How to Make the Most Out of Making a Home Office as a Single Parent

There isn’t really a one-trick formula when it comes to parenthood. 

We go to work to generate income, we generate income to save money, we save money to provide our children with a life of comfort, and above all, we do our best to guide and take care of our kids in every way possible.

It’s a handful. But imagine how difficult it gets when you’re a single parent. 

You’d think that working from home would somehow switch things up and allow you to have more time with both your family and your career, but as it turns out, plenty of single parents out there are still struggling to achieve that equilibrium.

So how can we make our home workspace more effective in achieving that balance? What necessary adjustments nor significant changes are needed?

How Do You Balance Work as a Single Mom

A single mom with a stable work-life balance doesn’t come easy. But among all other things that keep parenthood tricky yet interesting, the best thing any single parent out there can do is to always be prepared.

When you’re a single mom and a working mom at the same time, you never know what to expect. This is why it can really help if you’re both organized and prepared for anything for your kids, even when it comes to saving money.

Remember, you’re not only providing them with the best quality of life they deserve but also setting them up for a comfortable and financially stable future. 

Considering the number of expenses you have to deal with daily, achieving financial security is the best key ingredient towards a better lifestyle for your family.

5 Benefits of Renting a House vs Buying

Now, as a single parent who’s interested in making a home office, renting an apartment is better compared to buying a house.

A study from Harvard University from April 2022 indicated that the Increased demand in the overall apartment market has come overwhelmingly from higher-income households. This trend likely continued throughout the pandemic as skyrocketing home prices and low inventories put homeownership in a tight spot and out of reach for many.

Additionally, according to RealPage data, in the third quarter of 2022, the net increase in occupied apartments was more than 600,000. It was a record jump in demand in data that goes back all the way to the 1990s.

1. No Maintenance Cost or Repair Bills

One of the best perks of renting a home is that there aren’t any maintenance costs or repair bills. The moment that you rent a property, the landlord is completely accountable for its maintenance, improvement, and repairs. 

Say for example, if you rented a fully-furnished house, then any damage or repairs needed for the appliances would be taken care of by the landlord.

When it comes to homeowners though, that’s not the case. They are fully responsible for any repair or maintenance needed from their property.

2. Access to Amenities

The easy access to amenities is also one of the perks of becoming a tenant. 

While not all apartments would have amenities in their place, most apartments are very near to amenities like swimming pools, indoor gyms, and wifi. 

Sometimes, renting a house would come in a total package because you and your kid will have everything you need already within an arm’s reach without having to spend a dime on it.

3. Flexibility to Downsize

Another perk of being able to rent a home is that the choice is yours and there is always an opportunity to downsize if you wish to seek an alternative that best fits your budget.

And since we’ve already established that having kids would often trigger unexpected changes or adjustments to your financial status, then being able to easily move out and find a new home that sticks to your budget should be easier compared to homeowners.

4. Fixed Rent Amount

Having a fixed rent amount is something of a blessing itself when it comes to budgeting because it allows you to anticipate and budget your upcoming expenses.

Additionally, since the exact amount you pay for rent is already fixed in the lease agreement, rising property taxes would only increase costs for homeowners and wouldn’t affect renters at all. 

The same principle applies to homeowners with fixed-rate mortgages since it also allows for efficient budgeting. However, adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) do tend to fluctuate which often results in mortgage payments due to higher interest charges.

Hence why it’s vital to manage your finances and track your monthly payments accordingly. Something that could help is a mortgage repayment calculator, where you can see how your loan payments will change if rates rise. 

5. More Flexibility as to Where to Live

When you rent a home, you also have more flexibility in where you can live compared to regular homeowners who have more restrictions in terms of the areas where they could afford to buy.

An article in The Wall Street Journal indicated how renting nowadays makes more financial sense. When you own a property, you set yourself and your money to just one point, and movement can get very tricky and financially impacting.

How to Turn Your House into a Home Office

So how do we even begin to transform your house into the perfect home office?

Here are a couple of questions you should ask yourself to help you get started:

• How much space do you need for your desktop?
• What are your printing and storage requirements?
• What are the usual noises that you anticipate to arise from your home?
• How much of your time is spent on the phone and, while on the phone, do you use other equipment?
• Do you require access to a library of books or samples?

If by some chance you are unable to add a new home office, you can be very creative with the existing space that you have. 

You can try landings, hallways, or your living room for the matter. Before they are pegged as unusable but they can be a perfect place to set up your home office. 

If you can’t add a new home office, being creative with the existing small space might be the solution as long as it’s a space that you are comfortable with.

Conclusion

Time is something of a commodity itself, especially when you’re a single parent.  Between earning money and building a career, being a single mom can take leaps and bounds to achieve success in both aspects.

However, as impossible as it may seem at times, by learning how to budget effectively,  it is possible to be able to create a safe and stable work environment in your own home so that you can also invest as much time for your kids as well as yourself.