Starting a small business from home is appealing, given how much you get to save. Because your office is just at home, there’s no need to rent store space, a warehouse, or even hire employees.
But while there are many advantages to starting a business from home, it also has its share of challenges. The main one is the need for more space.
This shouldn’t be a problem if you have a lot of extra room at home. However, if you’re already short on space as it is, it can be challenging to find where and how to get more. Even if your business is small, it needs a small workstation as the bare minimum. You wouldn’t want your business office space to be cramped or messy, lest efficiency, productivity, and even your focus may suffer as a consequence.
It’s a good thing you can make this one less problem to think about with these innovative ways of adding extra space at home.
Rent A Self-Storage Unit
Making it to the top of this list is perhaps one of the best ways to add space when starting a small business: work with a provider of business storage in Calgary or your area.
If you’re new to this, you rent a storage space in a separate location to which you have the keys to your ’unit.’ You can visit it any time, such as when you need to leave items there.
You may first be taken aback by having to pay for a regular rental. But because you’re starting a home-based business, that space is something you need. This is a cheaper expense than renting a commercial space for a brick-and-mortar store, especially if you operate on an e-commerce platform instead.
This frees up even more space once clutter and seasonal items are out of the way. For instance, that empty room you may have utilized for storage can now serve as a home office for your business. Without renting a separate storage space, you would have never been able to make better use of that room at home.
Add A Room Above The Garage
You should consider this if you have the budget or if renovation work is already on the books.
If you still have space above your garage, that’s the perfect location to add an extra room. But if that’s occupied, you can go horizontally by extending into your backyard.
Adding a room may seem expensive, but it’s still worth doing if it was in the plan anyway. With the right design, you can use the space for various purposes. For instance, it can function as a home office for your small business or a study area for the kids if they need one.
Get Rid Of Stuff
Adding rooms and renting a separate storage space still prove futile if you have all sorts of junk and clutter strewn around your home. Because you now have more space, you may think it’s okay to have clutter as there’s space to accommodate it anyway. But this mindset isn’t always the best for the long term.
Nothing beats going through a major declutter at least once or twice a year to let go of things you no longer use. This habit keeps you from hoarding junk, allowing you to access even more usable space.
Make Your Rooms Multifunctional
While having a separate room for everything is nice, this may not always be possible if you’re short on square footage. This is when it pays to be creative in the way you use a single room. Enlisting the help of an architect or designer can help, as they have the knowledge and skills to create multi-purpose spaces.
Making your rooms multifunctional can be likened to having extra space without necessarily expanding horizontally. For instance, say the kids are now older, so you’ve converted the nursery into a playroom. Design it so that it can also have a small study or workstation. With that multi-purpose space, your existing office may be solely dedicated to your business.
This is only one example of the many possibilities you have with your rooms.
Use Under-The-Stairs Storage
This next idea may not apply to everyone. But if you have stairs at home, you may be able to use that space under them.
First off, check the space under the stairs if there’s an existing storage space. If there isn’t, a builder can help you out with designing a storage space where you can keep your business supplies.
For stairs that already have storage space, assess how you’re actually using it, and if there’s a way to do it better. For example, instead of a big cabinet, having pull-out drawers provides you with a better organizational system. Use drawers with the dimensions you need for your stocks, so they can double as your designated storage for business-related inventory. This works best especially if your home office is also close to the stairs.
Think Vertically
Take a look at the items you’ve stored in your home office or that spare room in your home. Is there a way to re-organize them so they can be kept in the proper rooms instead of in that spare room? The way to do this is to think vertically.
Start with your closet. If there’s more vertical space you can use to create more shelves, then some of the clothing you’ve kept in the spare room can now be brought back to the closet. When expanding horizontally is out of the budget or is impossible, don’t forget there’s still vertical space to consider.
Conclusion
If your home is starting to make you feel anxious and tight because of all the mess, that should be a sign for you to start making extra space. These tips are useful for those moving their business into their homes, though they also work for those who just want more room. When choosing a storage rental, be very cautious about the company’s reputation. On top of that, couple your pursuit with personal habits that can help maintain that new-found space you now have. Doing so allows you to maintain it and keep your home a great place to work and live.
