House Plant Ideas for Your Home Office | Squire's Garden Centres

House Plant Ideas for Your Home Office





The Coronavirus pandemic has made working from home the new normal for millions of people across the country. But this also means that we are all spending more and more time at home, and for some, it’s almost full time. Certainly, this offers us some perks, no dreaded commute; a flexibility in working hours; and more time for other pursuits.



But there are cons too. So much time cooped up in one space, while certainly liveable for most, doesn’t make for the optimum set of conditions we humans need for belongingness, our esteem, and for our self-fulfilment. We miss our colleagues too, and it can become taxing mentally and physically to maintain focus and be motivated all day without a traditional office environment.






The Benefits of Office Plants



But there are cons too. So much time cooped up in one space, while certainly liveable for most, doesn’t make for the optimum set of conditions we humans need for belongingness, our esteem, and for our self-fulfilment. We miss our colleagues too, and it can become taxing mentally and physically to maintain focus and be motivated all day without a traditional office environment.

House plants have been part of many an academic study on the benefits nature and greenery bring to us as human beings. For instance, they can improve air quality up to 30% (depending on the number used) vs a comparable home that has none and remove Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from your indoor environment. It has been noted they can also help to add humidity to a room/space, which means less dry and dusty air to irritate your airways, cause runny noses, and itchy eyes. Low humidity levels can make us sometimes feel more sluggish which isn’t good for office productivity.



They can reduce your stress-levels too. Many of us are under a certain amount of pressure at work generally. However, this is amplified in these unprecedented and uncertain times. House plants can help. In various studies, it was found that testing a working environment with and without plants resulted in the workers who had plants in their surroundings could complete tasks faster, were overall more productive, and had lower blood pressure and stress. Now that’s quite a feat.



Now, we are not saying home office plants are a panacea to fix everything, but they can definitely lighten the load and relieve some stress. Let’s run through some great examples of house plants that can fit into your home office, whether it’s in the spare room, living room, or dining room.






Home Office Plant Ideas

Peace Lily

Peace Lily’s are one of the best plants for air purification, so they’ll help to reduce any toxins in the air around your office. They are also great because they can be kept in small pots, which means they can fit in the tightest of spots. They will do well even in partial shade which means choice for you on where they can go. Better still, they are low maintenance and you only need to water when the top inch or two of soil is dry. To top it all off, they look great and will flower in the summer. In fact, now we’re off to get some for ourselves…

Cacti

Ah, the trusty cactus. Probably one of the only plants that thrives on neglect. It will withstand the busiest or most forgetful of owners as it stores large amounts of water within as they are succulents. Try to treat it nicely though. The only thing to note is that it needs a lot of direct sunlight. Cacti are a good choice if space is at a premium as many varieties are small enough to fit directly on desks without being a bother. They’ll still absorb lots of CO2 from the air around where it is placed but not as much as a Peace Lily.

Snake Plant

Coming in at a similar size as the Peace Lily is the Snake Plant. This plant is tough, nearly indestructible, and fantastic looking with its upward growing patterned leaves. This also makes it good for a small home office space because you know it isn’t going to sprawl outwards unpredictably. It’s absolutely perfect for a beginner or those that are extremely busy but still want a great looking plant. This is down to their adaptability to a vast array of growing conditions because they are succulents, which means they store water in their leaves, and this in turn contributes significantly to what makes them resilient to neglect. They are also very shade tolerant but still like some like. They won’t do so well with no light.



Dracaena

Another great desk plant is the dracaena. It’s a fairly neat plant that looks great as the leaves grow predictably off a thick and sturdy stem in an elegantly arranged rosette, so no fusses about sprawling across your to-do lists and papers. They are a great choice for reducing pollutants in the space and are also extremely easy to care for. An attractive addition for your desk or close by.



Devil’s Ivy

Don’t let the name put you off. Devil’s Ivy actually has lovely heart-shaped leaves that make for an attractive addition to any desk, nearby shelf or table. It is also quite easy to care for and will tolerate a variety of home office conditions from shade and lower light to brighter light levels.

Aloe Plant

Another trusty plant is the Aloe. Aloe Plants are succulents which means they store a lot of water in their leaves. Just like their relatives, they enjoy the sun and prefer that their soil is completely dry between watering. They cannot tolerate standing water. Aloe are extremely easy to care for and great for treating minor burns and rashes too, like a friction burn from frantic typing for that 5pm deadline.

Spider plant

A great choice for air purification, reducing stress and boosting energy levels is the spider plant. If you find your home office is a bit stuffy with dust and all that computer or laptop air blowing around, this is a terrific option. The Spider Plant has many long, curved, skinny leaves that poke outwards from their pot. They are often displayed in pots on small stands.






Which Plants Suit Your Home Office?





Now you have more knowledge of the various types of suitable home office plants which ones do you think you’ll go for?

Thankfully, most house plants are relatively low maintenance compared to outdoor plants, so they will fit in with even the busiest of lifestyles or novices. The significant things to consider are light levels and watering. What level of light would you say your office has? Direct sun, indirect but bright, moderately bright, or shaded? Make sure you factor this in before deciding which ones to buy. As for watering, most here don’t need watering too often, but be sure to know individual needs before purchasing.

Some other ideas that can help your productivity and sustain motivation could be to light some candles or use diffusers, have things that inspire you nearby, make a visible and colourful to-do list, invest in the right desk and chair, and try some productivity apps or methods like the Pomodoro. Combine these with our office plant suggestions and you will have a significantly more pleasant working environment that’s better for your productivity and more importantly your mental wellbeing.


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