Working Remotely: Office Ideas for When You Have to Work From Home

Create a modern office shed in your backyard to maximize time and resources.

If you’re among the millions of Americans that have unexpectedly found themselves working from home due to the coronavirus, you may be feeling the need for a little extra space right about now. 

Whether you find yourself working from the kitchen table, sharing an office with your spouse, or struggling to find a quiet corner of the house for Zoom meetings – having a dedicated home office space may sound like a dream. But not everyone has the extra space available for a home office. 

Or do you? If you have a backyard, you have the space. Now, all you need are four walls and a roof. 

Setting up a backyard office shed may be the perfect solution. Not only to get you through this pandemic, but it’s looking like working remotely may become more and more common in the future. So why not go for it now and get ahead of the curve?

According to the 2017 Census, about 5.2% (roughly 8 million) Americans reported working from home full-time. This number is increasing due to the impact of COVID-19. Prior to the quarantine, 43% of those surveyed by Gallup reported working from home occasionally, and 82% of LinkedIn professionals said they would like to work remotely at least one day a week.

These numbers all point to a growing trend of working from home, which means investing in a home office shed is an excellent idea — both for now and the future. The extra space will always be welcome, can be repurposed for a variety of uses, and will often increase the value of your home. Better still, backyard shed options have come a long way. They’re affordable and can be customized to suit your style.

Serenity Now

If you’re new to working from home, you may be finding it difficult to concentrate with so many distractions, whether from other family members or the temptation of things you would rather be doing around the house. There’s something about a change of scenery and having a dedicated place to go that can help you stay on task, which makes a backyard office shed the ideal solution.

While a makeshift desk in your basement may get you by, an office shed can provide a convenient getaway with greater flexibility. It may even provide the feeling of “going to work.” Imagine having your own dedicated home office, away from the noise of your house. Let’s face it; closing a door doesn’t always drown out the sound. You need a quiet oasis where you can focus – uninterrupted – on work.

If you don't already have a storage shed to convert into a home office, there are a range of excellent shed options available. From simple utility sheds to standard and specialty sheds that easily blend into any residential neighborhood, you’ll find plenty of space and privacy to suit your office shed budget. Because of a shed’s versatility and durability, you can easily use this investment in many ways throughout its long lifespan.

Advantages of Working in a Backyard Office Shed

As you can see, setting up your own home office can be an exciting endeavor that offers many benefits. You may decide you enjoy working remotely even more in this personalized space. Here are just a few advantages of working from home in a backyard shed office.

Reduce Expenses

• Enjoy potential home office tax advantages.
• Save on commuting expenses. Experts estimate that commuting costs around $2,600 annually (gas, tolls, and wear-and-tear on your vehicle, etc.).
• Spend less on your wardrobe and dry cleaning. We’ve all heard by now that it may not be a great idea to work from home in your PJ’s, but you can probably skip the suit and dress a little more comfortably.
• Reduce what you spend on lunch by eating at home.
• Save on babysitting expenses, especially if you have older kids that mostly just need you to be within reach.

Maximize Time & Productivity

• Eliminating your commute also saves time. The average American commute is 26 minutes each way, totally almost an hour each day.
• Potentially spend less time getting ready in the morning on non-meeting days.
• Fewer interruptions and distractions for greater overall productivity potential.

Increase Convenience & Accessibility

• Enjoy increased flexibility with your hours and availability.
• Work as needed with those in different cities and timezones.
• Easy to pop in and out of the office if you need to grab something or do a bit of work during off-hours.

Lower Stress, Increase Health, Environmentally Friendly

• No traffic hassles.
• Less chance of passing around office germs (whether coronavirus or other illnesses).
• Lower carbon footprint by eliminating commute emissions and reducing office energy consumption.

Additional Benefits for Small Businesses

• If you’ve been paying rent on office space, you might find that a fancy office is not worth the extra expense if you can work more efficiently from home.
• Enjoy more office flexibility. Design and use the space to suit your needs – a rented office may not allow this. No lease agreements to worry about.

Multi-purpose Space

• In addition to being your work oasis, an office shed can double as a quiet place to read, watch what YOU want on television, tinker on projects, work on crafts, etc. 
• Depending on your shed’s size, it could potentially offer extra storage space.

Designing Your Home Office Shed

First, you’ll want to contact your local municipality to find out if you need a building permit and ask about restrictions on size, color, or placement of your structure. You’ll also want to have your utility company locate any underground utilities before settling on a location.

Once you’re aware of these parameters, the fun begins. Choose an office shed that’s tall enough to move around in comfortably and large enough to fit any furniture and equipment that you’ll need. Our Specialty Sheds are great options to consider for a home office. There are plenty of office shed variations that can be customized to match your home or desired style.

Shed features and add-ons include:

• Color Contrast Trim
• Built-on Porch
• Windows, Shutters, & Flower Boxes
• Built-in Desks and Storage
• All-weather Insulation

The possibilities are endless! You can affordably create a backyard office shed that is just right for your business and work needs.

Get Started Creating Your Home Office Shed

Now is the perfect time to build a shed office. Dakota Storage Buildings is here to help. We manufacture quality outdoor storage structures with a high commitment to quality, service, and innovation to ensure that we provide you with the very best. From site preparation tips to warranty information, we’re always happy to answer any questions you might have.

For a backyard office shed, we recommend that you start with our modern backyard office shed and customize until your heart’s content. Have some fun with our online estimator, choosing options as you go to create a home office that’s uniquely yours and will provide the perfect working space for many years to come.