Household living has reached a strange new stage in our COVID-19 world. Home-schooling is back underway in metropolitan Melbourne, and then there’s home-working and uncertain indoor and outdoor entertainment possibilities. All of these issues have led people to take a fresh look at domestic surrounds. 

Zoom in on work

A well designed and organised office is crucial when working from home. Establish an area for work alone, particularly storage space, along with easy access to printers and phones. If children can access the room, with the potential to disturb Zoom meetings and shuffle crucial details, consider securing such spaces. Copy what’s on offer in your office workspace, from plants to family photos and even a water cooler. Remember too that while you may hanker for quiet time in an office environment, that same quiet time when working from home could be your undoing. Many in this latter situation feel lonely and unsupported so take advantage of video conferencing and phone calls to stay connected.

Play and school

For Melburnians in particular, children are underfoot again. Enhancing and creating child-friendly spaces, indoors and out, can help both parents and kids manage enforced home time. Consider changing a formal living room into an extra study space for your little people or add a basketball hoop or cubby house to allow for more game time while you work inside. 

Greenery and sunshine

We don’t have to be professional landscapers to enjoy a garden. Greenery is known to be a fantastic way to reduce stress and increase calmness, so don’t be afraid to add it to your house. For those who can’t tell a weed from a flower, there’s always plastic plant possibilities, which can look as genuine as the real deal. Whatever your choice, take time out from your home office and schooling and absorb the outdoors. There’s the vitamin D factor to be enjoyed as well, with the “sunshine vitamin” helping decrease depression and anxiety – including the concerns of COVID-19.