Monday Market Update: Does Your Home Have a Case of the WFH Sprawl?

Do you remember that day over 3 years ago when the world seemingly stopped… and so did our commutes? One day we were all going to school and going into the office, and the next we were stuck in our living rooms wondering if the grocery stores would even be open.

While most of us have happily moved on from the days of shelter-in-place, our homes have yet to recover. While the majority of employers are embracing a hybrid in-person and remote work model, the reality is that many rooms in our homes still look like workspaces. Laptops on the kitchen island, cords visible in every room of the home, paperwork on dining room tables… does any of this sound familiar?

According to Realtor.com®, it’s time to reclaim the rooms in your home as they were intended to be lived (and we could not agree more!).

The Cumulative Effect of Clutter

Research has repeatedly shown that clutter impacts the quality of our work, our health AND overall well-being. Libby Sander, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at Bond University states that “ Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganization drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus. My research shows our physical environments significantly influence our cognition, emotions, and subsequent behaviors, including our relationships with others.” Moreover, the effect is cumulative – so the more sprawled out the stuff and the longer it sits out – the worse the effects.

5 Ways To Reel It In

#1: Clean the closet. Many people turned closets into ‘cloffices’ or closet + office nooks. But that likely impacted your storage and it spilled into your home. Turn that space back into a closet and designate a separate and non-storage area to work in.

#2: Turn your island back into a paradise – for your culinary senses. Kitchen islands offer almost TOO much room to multi-task, and often become the most popular space to work in the home. But can you really enjoy meal prep and dining when you are surrounded by cords and laptops? Consider a house rule that device chargers are no longer permanent residents of the island; designate times that working is and is not allowed at the island – it’s all about balance and food is always a (separate!) part of that!

#3:  Dining rooms gone wrong… can now go right! If your dining room table turned into a defacto homeschool space or office, ‘tis the season to make it a source of more pleasant gatherings. Reimagine that room as an appetizer buffet, a cookie decorating space or formal holiday dinner space.

#4: LIVE in the living room. Working in the living room may be cozy… but may also take away from your sense of relaxation in the room. Assign ‘duties’ for sitting on the couch – such as reading, watching tv or talking to a loved one. No paperwork, no laptops and no Zoom meetings on the cushions.

#5: Don’t forbid the flex altogether. The reality is that post-pandemic or not, Silicon Valley life has long revolved around the ability to flex hours, take international calls at all hours and work both in and outside of a typical 8-5. Flex your space just as you flex your work – but in ways where it can be put away. Rolling carts with office supplies, storage ottomans and lift top coffee tables and small desks in bedrooms (when work conversations require closed doors) are ways to make it work – without making your home ALL about work. 😉



Resource Used: So Long, Hybrid Lifestyle! How To Reclaim Your Living Space From Work Sprawl

All our best,

Bobbi

Bobbi & Team 

Bobbi Decker
DRE#00607999

Broker Associate, Bobbi Decker & Associates
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