Making office space

Where to find office space out of the house

Graphic designer Kaitlyn Hatch’s present home isn’t suited to home working so instead she was inspired to use ‘found office space’ elsewhere:

When I lived in Canada I had a little room in my house which acted as my studio/office space. It wasn’t very big at all, you couldn’t fit a double bed in it, but it suited me perfectly on the days I was working from home.

Personally I work much better when I have a space which is designated to it. There was something very satisfying about shutting the door on my work, knowing everything was laid out and ready for the next morning, but that I could ‘punch out’ just by leaving a room.

Since moving to London I have come to appreciate the vastness of my home country and all the perks that come with it. I am envious of garden offices, as my garden is already full up. In the house there are many rooms I can work in, but I have no desk and no real sense of my work day starting and ending.

This could have been a source of great frustration but I am solution focused! I considered my options – renting a small office space, attending a regular Jelly, or renovating the house so there could be an office space in the loft.

Unfortunately these required income I didn’t have and in the case of the Jelly, they don’t always fall on a day when I’m working from home. But it was the Jelly that gave me an idea. A Jelly happens in any space with free wifi and a lot of plugs.

London is full of these kinds of spaces. They’re called coffee shops. For the price of a cup of tea I am able to have a ‘desk’ for a few hours while I work on a project or update my blog. I haven’t had a desktop computer since 2008 so all my work materials are completely transportable. It gets me out of the house and provides a clear distinction between working and relaxing.

In the long term I will be able to get that ideal office space but for now this is a simple and inexpensive solution.

What are some found office spaces you’ve used or still use if a space at home simply isn’t feasible?

Kaitlyn Hatch is a Creative Specialist, which means she’s really good at being creative in many different ways. At the moment she’s setting up shop as a freelance Graphic Designer specialising in logo design and print layout.