Post-COVID, research shows that over 60% of Australians are still working remotely. But regardless of whether you enjoy the serenity of your home Office or miss the vibrancy and face-to-face conversation at the office, you must take good care of your health.

The debate on whether working from home boosts productivity is partially linked to your home office setup and environment. Thus, in this blog post, we'll suggest 5 budget-friendly home office ideas to help overcome your nonproductiveness and increase positive health outcomes.

Idea #1: Computer Desk Workspace

Estimated Budget: $180 to $370

This home office idea is good if you have ample space to work with as it can barely work for limited space. Computer desks come in various sizes and you can always get the size that fits your space. If your work requires that you have ample desk surface space, then get a bigger one, otherwise, a small-medium desk would do just fine.

Most budget desk tables ($80 to $120) come without storage and are only built to keep a laptop or desktop on the surface. An example is the Need Store Foldable DeskTable. A little above that price range you may get one with a keyboard tray, some cable management features and a CPU compartment. In case you are using a laptop, the CPU compartment can serve as a storage space.

You must also invest in getting an ergonomic office chair to complement your desk or table. Generally, we do not recommend the use of cheap ergonomic office chairs as they lack the basic features to keep you comfortable for long hours while ensuring you have a good posture. Willing to spend a little more here? Read our guide on the best ergonomic chairs available in Australia. Otherwise, pick an option that has at least lumbar support and seat height adjustment—they cost between $100 and $250.

Idea #2: Floating Desk/Wall Workspace

Estimated Budget: $146 to $550

For space management, you can try the floating desk idea. A floating desk is usually mounted on the wall using brackets to form a wall workspace. This office can be designed together with floating shelves above the floating desk to make it almost inconspicuous as an office. The best thing about this idea is that it gives a modern office look with minimal use of space.

For just about $46 you can get a wall-mounted floating desk and use it with a cheap ergonomic chair as described above. Lower-priced wall-mounted desks are mostly suited for use with laptops as they barely have enough surface space. The larger surface options, on the other hand, are mostly expensive, costing between $400 and $600. The solution? DIY.

DIYing your home floating desk workspace would require that you have basic expertise in the work you're about to do. With the tools in place, this might cost you between $100 and $300 for your choice of building materials. You might have to outsource it to a professional otherwise.

Idea #3: Standing Desk Workspace

Estimated Budget: $305 to $500

Sitting at a desk for extended hours can have deleterious health effects. Standing desks are now increasingly popular as a healthier option for working. You can have your home office running with just a standing desk, a stool or task chair ($55 to $150), your laptop or monitor and its accessories. Standing desks are versatile as they can allow you to sit or stand while working.

This flexibility allows you to alternate and enjoy the right amount of movement to prevent aches and pains. While standing desks can be expensive, the best of them cost between $599 and $1,599. You can get them for a fairly lower price when on discounts or holiday promotions. Otherwise, choose budget options like the ADVWIN Standing Desk which cost between $250 and $350.

If you still have a little to spend after your standing desk workspace is set up, consider getting accessories like an antifatigue mat, a balance board, or even an under-desk treadmill to make your work at home more comfortable, conducive and healthy.

Idea #4: L-Shaped Desk Workspace

Estimated Budget: $229 to $480

This home office design idea involves the use of an L-shaped computer table and a chair. It is a design that makes good use of space and offers enough of it to work with. It is also ideal if you do a lot of paperwork or use more than one monitor. The budget-friendly L-shape desks cost between $129 and $230. You'll find more options online that cost way above that threshold but come with advanced features and ergonomics.

Since these types of desk and workspace ideas work similarly to the Computer office idea, you'll need an ergonomic chair to complement the desk, particularly those with castors and swivel functionality to enable you to move easily from one end of the desk to the other. For a similar range as indicated for the computer desk workspace, you should find a desk chair for your new workspace.

Idea #5: Corner Desk Workspace

Estimated Budget: $190 to $400

The best home office design idea for space conservation is the corner desk office. This minimalistic setup involves the use of a small table fitted into a corner. A small floating table can be incorporated into this office design with a low-profile chair. Floating shelves can also be used to add aesthetics to the office.

This type of workstation is suited for individuals who have a hybrid work schedule or very little to do as they are normally set up to use with laptops. An example of such a workspace setup is the Giantex Corner Desk which costs about $135 to $150 and comes with drawers.

You may complement your corner desk with a stool, task chair, or ergonomic office chair. The choice between these should be made on how long you intend to spend at your corner desk. For anything more than four hours, choose an ergonomic chair.

Tips For Creating a Home Office on a Budget

Building a home office doesn't have to be expensive to be beautiful. You can be put up with just a few hundred dollars and get a near-perfect home office for all your work-from-home tasks. See these 5 tips to get started.

1. Choosing a Space

Being specific about the part of your home to set aside as your office is an important first step. Don’t stop at just having a specific part of your home, have a defined floor plan for the office. These specifics will aid you in having a streamlined budget. You can use a floor plan to determine the necessities you will be needing and their sizes based on the available space.

2. Furnishing Your Home Office

Your home office on a budget needs just three basic accessories. The chair, desk and probably a lamp. Before you go shopping be sure there is nothing at home that can serve these three important capacities. Depending on your office space, you may need to get a standing desk or a small desk with a drawer. Getting a desk with a drawer gives you a storage advantage plus space conservation.

A desk lamp is important for late-hour or early-morning shifts. But it doesn’t have to be new. Don't bother spending on a lamp if you already have one serving an aesthetic purpose at home. The chair is a key part of the mix. You should bear in mind that the chair must be comfortable and come with the appropriate lumbar support.

3. Decorating Your Home Office

A physically appealing environment boosts enthusiasm and productivity. Decorative pieces should be a part of your home office design. There are a lot of budget-friendly options you can explore. One of those is using indoor plants. They add a good mix of greens to spice up your workspace.

Another option is to repurpose artwork. Get cheap artwork pieces from a flea market near. This help adds a humane feeling to your working environment. It could be as simple as a family portrait or a figurine piece. You can make use of floating shelves if a full shelf will take up too much space. Get creative and add spark to your home office.

4. Adding Accessories and Gadgets

Add gadgets and accessories carefully to your budget home office to not overcrowd your working environment. Similarly practice good cleaning habits, desk organization, cable management, etc. to get the best out of your workspace.

To make cable management easy, consider the use of a wireless keyboard and mouse. Also, to further tidy things up, get a cable tray, and a desktop or monitor arm to hang above the desk and use velcro and cable clips. Consider a dedicated storage space for files, documents, and other stuff.

5. DIY With What You Have

DIYing is an important part of building your budget-friendly home office. There are a lot of things you already have at home that can get your home office running. There is a huge chance that you have a table that can be converted to be used as an office desk or you can make one. Or even get a convertible to convert your old desk to a sit-stand desk.

You can use some painting skills to upgrade the little pieces of furniture you already have. Check your rooms for artistic pieces or crafts that can be used to design your office. A pen holder can be made with a nice mug or a small flower pot. You only need to think about it and you will see things to use without spending money.

Summary

There is always the feeling that having a home office is not necessary. You are tempted to keep using your dinner table or probably your couch. But it is best to have a dedicated space furnished as an office within your home. This will add more focus and productivity to your WFH experience.

It does not have to be a big spending set up your home office. Chances are, you have all that is needed in your house already. You only need to handpick, gather and arrange them in that specific space you desire as an office and top them up with a few gadgets.

Finally, it is important to not overuse your budget-friendly home office. They are not suited for prolonged usage. Besides the equipment wearing out easily, most cheap home office furniture is not suited for prolonged work hours, lest you develop strains, aches and adverse health complications. Thus, consider building the ultimate workspace if you intend to use your workspace for heavier workloads.