Working in your home office can be less enjoyable without the calming and happiness-inducing presence of your pet. But you’ll need to make your workspace more pet-friendly before bringing your four-legged friend inside.
Pet-proofing your home office isn’t too difficult. Things like cable management, room layout optimization, and pet-friendly furniture can instantly make your remote workspace more welcoming for your furry friend. Here are some ways you can design a pet-friendly home office as a remote worker.
1. Incorporate Pet-Friendly Furniture & Flooring
To make your home office more suitable for your four-legged friend, consider using pet-friendly furniture. Opt for pieces made from durable materials, like leather and synthetic fibers, that can withstand the paws of household pets.
The material you decide upon should also be resistant to odors. Leather is a good option in this regard due to its non-porous nature. Alongside the furniture, your office’s flooring should also be pet-friendly.
Choose a flooring type that won’t scratch, stain, and is easy to clean. Hardwood, tiles, and vinyl are ideal choices. Avoid carpet, which holds odors and is hard to clean.
2. Elevate Your PC
You don’t want your pet to mistake your PC for a toy or something to fidget with. Their fur can also clog up the fans of your PC. This can result in expensive repairs and loss of important data. So, consider keeping your PC in an elevated spot where your pet or its fur cannot reach it.
For desktop computers, simply placing the system horizontally on top of a computer table usually does the trick. Even if your paw pal manages to jump onto the table, the bulky nature and horizontal placement of your PC will prevent them from pushing it off.
Laptops, on the other hand, are rather lightweight and easier to knock over. So, just placing it on the table may not be enough. Instead, you should consider tucking it inside a laptop sleeve and then placing it inside a drawer when the device is not in use.
3. Protect Your Screen & Keyboard
Protectors for your screens and keyboards are essential when creating a pet-friendly home office. These are transparent second layers that go over your screen and keyboard.
A screen protector will help prevent scratches to your monitor or laptop screen. So the next time your pooch is curious about what’s on the screen and swipes it with their paw, the panel won’t get scratched.
If your four-legged friend decides to sit on the keyboard, the keyboard protector will prevent fur from going in through the gaps between the keys. The keyboard won’t get scratched by their nails, either.
4. Manage Your Cables
If you have cables lying around unorganized, your furry friend can get entangled in them. Pets also love chewing on things, so they may end up munching the wire. This can result in damaged cables or even an electric shock.
So it’s important to carefully plan out where the cables will be placed inside your home office. Try to route them underneath the carpet or behind furniture wherever possible. There are various otherways to organize cablesas well. You should also place cable sleeves wherever your pet can access the cords. These are hard shells that go over a cord and can’t easily be chewed.
5. Consider the Layout
There are various things to consider when creating a pet-friendly layout in your home office. Firstly, the room should be easy to move around in for both you and your pet. So, maximizing the space in the areas where you will be walking around should be a priority.
Additionally, your pet should have easy access to the things they need. This includes food, water, and resting spots. Place water and food bowls in an open area with plenty of space to stand and eat. Additionally, place the pet bed in an easily visible place with suitable airflow.
You should also adjust the layout of your home office to prevent your paw pal from accessing fragile items. This way, they won’t accidentally break anything valuable.
6. Establish a Designated Pet Area
Designating a pet area in your home office is a great idea if you have enough space for it. Consider closing this area off by installing pet barriers and a dog gate. This way, your furry friend can have a place of their own where they can relax and have fun without getting in the way of your work.
To help with the fun part, you’re able to placesmart toys for your pet to play within this area. Food and water should also be readily available. Another great addition to the pet area would be a small bed for your precious paw to sleep in.
7. Send Them Out During Meetings
Pets can be a distraction during an important meeting. So it’s best to send them out when you need more privacy. Your silly snoot isn’t as silly as you think though.
Pets are pretty smart, and they can figure out how to open an unlocked door just from seeing you do it. So, to prevent your furry friend from barging in during a meeting, be sure to install a simple lock on your home office door.
If your pet has the tendency to bark or scratch the door when away from you, consider soundproofing the office. You can do this with the help of door draft stoppers and by placing acoustic foam panels on the walls. Additionally, you can installpet cameras to monitor your pet’s behaviorwhen they are outside your home office.
8. Remove Hazardous Items
When creating a pet-friendly home office, be sure to remove any small items your pet can choke on. This can include paperweights, earphones, and mouse pads. You should also remove items that may be toxic to your furry sidekicks, such as ink and glue.
If removing such things isn’t an option, consider preventing access to them by placing these toxic things in locked drawers or containers. The waste bucket in your home office should also have a lid to prevent your whiskerkin from rummaging around in the garbage.
9. Use Pet-Friendly Storage Solutions
You will be keeping various important tools and documents in your home office. To help prevent your pet from accessing them, you may employ some pet-friendly storage solutions.
For instance, you can place all your important documents and tools in a drawer or an elevated shelf. Or you can put them in lockable storage containers. Baby safety locks can also be used to prevent your furry friend from opening any containers, drawers, or cabinets that you have placed your stuff in.
10. Be Prepared for Messes
No matter how many precautions you take, messes are bound to happen when you bring your darling fur baby into your office. This is why you need to be ready. Keeping cleaning supplies in a safe place, like a cabinet, inside your home office is a must.
you’re able to also use cheap rugs that can be thrown away in case of bathroom accidents. Additionally, be sure to keep some quick soaking materials at hand in case your silly snoot spills anything onto your keyboard or important documents.
Make Your Home-Office Pet-Friendly
Having your adorable pet by your side while working can be profoundly therapeutic for many people. But it’s essential to incorporate a pet-friendly design into your workspace before bringing in your four-legged friend.
This includes storing your important documents in pet-friendly storage solutions and having the right kind of furniture. Most importantly, you must remove any hazardous items that may present a choking or toxicity hazard.
Equipped with these tips, you can have your fuzzbutt assisting you with work in no time. This assistance is, of course, emotional since remote work can be rather lonely sometimes.
