You know that saying “all the best things come in small packages”? Well you might not necessarily be championing that one if you’re feeling a little suffocated by a crowded office space. If you’re a one man band or a small team, having a large space isn’t practical or necessary, but that doesn’t mean you want to be squashed in like sardines either.
Chances are, if you’ve taken the plunge and invested in some office space – you’re pretty serious about getting some work done. Having room to think is pretty crucial to productivity, in fact having a spacious and relaxing workplace is proven to have a big impact on staff performance at work. If you think your office environment is holding you back, it’s probably time for a makeover.
As an office space provider with units of all shapes and sizes, we know how quickly the smaller spaces can fill up with clutter if you’re not careful. But don’t go chucking all your favourite belongings just yet! We’ve got some space saving hacks to make your small office look bigger.
Lighten up
Anyone who’s ever chosen a black outfit for its slimming properties will already know this one, darker colours draw the eye inward thanks to their non-light reflective makeup. This makes them not the ideal choice for a smaller space that you’re trying to make look larger, whereas paler shades reflect light – making the room look a lot airier and brighter.
It’s not just your classic whites, beiges and greys that have this effect. You could opt for a sunny yellow or a lime green feature wall to inject some energy into your office. In fact, these colours are proven to be a mood booster in office environments.
While we encourage our tenants to get creative with their space and put their own stamp on the place, not all office space providers do. So be sure to check before you get your paintbrush out!
Vertical storage all the way
Okay so the space you’ve got on the ground may not be all that, but think of all the room you’ve got on your walls that’s going to waste. With endless options for nifty storage solutions, you’ll no longer need to pile things on top of desks and tables creating a forcefield between yourself and your colleagues, or worry about creating the mother of all trip hazards with that stack of books you’ve been sidestepping all week.
In fact, having shelves higher up draws the eye upwards and makes your ceilings look higher up – just don’t put them so high up that you need a ladder to reach!
Declutter your space
We know it seems really obvious, but you’ve got to lose the clutter. All those unnecessary papers, catalogues and random office knick-knacks on your desk are making you feel boxed in. Think about it, you’re creating barriers around where you’re sitting which is likely contributing to a mean case of mental claustrophobia. Buy a little pedestal to sit under your desk with drawers in it so you can keep all those random bits and pieces (that you’re not quite ready to part with yet) shut away.
But don’t stop there, unsightly cables can also be a bit of space sapper – be sure to make use of cable tidies and sleeves to keep those wires out of sight (and tripping distance). Or better yet, make use of wireless equipment wherever possible.
Get on the cloud
Not everyone is keen on the idea of storing everything digitally, but having a paper based business takes up a serious amount of space. Having cabinets full of paperwork and files on every business decision isn’t ideal if you’ve not got a lot of storage options.
Enter cloud-based digital storage, the answer to your space saving prayers! Costing less than the 10 filing cabinets you’d need to house all your documents and being more secure to people outside of your business but easily accessible to those within it, you can get really great deals with providers like Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive.
Stay on the side lines
As tempting as it may feel to place your desks slap bang in the middle of your office, it actually makes the room seem a lot smaller as the eye is drawn inwards. Also, you’ll create a bit of a cramped walkway for any storage units you might have.
Putting your furniture towards the edges of the room just opens it right up, making it seem much bigger and allowing for more space to walk through to your desks – as well as reducing the effort to get up and take those regular breaks we all need to do our best at work.
Decorate smart
Don’t think that because you’re after a decluttered space that you can’t still enjoy a little décor – you’ve just got to be strategic with how you place it all. Instead of lamps, why not give sconces a try? Much like with vertical storage, taking as much off of your surfaces as possible does wonders for that crowded in sensation you often get with smaller spaces.
In terms of wall art, don’t go too big or you’ll dwarf the rest of the room. Instead choose multiple smaller frames that interlink gallery wall style, or place them far apart to give the illusion of more space. Also, you know that trick about mirrors making rooms look bigger? It’s 100% true, so be sure to incorporate a mirror into your wall art.
Looking for small to medium office space in Birmingham? Check out our Branston Court, Regent Place and Steward Street offices.