![Two young women smile while pinning paper to a cork board in their home office.](https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/getty/2020/9/1/b66ca1be-bf69-42be-ae0c-b4ba7cab0bcc-getty-1267397021.jpg?w=374&h=249&fit=crop&crop=faces&q=50&dpr=2)
If you have a roomie, your new normal when it comes to your home office space might be a challenge. You've set up your workspaces at the kitchen table and the living room couch, and came up with "office" rules. Wearing headphones when listening to music and keeping one another in the know when you have Zoom meetings is a huge help. However, your daily work setup may need some of these creative home office ideas for roommates that'll take the WFH situation for the both of you to the next level.
Get ready to turn your apartment into an IRL version of The Office, or send you and your roommate on a productivity kick that can't be beat. If you recreate any of these ideas, you'll likely truly enjoy your lunch breaks, hopping on Zoom calls, and tackling assignments. You may never want to go back to your traditional office setting again.
These ideas will start new traditions that you won't want to let go of. Find a plan that works for you and run it by your roommate. Then, purchase the few products you need to make the ideal setup a reality. Making small changes can be a big game-changer, so don't sleep on this too long.
01Set Up A Coffee And Tea Station
A caramel macchiato — whether you pick it up from Starbucks or make it at home — is always your sidekick. That's why you should set up a coffee and tea station in your home office, or even your kitchen. Make sure the station has enough mugs, a variety of tea bags, an espresso maker, and a mason jar filled with stirring sticks. This bar cart will help you set it up in a fashionable way for your very own coffee break.
02Put Your Goals For The Day On A White Board
The beauty of coworkers is that they help you reach your big dreams and goals. When you need to talk a project out, they're there to listen and help you work through the kinks.
You and your roomie can share a white board and draw a line down the center. Each of you can have your own space to work on projects or list your goals for the day. This way, you're in tuned with the other person's workload and day. Get one that's on wheels so you can put it in different spots, and don't forget to purchase markers, too.
03Have Dance Parties During Your Lunch Break
When you're sitting at your laptops all day long, you and your roommate need to get up and move around. What you need is a bluetooth speaker so you can dance to an upbeat song when you're both on a lunch break. It'll make your body and brain ready to take on the last hours of work and be a part of the day you always look forward to.
04Create A Communal Workspace With A Garden
Odds are, you and your roommate have your separate spots to work in during the day. But, that doesn't mean you can't have a communal workspace as well where you can type alongside each other and tend to a garden. If the weather's nice, this spot could be outside where your plants can get lots of sun, or in the kitchen next to a window where you've set up a countertop with barstools. Get these ceramic planters that'll truly brighten up that space with good vibes and new friends.
05Put Up A Sticker Chart In Your Kitchen
When you were a kid, did your parents put a sticker on a chart every time you did a chore? You should recreate that for your WFH space by putting up your own chart in your kitchen. To motivate you and your roommate, give yourselves a sticker if you complete a project, tackle a task, or get your inbox to read "no new messages." Let each other pick out which sticker you want, from this trendy sticker pack.
06Wear Matching Outfits On Fridays
Casual Friday isn't really a thing anymore, because you wear sweatpants and a sweatshirt almost every day. But, you can spice up your weekly wardrobe and decide, "On Fridays, we wear matching outfits." Try to coordinate based on what's already in your closets, or plan to wear tie-dye, overalls, or the same color. Take a picture to post on IG on each Friday to create this neat tradition with a larger community.
07Create Your Own Yoga Corner
You've gotten pretty good at stretching your back and wrists while sitting at your desk. The perk of being home, though, is you can build your own yoga studio to retreat to in the middle of the day. There, you can roll your shoulders and follow short YouTube videos with mindful flows. You can even meditate on this cozy mat if your roommate doesn't mind staying quiet or would like to join, too.
08Put Together A Shelf Of Snacks
Put together a shelf of healthy snacks for when you get hungry in the afternoon. You can include granola bars, pita chips, raisins, peanuts, and coconut water. Organize them in several woven baskets like these.
It'll make grabbing a snack so much more exciting than it was when you were at the office and hit up the vending machine. You and your roommate will love restocking it together and shopping for new items at the grocery store.