Get in touch with your local branch today to talk about selecting the right gear for your project!