How To Build a Work-From-Home Office With Young Kids

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It’s been irrevocably negative with the impact of COVID-19. We’ve all been impacted by this new virus both directly and indirectly. These lasting impacts will ripple and these ripples will be permanent. This subject will become more and more relevant as we have opened the “Pandora’s Box” on changing the perspective of remote work.
I wanted to kick start an entire topic expanding my work from home series to include useful tips and tricks I’ve learned going from office to home office effectively. After so many years of remote work, I feel like now it’s the perfect time to share how to get it all done. It’s possible! Even despite the stress, distractions, kids, and…the time I worked from home (across the street from our city’s fire station.)

Working from home is, without a doubt, the perfect arrangement for dedicated moms of mini tots. According to a survey done by FlexJobs, 43% of women had to quit their job when they had children. When stay-at-home moms were asked, 65% of them admitted that they “need and want to work.” When I had my daughter last year, for the first 6 months, you couldn’t pay me enough money to leave my daughter. That’s why this blog took a long hiatus. As she is older now, I noticed her growing more independent. I thought, “well I’m not as needed as I use to be; this has become a bit mundane and boring.” So I went back to building this blog.

Working from home is the perfect solution for mothers who want to be there for the special moments and still support their families financially. And you know what else is great about being a work-from-home mom? You don’t waste time commuting to and from work. You can immediately spend time with your young kids at home. You get to save money, save time, still make money, have a career, and the dozen small things…like skipping the trouble of finding a quality, affordable full-time daycare near you that’s within budget and within a reasonable distance.

From personal experience, daycare matching for our family was a confusing dread. No wonder remote work has exploded in popularity for new moms. You will also feel more secure in your relationship because you’re earning your own money and contributing to the family’s financial future.

But before you can enjoy all of that, you still need to do one thing.

You need to create a work-from-home office that allows you to concentrate and work productively – it’s not easy as it sounds. More trial and error. I’ve spent this year perfecting the perfect work at home, mommy office.

Some might think that setting up your laptop on the kitchen counter will work when in a pinch. Trust me, it will not. If you want to make this work-from-home transition succeed you need to have a specific place set up for it. Not a common room that’s shared. And the good news is, it doesn’t have to be very expensive. We’ll have some tips and I’ll suggest some of my favorites from Amazon that I use or wishlist.

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Working From Home With Kids

The reason why you need a specific workstation is because of the same reason why you want to work at home in the first place.

Your kids.

Sure they’re adorable and you love them and you will do everything for them.

But they are also noisy. They are messy. And they will drive you CRAZY. They will make it hard for you to work at home and focus on what you have to do. It’s not intentional, kids will be kids. The best way to avoid resentment or distractions is to build a working home office that’s effective in keeping out distractions. It’s important for kids to understand (once they’re old enough) that mom’s work goes beyond lunch and Cocomelon.

Daisy Wademan Dowling, the chief executive of Workparent, said “clarity” is very important when you have young children. You need to set specific details so they have the right expectations with your work-from-home schedule.

This is why you need a designated workplace. They need to understand that Mom is at home, but Mom also needs to work. And when she is sitting in her workstation, she should not be disturbed.

That means you have to create a space that they will clearly identify as your “work area.” And the younger your kids are, the clearer the boundaries should be.

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What To Do With a Home Office With Young Kids:

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Make your space

Start by looking at the perfect spot for you to work, in your home. If you have an extra corner or room, that would make it easier. Close off a corner by folding 2 tri-panel screens together (product examples below), enclosing the corner.

Getting a private makeshift room is easy, getting kids onto the plan is harder. If your kids are very young, you obviously cannot leave them unattended. You might have to set up a workstation near the areas where they usually hang out. Otherwise, your work hours will have to be limited to the time when they are asleep.

If you don’t have a room, maybe there is a closet that you can clear so you can set up a workstation there. That way, once you are done with work, you can just slide your chair in and close the closet.

Or maybe there is a space in the corner of the living room. You can use that. Or under the stairs. If your work requires you to have a big space to create crafts or other products, you might need to be near a counter space. The garage or basement can also be an alternative work area at home.

Just make sure your work area (the table and computer) is specific for that use. It means you do not have to clear your table of papers because your kids have to eat something.

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Walk around your house & plan on

Once you have defined the place where you will work, it is time to plan how your workspace will look like. To start, you need to make a list of what you need in your office.

Table. But what kind of table will you need? This will depend on the type of work that you have. Do you need just your laptop or desktop? Or do you need space to write or create crafts and other work-related stuff? These questions will help you identify the size of the table that you need to use. Perhaps a corner table for small spaces? Or a height-adjustable table?

Don’t forget to consider the space where you will work. A corner office might have limited space so you need a small table but with a lot of shelves on top for your files and other work materials. If you have space, when you work from home, go beyond a laptop. It’s best to have duo monitors per PC.

How much work-related stuff do you need? Consider these when you design your space. That way, you have somewhere to put them all away once you are done. You don’t want to have all your things on top of the table. Clutter can distract you from work so make sure everything has its own storage space.

After you have a list of what you need, measure your workspace. It will ensure that any furniture that you buy will fit the space.

Recycle what you have

It’s important to take a good look around your house. You already know what’s in your own house you say? Perhaps not. When I walked around my entire house (including the basement), taking a good real look around, I was like “OH right that X was sitting on that Y. well I could probably use it!” It’s funny how furniture pieces blend into the background unless you look closely into every room.

Now that you have a list of what you need, ask yourself, what do you already have? Maybe you have a table in the hallway that is just used to put picture frames and decorative items. That can be used as your work table if you’re on a strict budget. And maybe you have an extra chair in your living room that is comfortable enough to sit on while you work. Use that instead of buying something new. If you have movable cabinets, can you clear that space and use it to store your work items and office supplies?

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I would sacrifice some furniture pieces around the house and put them into use in the makeshift office because the “cons” of that piece will flush out what you really should be buying later on. That’s how I realized I wanted a height-adjustable desk – because my old office table was an old IKEA organizer that was a little too tall.

Of course, you want to make your home office beautiful but comfort comes first, and it doesn’t have to cost too much money. Place extra plants that you can put in your workplace to make it come alive. Or paintings and frames to decorate your spot. The more you can recycle for your home office, the more you can save.

Consider what you can DIY

If there is something that you need that you cannot get at home, see if you can do it yourself. For instance, if you want to paint the wall to make your workspace mentally stimulating, then maybe you can paint it yourself.

In case you want a unique desk, maybe you can ask around and have a father, or uncle, or handyman to build it. One idea is to have two small drawer cabinets or filing cabinets and put a board on top of it. That can be a useful table with drawers for your office supplies.

The same is true for any shelves that you might need. See if you can make it yourself. Even if you have to buy the materials, you can save a lot on labor costs.

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Go for second-hand items

There will be things needed for your workstation at home that you will have to buy. But that does not mean it should cost you a lot.

Be open to shopping at bargain shops. Look for what you need at flea markets, thrift stores, garage sales, etc. Sometimes, what people consider trash can be exactly what you need in your home office.

You can also ask your family and friends if they have some of the things that you need in the office. They might be able to give it to you for free. Or maybe you can trade.

One of the things that you should not buy second-hand is a laptop or desktop. You will be using this a lot so invest in a new one. If you buy second-hand, you might end up spending more on repairs.

The bottom line is, make sure your kids understand that when Mom is in her work area, she is working. And unless it is important, they should not disturb her. This will not happen immediately and you should expect them to follow. But in time, they will get used to it.

⭐ “That’s Interesting!“

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How To Build a Work-From-Home Office With Young Kids

Working From Home With Kids