It’d be fair to say that your office is never as important as when you work from home. You, more than anyone, need this to be an inspirational place which invites hard work and concentration. After all, if you were going out to work, the mere process of being out of the house would kickstart your brain. You’d likely get dressed, leave the house, and enter an instant workmode.
But, when you work from home, things are different. After all, you don’t have the benefit of a commute to work. You could attempt to walk around the block before starting, but it’s unlikely you’d feel any benefit. After all, the moment you walk through your front door, your brain is liable to slip back into ‘home-mode.’ Just like that, you’ll be fit for little more than sitting on the sofa and watching Netflix.
That is, of course, unless you manage to create the perfect office space. Get this right, and you’ll be able to put your work brain on with ease the moment you enter the room. Get it wrong, and you’ll fail to ever make a real go of this work from home thing. No pressure.
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Hence why many of us focus so hard on getting this right. We think about decor, desk position, and even minimize our accessories. In extreme cases, we get into the habit of locking the door to ensure our work office stays that way for good. Even just the knowledge your kids have been on your computer could cause ripples in your delicate working mind.
With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that many home workers opt to create offices in areas such as the basement. What could be better for getting away from the rest of the house? Of course, we aren’t saying you should move into the cold and dank space currently under your home. But, basement conversions can achieve amazing things.
That’s not to say, of course, that an office down below isn’t without its issues. To help you decide whether this would be right for you, we’re going to look at both the bad bits and the benefits of a basement office set-up.
THE BAD BITS
Risk of flood
Perhaps the most apparent bad bit of a basement office is the risk of flood. Electricity + water = a bad office setup indeed. And, given that your basement is the lowest level of your house, there is a small chance that floods could haunt you. In fact, the majority of homeowners experience floods here at some stage. Of course, if you’re renovating, you’d be able to take precautions such as weatherproofing and reinforced seals. But, even with those precautions in place, you would need to keep the company info of a flood restoration service to hand in an office like this. What’s more, if a flood did disrupt service, it could be enough to wash away the efforts of a budding company. Consider, then, how likely it is you’ll experience flooding, and whether it’s a risk you’re willing to face.
Did anyone say imprisonment?
Many who work from home claim feeling trapped. Spending all day in a home office isn’t technically any different to going out to work. But, at least then you have the commute to break the day. What’s more, you can rest easy knowing you’ll be able to return home. And, that alone can be enough to stop you from feeling like this. But, home workers have no such benefit. Instead, they work, sleep, and eat in the same building. Hello, claustrophobia. Unsurprisingly, that feeling can only get worse in a basement, especially if there are no windows. You can lessen the sense with bright lights, and regular trips into the main house. But, if you’re prone to claustrophobia already, this could pose a real risk.
THE BENEFITS
No distractions
Another leading worry for home workers is that of distraction. When your office is in the main house, there’s nothing to stop kids strolling into the space whenever they fancy a chat with mom. And, even a small distraction could lose your train of thought altogether. Before you know, that can lead to a whole afternoon of wasted work time. But, guess what? Your basement office SHOULD be enough to stop this from happening. For one, it’s out of the way. As such, there’s less chance your kids will stumble across you here. For another, basement horror stories are often enough to keep youngsters clear from whatever’s lurking under the house, even if that thing is you. And, that’s not the only distraction basement work can save you from. If you can spend hours looking at a pretty view out the window, this could be the ideal choice. Even if your basement has a window, it’s likely a tiny little thing at the top of the wall. There certainly won’t be any pretty views. As such, this could be the ideal work setup for your distracted mind.
The biggest home-office you could imagine
Space can also be a real issue when it comes to home offices. Most of us have to make do with space saver work-nooks, and kiss goodbye to dreams of expansion. But, given that most basements span the square foot of your entire house, this could be a chance for a home office to rival all others. In fact, in a space like this, there isn’t even any reason you couldn’t expand, and fit in with a few employees. So, if you’re fed up of working like a sardine, you might want to take your attention down below.
Conclusion?
So, is a basement office a good idea, or isn’t it? We’ve given you the facts, but sadly, it’s down to you to decide. In truth, you should consider this from a few different angles. You may want to think about the work involved, or how a basement office would suit your work style. Only then can you reach a reliable decision.