The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1480126
E-4 Fall Home Improvement Wednesday, September 28, 2022 The Press-Dispatch The number of professionals working re- motely skyrocketed in 2020, when business- es were forced to close their offices in an ef- fort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. As the world transitions from the pandemic phase to an endemic phase, many office work- ers also are transitioning back to their offices. A recent survey from the Pew Research Cen- ter found that 59 percent of workers in the Unit- ed States are now working from home all or most of the time, while 22 percent are rarely or never working from home. In 2020, 70 per- cent of workers were working from home all or most of the time, while 17 percent rarely or never worked from home. Those figures re- flect that work life, albeit gradually, is return- ing to pre-pandemic norms. As individuals find themselves going back to the office with increased frequency, they might be wondering what to do with their home of- fices. If space inside a home is at a premium, then repurposing a home office into a space that can be used more frequently is a great way to make better use of the existing square footage. The following are some ways home- owners can transform home offices created during the pandemic into more useful spaces. • Go back in time. Perhaps the easiest thing to do with a home office that is no longer need- ed is to return the room to its pre-pandemic state. Because the shift to remote work was so sudden, many homeowners were forced to turn washrooms, breakfast nooks or areas of their basements into home offices. Returning those spaces to their initial functions can make a home feel less cluttered and add more room for residents to relax and get around. • Create a new entertainment area. Many homeowners converted a spare bedroom into a home office during the pandemic. In such in- stances, guest beds and other furniture might have been moved into storage or even sold or discarded. Either way, that means the office was cleared of bedroom furniture. Now that the room no longer needs to be an office and now that homeowners have made due without the extra bedroom, the room can be converted into an entertainment area. Swap out the desk for a foldout couch that can still accommodate overnight guests when necessary. Then mount a flatscreen television on the wall and utilize the room as a gaming room for kids or a film room/man cave for mom or dad. • Create an in-law suite. The pandemic sep- arated families, as people living in different households were advised to avoid gatherings to stop the spread of the virus. Individuals with aging parents may have felt particularly heart- broken by this forced separation, especially if their elderly parents were living in nursing homes that were stretched thin by staff short- ages and other challenges. In the aftermath of the pandemic phase, families may want to invite aging relatives to live with them. Home offices can be repurposed into in-law suites so aging parents don't have to confront the isola- tion and loneliness many felt during the height of the pandemic. As professionals return to their offices with greater frequency, they can transform their offices into spaces they're likely to use more often. What to do with a home office after going back to work 812-867-6978 www.scottyslawn.com YOUR LOCAL SOURCE FOR 1111 E Warrenton Rd. Haubstadt, IN 47639 with approved credit 500 HOUR 3 YEAR NON-COMMERCIAL WARRANTY 0% financing for 60 months 812-867-6978 www.scottyslawn.com YOUR LOCAL SOURCE FOR 1111 E Warrenton Rd. Haubstadt, IN 47639 with approved credit 500 HOUR 3 YEAR NON-COMMERCIAL WARRANTY 0% financing for 60 months Save energy in the kitchen (StatePoint) The kitchen is the heart of the home, it's also a space where you can waste a lot of energy if you're not care- ful. By making a few simple adjustments to your habits in the kitchen, you can easily cut your energy bills and do your part to help the environment. "The appliances you se- lect for your kitchen have ef- fects far beyond the food you eat," says Peter Weed- fald, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing at Sharp Home Electronics Company of America. "From the appli- ances you choose to how you use them, you can make a real difference in your energy con- sumption today." Here are a few ideas for get- ting started: 1. Keep it cool: Minimize the time you have the refrig- erator door open. Cold air falls straight to the floor like water. The longer you leave the door open, the more cool air drains away and the harder your fridge has to work to replace it. Refrigerators that have pan- try and freezer drawers help contain the cold air even when they are open. Keep frequent- ly accessed items in the refrig- erated pantry drawer so ev- eryone in the family can help themselves. 2. Go small or go home: Whenever possible, opt to use your small appliances. For ex- ample, the next time you're re- heating food, use the micro- wave instead of the stove or oven. According to the federal government program ENER- GY STAR, microwaves use up to 80 % less energy than con- ventional ovens. 3. Wash-up smart: If you find yourself running your dishwasher before it's full, it's time to consider an upgrade. Find a dishwasher that allows you to manage your load size. Features like the half-load option or Wash Zone setting available on Sharp's Slide-In Stainless Steel Dishwashers will focus the water in one area when washing smaller loads to make every drop count. 4. Unplug: If you're like most people, you use applianc- es like your toaster and coffee- maker for just a few minutes each day. Unplug small appli- ances like these after you're done to stop "vampire ener- gy," which is the energy con- sumed by items when they are plugged in but are not in use. 5. Make an upgrade: To- day's appliances are general- ly more energy efficient than older appliances, and there are a lot of energy efficient selec- tions. According to ENERGY STAR, induction cooktops are around 5 -10 % more efficient than conventional electric units and about three times more efficient than gas.