With a third lockdown declared that is unlikely to end for at least several more weeks, we are once again looking at how to best design our homes as places not just to live in but for work and school. This can present a number of challenges as two-income families struggle with both parents working from home while also ensuring that their children attend classes virtually. It is likely that even after lockdown is lifted, some employers will continue to have more employees work remotely, and we may be staying at home more in general for a long time to come. There are several things you can do to make your home environment more inviting.
Install a Home Lift
One of the surprises of lockdown for many people is finding that when they transfer their office routine to the home, they are spending more time preparing multiple meals per day, washing a lot more dishes and in general, spending a lot more time shuffling from room to room. If you have mobility issues, you may be accustomed to only having to navigate your stairs a few times a day, but now that you’re home more, you might be going up and down dozens of times. For some this can range from dangerous and difficult to impossible so a home lift might be the answer. A home lift can be installed quickly, and this can vastly improve your quality of life as well as your overall home safety.
Spaces for Work
Keeping work and school life separate from home life is another one of the big challenges of lockdown. When you leave the office or the classroom, you create a separation line between these two places, but working from home means the pile of work is always there and waiting for you. It can make a big difference if you can designate places as work areas, even if they are just certain corners. Depending on the age of your children and their needs, you may want them nearby so you can quickly jump in to help them as needed, or they might need their own space where you cannot disturb one another. Make sure that you have adequate lighting in these spaces, and while not everyone can go out and purchase ergonomic furniture, you should be reasonably comfortable.
Spaces for Leisure
Home needs to be made more inviting for leisure activities as well. The weather may not be the best at this time of year, but if you have a garden, you might want to try to make use of it all the same. This might be the right time to spring for a TV with a bigger screen or more comfortable chairs for the sitting room. It might also be time to get a bigger freezer so you can do more shopping in bulk. Another big challenge is keeping the house warm enough all day when in the past no one was home. Thicker window curtains, draught excluders across the bottom of doors and rugs can all help keep the heat in and the cold out. Whatever will make your home more comfortable and convenient in this time is worth consideration.
