Decorating is like any other talent- some people seem to be born for it and others, well, aren’t. I am not the best decorator, so when I started working and living in my own apartment, I found that my spaces always looked so cluttered, lacked cohesion and that I spent way too much money on decorations that I didn’t need. I had to learn the hard way that decorating is an art, and while I will probably never be an interior designer, here are some easy hacks to upgrade your office space!
Green it up!
Plants are a relatively cheap and easy way to add some color and life to your office. Succulents are low maintenance and shouldn’t attract any bugs. Also, plants give a fresh, warming appearance and may act as a natural air freshener. If you want to get more creative, bring different plants (maybe a cactus, maybe an orchid) and buy some unusual pots. These can be found online or in any thrift store for under $20!
Make the essentials fun!
Play with the lighting. If your office needs a lamp, get one that’s a little funky and goes along with your room’s color scheme. Office essentials like bookends, containers for pens and paper clips, calendars, etc. can act as decorations. Instead of the standard black or metal options, put your pens in a Mason jar or fun coffee mug. Use decorative rocks and small figurines to hold your books up instead of boring old bookends. Get a personalized calendar with family or pet pictures.
Less is more!
Having a couple of small objects on your desk, maybe a piece of art or two on the wall and a white board/calendar makes the office look much more put together than if you have a lot of small, random colors and shapes. Too many decorations only makes your office look cluttered, messy and it will probably distract you more than make you feel at home. Look around and think: does this add anything to the room? Do I love this?
Throw in something personal!
We agree that we want decorations, not clutter. So, keeping the bare minimum and not adding too many random colors is important. That being said, one or two unique or vintage personal items can bring a lot of personality and really upgrade your office space. Maybe it’s a vase on your table or an album hung on your wall. This can also be a framed picture or maybe a small trinket from home.
By Stephanie Cornwell
