30 lovely ways to make your office cozy

When you spend so much time in the office, you might as well get as comfortable as possible. Here we will go through a time-tested list of ways that will help you to make your office cozy and comfortable.

(Oh, and if you’re wondering how to make your office cubicle look nice, these tips apply as well!)

How to make your office cozier

1. Keep your office space clean and organized

One of the simplest and most effective ways to achieve office comfort is to keep the space perfectly clean. Dust can accumulate quickly in a room where we spend a lot of time. Keeping everything neat and organized is also important for focus and productivity.

2. Soften the floor with a beautiful rug

An accent rug piece or an entire carpet can do wonders for your office atmosphere. This is because walking on something soft is a lot cozier as each step is softened.

Just make sure to have your office rug or carpet deep cleaned at least once every 6 months or so depending on how much foot traffic it receives.

3. Bring in more plants

If you miss the outdoors during work hours, then a few trusty plant companions in the office can change all that. Having a green source of freshness in the room with you will have a calming effect and it will make the place a lot more inviting.

Position the plants so you can see them with your peripheral vision while you work. This way the greenery will always be in your line of vision and you will be able to experience the soothing effect of indoor plants.

4. Introduce more lamps

Working under bright lights all day long can be quite stressful. It is linked to something called over-illumination which is not very good for you. To avoid this negative effect, simply bring in more lamps and use them strategically throughout your office space.

Make sure to open up the blinds and let comfortable levels of sunlight in throughout the day.

5. Decorate the place and don’t be afraid of art

Personally, I would go for decoration and art that reminds me of nature. Lots of dark green and blue, brown and gray colors. Framed images and paintings of landscapes would be nice.

But that’s just me – you do you. Whatever makes you feel more relaxed and at peace.

6. Add more comfy seats

It would be nice to have soft comfortable seats, both for people who visit your office and yourself. Sitting all day long in the same position can make you stiff and achy. That is why it would be great if you could alternate between various seats.

7. Reduce eye strain and manage fatigue

Adjust your work screen to the eye comfort setting. This can do wonders for you. Ever since I’ve been using these settings, I find that my fatigue is a lot less after work and I am not as irritable.

On the other hand, you can opt for glasses that block blue light and reduce glare. I’ve been using such glasses for nearly 10 years and I am thankful for having them. You will find your office a lot more cozy and enjoyable when you take steps to manage your strain and fatigue.

How to make your office feel like home

Let’s take a look at how to make your office a better place to work by making it more comfy and welcoming.

1. Opt for homey furniture

Who says that you can’t bring comfortable homey furniture to the office? Simply go through the nearest furniture retail store’s catalog and you will surely stumble upon wonderful pieces that can fit in your office.

2. Keep a stash of your favorite snacks

Think of your go-to snacks that you enjoy at home. Is there a way to bring some of them to the office? This way you can have small breaks and recharge your batteries with comfort food that you love.

3. Enjoy your favorite drinks at the office

You are not limited to just coffee and tea at the office. You can still have whatever you want. Be it freshly squeezed fruit juice or hot cocoa, don’t shy away from the beverages that you enjoy at home.

4. Bring a blanket

When the chilly autumn days arrive, there is nothing better than a warm fuzzy blanket to wrap yourself with. It’s like a hug from a loved one. Besides, who cares that you are walking around the office with it everywhere you go?

5. Bring a sweater

Okay, maybe a blanket is not entirely appropriate for some offices. So the next best thing is a warm sweater. Feeling cozy and homey in the office can be achieved in many ways, an oversized comfy sweater can definitely help! And what do you think about wearing jeans in the office?

6. Put on slippers

Bringing slippers to the office is not unheard of. If you have periods where you are entirely alone, or you are not meeting any outsiders and your colleagues are fine with it, you can simply take off your shoes and put on a pair of slippers. As simple as that!

7. Bring some items from home

You can bring one or two sentimental items that remind you of home. It can be a piece of art or a framed photo of your family. Small reminders of home can contribute to a homey office atmosphere.

How to make your office desk cozy

Here are my top 5 tips on how to make your office desk look nice and cozy.

1. Declutter your desk

As always, the first step is to declutter. Go through everything on your desk and consider what should stay and what should go.

As a general rule, if you haven’t used something for more than 5 days, then you should put it away. Keep only the essential things that you use on a daily basis.

2. Keep your desk clean

Keeping your desk perfectly clean is also part of creating a cozy feeling. Make sure to regularly wipe the desk with an all-purpose surface cleaner.

Remember that your mouse and keyboard need some attention as well. Detach them from your work computer once a week and wipe them carefully to remove the accumulated grime.

3. Keep just 1 or 2 sentimental items

It’s fine to have a couple of sentimental items on your desk as reminders of home and family. But don’t overdo it. Clutter is distracting and it reduces your productivity. Especially if your desk is not very spacious. Sometimes less is more.

4. Make use of drawers

By all means, make good use of drawers. Learn to put things away so that your desk will look nicer and be a lot more functional.

5. Keep a small desk plant

You can keep a small plant companion on your desk to keep you company. Make sure to meet its watering needs and find out about its light exposure preferences.

Having a plant on your desk to take care of and keep you company will definitely result in some cozy feelings.

How to make your office smell good

One of the first things that people notice when they enter a place is how it smells. It’s natural. So go outside to breathe some fresh air and then return to your office. What does it smell like? Keep in mind that you are probably used to the smell. But visitors and customers are not. So here is what you can do to make your office smell nice.

1. Let some fresh air in

If possible, open a window or two every hour or so to air out the place. Letting some fresh air in can do wonders. Besides, everyone thinks better and works better when a bit of fresh air comes in.

2. Enter the world of essential oils

Essential oils are a wonderful way to make a place smell nice. They are cheap and they last for ages. Simply visit a specialized shop to check out some essential oils and pick your favorite.

Bring it to the office and put just a drop or two in each corner. However, be careful not to spill it. Essential oils have a strong concentrated smell and a spill will cause a lingering smell for a very long time.

3. Bring some fresh flowers

Fresh flowers in a vase are another natural way to improve the smell of your office. Consider bringing your favorite flowers to the office from time to time. Keep them in a vase with water to prolong their freshness.

4. Have a new coat of paint

With time, smells permeate the walls so every place kind of acquires its own (usually unpleasant) smell. A new coat of paint is a great way to reset the smell of your office. Consider doing something about the walls when it’s time for renovations.

5. Use air fresheners

As a last resort, you can try some air fresheners. You can bring in an automatic air freshener and set it on for 30 minutes or so. This way there will be a fresh spray of freshener, ensuring that your office smells nice.

How to make your office chair more comfortable

1. Adjust your chair height

Most people don’t know how high they should adjust their office chair in order to avoid pain from sitting for too long. The general rule is that your elbows should be bent at 90 degrees when your arms are rested on your desk while you sit.

2. Make sure your feet touch the ground

Your feet should touch the ground while you sit because if they don’t this could lead to chronic pain. Simply get a footrest if your feet don’t touch the ground after the height adjustment of your chair.

3. Adjust the recline of your chair

If possible, adjust the recline of your chair to 135 degrees. This position ensures minimal strain on your lower back. In case this is not an option, you can purchase a cheap lower back support segment for your chair.

4. Keep your screen at eye level

While you sit in your chair, your screen should be at eye level. Keeping your neck bent forward all day will lead to back, shoulder, and neck pain. So either get a laptop stand or elevate your monitor. A stack of books works as well.

Also, make sure that you are using the right size monitor for the type of office work that you do. Sometimes you can get away with a smaller monitor.

5. Keep things at arm’s reach

When you make all of the adjustments mentioned above, you should be able to sit down and have everything that you use regularly at arm's reach. If you find yourself overreaching for something, simply bring it closer to you.

6. Remember to stand up and walk

No matter how comfortable your chair is, sitting for prolonged periods of time is not good for you. Make sure to stand up and walk every 30 to 40 minutes to keep your body moving and combat the negative effects of sedentary work.

Go stand next to a window and look in the distance. This is a wonderful way to remain in your office and make a small mental break at the same time. Clear your mind and take a few deep breaths. This will rejuvenate you and allow you to focus on work with new energy.