No room for a home office? Create your own shedquarters

There are approximately 1.6 million freelancers working in the UK, according to the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed.

Additionally, figures released by the Office of National Statistics show that self-employment is at its highest level since records began. As a result, millions of people are working from home, and this is only set to rise. If you’re one of the many people who have been working at home or is planning to work from home, consider creating your own shedquarters. This might be uncommon to some, but this structure can significantly affect your comfort and productivity when working from home. 

Working from your own bedroom or dining room table certainly has its advantages: it gives you a lot of freedom and means you can enjoy your home comforts. Almost all homes have bedrooms or dining rooms, which means that utilizing these spaces for work wouldn’t require a single penny from your pocket. You just have to bring your own laptop and other work essentials to these areas and you’re good to go. 

However, working in your bedroom or dining room can be distracting. These areas are meant for relaxation, and it’ll be challenging for you to focus on work if you’re spending time in these areas. Do you think you can work properly if you’re always lying down on a very comfortable and soft mattress in your bedroom? How can you focus on reading emails if your family is too busy preparing meals in the dining room?

This is why an increasing number of people are choosing to convert their sheds into designated work spaces. This allows them to separate their work and home lives without ever leaving their back gardens. If this is something you’re considering, we have four tips that will help you to create the best shedquarters possible. Read on to find out more.

Invest in proper insulation

You want to ensure that you’ll be comfortable in your shedquarters all year round, so it’s wise to invest in having it insulated.

You have a number of options when it comes to insulating your shed. One of the most common methods involves creating an air barrier using treated plastic that is often found on the outside of new homes. This keeps the colder air outside, which helps to normalise the temperature inside. The plastic should be wrapped around the outside of the shed and tacked in place. Then you need to cover it with your preferred walling material. The combination of the two should keep out the worst of the cold.

Of course, you could also use fiberglass, which is the most common insulation material. This should be applied on the inside of your shed, and you’ll need to place MDF boards, wood, or sheetrock on top to cover it.

Whichever form of insulation you choose, it’s incredibly important that you don’t forget about the roof. Even if your walls are well insulated, heat will still escape if you don’t take the time to ensure every surface is covered. If you would like more information, Do It Yourself has a great guide to insulating a shed that will talk you through the process.

You can insulate your shedquarters using different materials. However, if you’re having a hard time choosing, take some time to read reliable websites, such as Bloke Cave, or ask friends and family who have their own shedquarters. These resources will help you learn more about your available options and assess which one is the best for your needs and budget.

Wire it up

Whatever your job might be, your new home office is going to need electricity — even if it’s just to power a light. So, before you carry out any big renovations, it’s wise to ask an electrician whether your needs can be met.

You typically have two options when running cables outdoors: you can run them overhead or underground. Overhead is much easier to do, but it can be unsightly, while hiding your cables underground take a lot more work, but is much safer. Whichever option you go with, we wouldn’t recommend doing this work yourself — a professional will be able to do everything safely and relatively quickly. Use a comparison site like Checkatrade to find someone you can trust.

Regardless of how small your shedquarter is, it’s always best if you hire professionals to do the job for you. Professionals have the necessary experience and equipment to properly install electricity in your shedquarter, keeping you safe from any accidents.

Ensure you have internet access

Most people would struggle to get any work done without internet access. Having internet access is essential when you work at home because this allows you to connect with your colleagues and receive and send information. Regardless of the nature of your job, having a stable internet connection is a need when you start to work from home. So, it’s important that you can connect from your new workspace.

Depending on where you place your shed, you might be able to connect to your home WiFi router. But, there’s no need to fret if you can’t — you’ll just need a Wi-Fi range extender.

Create a lovely view for yourself

It’s nice to have a change of scenery when you sit down to work, and this is one of the biggest advantages of building yourself a shedquarters. Being able to see the great outdoors when you’re inside your shedquarter is actually a stress-reliever, which can boost your productivity and improve your focus. So, you’ll want to ensure that the view from your new office window is a good one.

You can update your garden quite easily by planting some low-maintenance flowers and shrubs. You should also keep in mind that some plants flourish at certain times of the year, so it’s wise to plant a variety if you would like to enjoy the view all year round. Wyevale Garden Centres has a range of seasonal planting ideas that will help to keep your garden looking great whatever the season.

Follow these four tips and you’ll be well on your way to creating a wonderful home office at the bottom of your garden. It’s what homeworkers’ dreams are made of.