Inexpensive tricks to redesign your office space

When it comes to our personal lives, we all know that our surroundings affect our mood. A sloppy, cluttered room can bring us down, while a walk in the woods can be refreshing. We are constantly moving from one location to another to escape and uplift our moods. The same applies to our office. A dreary office space isn't doing any good for your team's happiness or productivity. Before you start adding up the numbers for an office revamp, take a look at these tips to pimp your workspace without burning a hole in your pocket.

Get artistic

This is a fairly common sight in up-and-coming companies and fresh new startups. The best workspaces aren't just squeaky clean and practical – they encompass something of the culture and spirit of the company. Splurge on a couple of quirky, inexpensive embellishments here and there – anything from a feature wall with the company logo on it to local and handmade art or antiques. Think about Cilantro, the Mediterranean-themed restaurant in Dhanmondi, with its crazy green, glass bottle walls and bottled fairy lights.

Ditch the soul-devouring motivational posters for custom-made prints. Crop, zoom and add custom effects to a digital photo, enlarge and frame. Or add a favourite poem or quotation to jazz things up for that extra personal touch. One or two big pieces will truly make a difference to your office.

Green is the colour

Studies show that it only takes a brief glimpse of nature to increase creativity. There are so many ways to incorporate the great outdoors in the office. Get some nifty potted plants that will survive and look great. And if that sounds too messy, opt for a terrarium or freshwater aquarium plants instead.

Another cool trick is to include natural materials like unpainted wood into the office furniture. It wouldn't kill to arrange your desk to look outside either.

Splash out on air freshener

Know what really makes a warm, inviting space that impresses your visitors? A great air freshener. Swap the tacky, soapy citrus smells for apple-flavoured or cinnamon-infused scents. It's only normal to obsess over how things look, but don't neglect this other important sense. Changing up how our office smells can make it a fancier, nicer place at virtually no cost.

Do away with the reception area

Ask yourself – do you really need that reception area? If you're nagged by worries that visitors might feel lost, find a new way to guide them through the space. Colourful branded floor bubbles can lead to different rooms, making it easier to explain to clients where to go. You're bound to brighten the place up.

De-clutter

When it comes down to it, cleaning up costs nothing and radically improves the look of your workspace. Amidst piles of paperwork and knotted-up wires, a once neat and tidy office can turn into a disaster in no time. Have a 'no eating' policy at desks and arrange for easily accessible bins to avoid the inevitable pile up of trash. Encourage recycling and personal upkeep of workstations amongst employees.

Last but not least, do something about that tangle of electrical wires. Unravel the cables, cords, wires and plugs, and invest in some clips to attach cords along the backside of desks and out of sight.

As the New Year approaches, show your office the respect it and your team deserves. And remember, you don't need to spend a fortune – get creative and straighten up this second home of yours.

The writer is Sub-Editor of the career publication of The Daily Star. She is also a junior at the Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka