Over the last couple of years there has been a major shift toward full- or part-time home working – for obvious reasons. Even as we emerge from the pandemic, more and more businesses are allowing employees to work from home, as they benefit from the cost savings of not having to provide as much office accommodation. So, by now, you’ve probably got an assigned space in your home for remote working – whether it is a converted spare room, or a corner of another room.
One of the best ways to keep your space organised is by using an office bookcase – here is our guide to help you choose the right model for your home office.
Presentation
Video calls have grown in popularity alongside the boom in remote working – they let people connect, collaborate and engage with one another even though they are physically apart. We all know that we need to look at least semi-smart for these calls – but what are you doing about your background? Using a digital background can be seen as unprofessional and a distraction, so you need to look at what is behind you and make sure that you are presenting your space in a professional and stylish manner.
Putting a bookcase behind you can be a great option – you can place your professional accomplishments, qualifications and awards in prominent places to emphasise your skills, or simply put some photos, ornaments or even flowers on the shelves to give a bit more colour. Lower down (and out of camera view), use box files or binders to keep your paperwork organised and accessible.
If presentation is your goal, then you might benefit from steering away from the classic wood bookcase design – there are multiple stylish options available that have a funkier, more eye-catching design, from pyramid styles, to asymmetrical bookcases manufactured from a range of different materials.
Optimum storage
For those of us that need more storage – and really, who doesn’t? – you can use bookcases to great effect. Make sure you get a model that you can move the shelves around on, and you can have space for your larger boxes of documents, reference texts and stationery items all in one unit. Look for bookcases with doors if you would rather keep the shelf contents hidden from view and present a clean, tidy space. An added benefit with this type of shelving unit is that you can often find lockable models, so if you need to secure the contents you can do so easily.
Space saving
If you have concerns about the amount of space available in your office area, then consider an under the desk bookcase. These are obviously shorter in height, but provide the same easy access to the things you need as well as keeping things nicely organised. Shorter bookcases or cupboards can also be used as extra desk space if you find you need more working surface, with some models mounted on castors to allow you to easily move them around or out from under your desk.
