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Original poster

If you WFH without a home office…

67 replies

TaraSiligel · 02/03/2024 00:14

… where do you work from? I can’t decide whether to work from my bedroom (not much space but light and airy) or my dining room that never gets used (but is dark and miserable).

Would really like to know what other people do. Thanks.

OP posts:
WhatEverNextNow999 · 02/03/2024 00:16

Try them each for a week or two, then decide

Barleysugar86 · 02/03/2024 00:16

Dining room. I don't think it's good to confuse your work space with your rest space psychologically.

WhateverMate · 02/03/2024 00:17

WhatEverNextNow999 · 02/03/2024 00:16

Try them each for a week or two, then decide

I agree with this because as much as I prefer my dining room due to better natural lighting and space, there are too many distractions for me so I found I work better in the bedroom.

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Synergies · 02/03/2024 00:18

Do you have a proper desk & chair in your bedroom? Do you ever need to be on camera/zoom?

Wanttobefree2 · 02/03/2024 00:19

You could buy some bright lights for the dining room to make it a nicer environment, would make more sense than the bedroom if it’s not really used.

Moveoverdarlin · 02/03/2024 00:20

I had a teams call recently with a man (who was quite senior, say aged 55, earning over 100k) and he was clearly sat on his bed, upright against his headboard. I thought it looked so unprofessional and seedy. I don’t want to see that. So if you’re going to use your bedroom make sure you choose a backdrop or do calls from the dining room. I would find it soul destroying working from my bedroom.

NewName24 · 02/03/2024 00:23

WhatEverNextNow999 · 02/03/2024 00:16

Try them each for a week or two, then decide

This

I'm fortunate enough to have a spare bedroom now that I use, but in our previous house we had the computer in our bedroom because it was out of the way, from family life.

But what is comfortable / practical for one person will feel different for another.
If it is the light you are worried about, that shouldn't be too difficult to rectify.

WhateverMate · 02/03/2024 00:24

Synergies · 02/03/2024 00:18

Do you have a proper desk & chair in your bedroom? Do you ever need to be on camera/zoom?

I just blur the background when I'm on camera/Zoom.

usernamess · 02/03/2024 00:35

Dinning room. I love to do some chores (vacuum the floor, do the laundry, take out the meat from freezer etc) when I found the work is boring.

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 02/03/2024 00:36

Definitely the dining room. If it’s seldom used why not turn it into an office? Make it brighter and lighter and a good work space for you.

GrumpyPanda · 02/03/2024 00:50

Dining room. Get a proper photographer's lamp for neutral daylight-quality light.

Growlybear83 · 02/03/2024 00:50

I've worked from home for over 20 years, and I turned my daughters bedroom into a lovely office when she went to university. I still spend 90% of my working day on the sofa with my laptop on my lap and just use my office if I have a zoom meeting 😆

Spencer0220 · 02/03/2024 00:55

DH works from the lounge with the Guinea pigs behind him. He rarely uses his camera. If he does, boss finds them entertaining.

PawsisShady · 02/03/2024 01:20

I would go for dining room and brighten it up with a good daylight lamp
I have a 2 bed apartment but the second bedroom is full of peloton/weights/wardrobe/storage! Work from a little alcove area where my patio doors are, now has a huge curved screen but looks like this

If you WFH without a home office…
StarlightLady · 02/03/2024 02:57

I move round the house; that works best for me. Never longer than 3 - 4 hours in one soot using laptop. Maybe l was a cuckoo in a former life 😀?

Original poster
TaraSiligel · 02/03/2024 03:56

PawsisShady · 02/03/2024 01:20

I would go for dining room and brighten it up with a good daylight lamp
I have a 2 bed apartment but the second bedroom is full of peloton/weights/wardrobe/storage! Work from a little alcove area where my patio doors are, now has a huge curved screen but looks like this

Nice set up you’ve got there.

OP posts:
Original poster
TaraSiligel · 02/03/2024 03:57

The other problem with the dining room is our house is open plan, so I can see the kitchen. I would have to keep it immaculate so that I don’t distracted. Not a bad thing though, I guess.

OP posts:
MariaVT65 · 02/03/2024 03:58

I work in my kitchen table as there is no space for a desk in my bedroom. Got 2 young kids now though and yeah ideally we need an extra bedroom to use as an office because of the general disruption.

Puffthemagicdragongoestobed · 02/03/2024 04:05

I would avoid the bedroom if you can. Otherwise you're spending day and night in there! After work I need to physically be away from work, my bedroom is my relaxation space, I would not want it to be associated with work.

WavingCatsandDogs · 02/03/2024 04:53

Buy some nice lamps or fairy lights and a screen?

WavingCatsandDogs · 02/03/2024 04:53

For the dining room !

Holdmyrice · 02/03/2024 05:31

I work in my bedroom because the only other space in the house is the little alcove at the top of the stairs right next to the electric cupboard so we'd have to pull the desk out anytime someone needed to see the fuse board (which weirdly does feel like quite a lot recently). Also it would be directly under the loft hatch and the I once saw a spider come directly down from there so no! Not a chance!!! So bedroom it is. Luckily there's just enough space for my desk and I just have a background on so no one can see I'm in my bedroom. It's not ideal but it's what I've got.

Beezknees · 02/03/2024 07:28

I work in DS's bedroom as he has a desk set up. The only other place I could work realistically is the dining room table.

CrispsnDips · 02/03/2024 07:38

I used to work in the dining room but it faces west so only gets sun late afternoon, so I moved to my east facing bedroom which is bright and sunny in the mornings.

plus I get to see people walking past occasionally which is nice, I feel part of the world LOL

NeedthatFridayfeeling · 02/03/2024 08:03

I'd go dining room and try and make it a nicer space