The world changed in 2020, and even though most offices and coworking spaces are opening up again, many entrepreneurs are choosing to work from home as a permanent solution. So in this post, we'll talk about six work-from-home setups that my clients have used to scale their businesses to 7+ figures.

Keep in mind that this is the first article of a long series on productivity and remote work for professionals and solopreneurs that want to scale their lifestyle businesses. So if you find this post helpful, bookmark it and come back for more. Or subscribe to my page on Instagram (@denierob)

But before we dive in, let me tell you who I am and why you should listen to me. (If you already know me, feel free to skip ahead!)

My name is Deniero Bartolini, and since 2012, I have scaled an Amazon business, a digital marketing agency, a coaching program, a personal brand on Instagram, a podcast, and I wrote a book, all from the comfort of my own home.

But things weren't always great. In fact, for the first couple of years, I struggled to stay productive and consistent. Even though I had a studio with my own work desk, I'd find myself working from my couch, and it wasn't long until I'd start watching TV.

Then when my first business took off, I had the opposite problem. I'd wake up beside my laptop, work all day, and go back to sleep without taking breaks. That was until I experienced a mental and physical breakdown that brought me to the hospital and forced me to revisit my habits.

If you want to know more about my story, click here to tab that page out. But now, I'll show you the best work-from-home office setups, and I'll give you the pros and cons of each.

Spare bedroom

If you have been working from home for a while and have an empty bedroom in your house, chances are you have worked from there or at least thought about it. This is the closest setup to an actual office, but keep in mind that you still need to make a few changes.

Pros: A spare bedroom already comes with a door (or at least I hope it does!), so you don't have to worry about people walking in and out of the room as you are trying to focus. Spare bedrooms are also fantastic for team meetings because no matter what your family is doing in the house, you can shut the door and get in the zone.

Cons: Spare bedrooms often look like... bedrooms. So if you need to run sales calls, client onboarding calls, or any other type of customer-facing meetings, you'll need to pay close attention to your background.

Since the pandemic, we've all gotten used to seeing virtual backgrounds on video calls, but keep in mind that it's not the most professional look, and you should optimize your actual background for calls as soon as you can.

Another problem with spare bedrooms is that they may need to be used as guest bedrooms. So before going all-in with modifications, keep that in mind and come up with a temporary alternative solution.

Tips: The first thing I tell all my clients is to declutter the room and get rid of knick-knacks. Then, if you do have space for it, get a bigger desk (possibly one that turns into a stand-up desk) and a comfortable chair.

Don't make the mistake of using your kitchen chair for hours on end, and invest in an ergonomic one if you can. Try to place your desk near a window to get the most natural light, but not too close to the point where you'll see your family or neighbors walking around.

It's much easier to get distracted when you work close to your family and friends, so be prepared for that.

Open studio or den

This is one of the most common solutions for those that live in a condo, especially in larger cities where it's all about saving space. At least five people in my network built 7-figure businesses from their den, so if that's your only space available, let's see how you can turn it into your power station.

Pros: A den is usually smaller than a bedroom, so you won't have to deal with excessive clutter. And on top of that, you can place your desk to have a wall behind you for all your work calls. That makes it an easy plug-and-play space for all types of work.

Cons: An open studio is, by definition, a room without a door, and that means that you'll have little to no division between you and your family.

Also, in many condos, the den is close to the entrance or the washroom, so if other people are in the house, tell them not to distract you when they walk by.

And make sure you inform your family when you're about to hop on important calls and meetings. The last thing you want is people shouting or flushing the toilet 8 feet away from your microphone while onboarding a new client! 

Tips: Dens are very easy to turn into an office. Just bring your office desk and chair and install a couple of bookshelves in the background to make your calls look professional.

You can even get a floor shelving unit if you don't want to commit to fixed wall shelves. To eliminate distractions, you can get a pair of noise-canceling headphones like the Sony MH'00000, easily making up for the lack of a door.

Also, since dens often don't have a window, you can get a Happy light to simulate the sunlight, and that will instantly improve your productivity and mood. And lastly, if you have to record a podcast or other forms of content, try doing that when no one is home so you don't end up with background noise.

Table in the living room

This is one of the last resort scenarios, especially if you live with other people. However, you can still turn this less-than-optimal solution into your productivity hub with some precautions. 

Pros: The key to successfully working from your living room is to understand that it won't be easy to get used to it.

Once you know that, you can do things like telling your family to hold you accountable for your focus time and to call you out if you get distracted.

Also, living rooms often have nice art and furniture, so it won't be hard to find a great background for your video calls.

Cons: If you're like most people, your living area has a TV, some game console, a smart speaker, a sofa, and many other non-work-related distractions. So if you are alone at home, it won't be hard for you to get distracted and default back to your favorite spot on your couch.

Tips: Like your den, the living room is an open space, so you'll need to get noise-canceling headphones to avoid distractions.

On top of that, you'll also have to eliminate the visual stimulations that come with working in such a central part of your home. To do that, place your desk facing a wall, or at the very least, facing away from the TV and couches.

This will also help you get more natural light onto your desk. You'll also have to plan your calls around your family schedule, as it will be impossible for you to run professional meetings with people snacking or watching Dr. Phil in the background.

But for any other type of focused work, you're better off waking up early and getting done as much as possible before your family wakes up. That way, you'll have the entire space to yourself, and since everyone else is sleeping, you won't feel the need to turn on the TV or play video games.

Table in the bedroom

This is the classic student setup, but many work-from-home professionals and solopreneurs have found themselves working from their own bedrooms in the past couple of years. 

Pros: If you live with your spouse, family members, or roommates, and your place doesn't have a designated office area, working from your bedroom may be the only feasible option.

That's because you can shut the door and get work done without distractions. So if you are in the situation above, you can be more productive from a strictly work-related aspect.

But that productivity will come at a price that you might not be willing to pay.

Cons: The human mind works by association. That's why when you walk by a bakery, and you get a whiff of pie, your stomach starts growling.

And the same thing goes for visual queues. That means that if you make it a habit to work from your bedroom, your mind will associate that space with productivity, and that's a problem.

In fact, it won't be long until you'll get in bed to sleep, and your mind will start thinking about unread emails or your next sales call.

That's why we discourage our clients from working in their sleeping areas. But if you don't have a better option, let me show you how you can minimize the side effects.

Tips: Keeping your working space organized is essential, but it's even more crucial when working from your bedroom. When you finish working for the day, clean up your desk and put away all the papers and visible clutter.

If you have empty bottles or coffee mugs, take them out of the bedroom too. If you work from your bedroom, you should use a laptop, so you can shut the screen and put the computer away when you are done working.

That way, you won't have a computer sitting on a desk all night. The idea is to turn your working space into a console table when you're ready to go to bed.

It may seem like a lot of work to the untrained eye, but this two-minute routine will ensure that you will fall asleep faster and stay asleep at night.

If you want to know more about optimizing your sleep, click here to tab that article out.

Bring your laptop anywhere in the house.

This is the last resort for those that don't have any other option. But, funny enough, this is what most people with laptops do, even when they have a designated space for working.

Pros: Flexibility is a huge asset when you're working from home. So if you can produce quality work from the comfort of your own couch or at the kitchen table, kudos to you!

I know what it means to live in a busy home, where people walk in and out all day. So, in some cases, hopping from one space to the other is the only option you have.

Cons: Just like working from your bedroom, this setup won't allow you to take advantage of the queues in your environment. And things can get even more confusing if you need to make video calls.

If you are working from your bed or couch, will you move to the kitchen table to take the call? The key to being productive is to eliminate friction as much as possible, and a fully mobile setup won't give you the consistency you need to do great work every day.

But with this said, there are a few things you can do to mitigate these problems.

Tips: If you can't (or won't) commit to a desk, get a plastic box or a container and put all your work gear in it, from notebooks and your laptop to stationary.

That way, any time you need something, you know where to find it. Then, even though you don't have a designated working spot, pick your favorite two areas in the house (one for focused work and one for video calls) and try to stick to them as much as possible.

That will create the mental connection you need to get focused faster. And lastly, if you believe that you thrive in a less structured environment, own that by optimizing the experience.

For example, if you like working from your couch early in the morning, get into the habit of making tea or coffee and try not to move for at least 90 minutes to enter a flow state.

I must confess... I built my entire Amazon business from the comfort of my couch! But I did it by working every day from 5 to 7:30 am.

Designated office room

This is the ultimate work-from-home setup, so if you have an office room at home, it's the logical place to work from.

Pros: Having an entire room as your office is not even that common in the corporate world (unless you are in management), so be stoked!

This is your chance to turn this room into your work sanctuary. Moving forward, you're only going to optimize for one thing: productivity. The more productive you are, the faster you'll get out of there! 

Cons: Every setup will have its issues. Too hot, too warm, too dark, walls too thin... I mean, you can make up any excuse to avoid getting work done. 

Tips: Place your near the window to get the most sunlight and get a stand-up desk. Get a couple of office drawers or store all your dongles and video/audio accessories because the last thing you want is to see clutter on your desk.

If you tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle like me, get a treadmill desk or simply buy a small walking treadmill and place it under your stand-up desk.

In fact, I have two desks in my office. One is a regular desk with an ergonomic chair, and the other is a treadmill desk. When I write, I sit down, but when I hop on a team meeting or read something, I switch to my walking desk.

Also, if you plan on recording videos from your desk (interviews or Youtube videos), hang some art behind your desk chair, or get a bookshelf to showcase books that relate to your niche.

Virtual backgrounds are ok for meetings, but they look pretty odd on branded video content. Lastly, if you plan on recording a podcast or holding lots of meetings, make sure you get a good microphone and that your room doesn't echo too much.

As a leader, you want your team members to hear you clearly. And as a podcast host, you want your show to sound professional. 

No matter what room setup you choose, you still need to get yourself to do the work.

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