Space, at least in a commercial setting, costs money. If you have spare rooms, there’s a chance you are wasting money. So, rather than spending money on space they don’t need, most businesses find themselves packed in spaces hardly large enough to accommodate employees and daily business meetings. Prioritizing how you use your building space is crucial to expanding your business successfully. Let’s explore a variety of different tricks and tips for utilizing your building more effectively and enlarging usable space without huge renovation expenses.

1. Improve the Lighting

How you light a room dramatically affects how people use it. Think of a stage for a play. When a spotlight focuses on one actor, it looks like they are all alone. When the entire stage is lit, it seems big enough to fit a hundred people. Although a dramatic example, the principle is the same for any commercial building. Whether it’s office cubicles, a front lobby, or even a parking garage, lighting the entire space helps it feel bigger and invites people into corners they may otherwise avoid.

2. Purchase the Right Furniture

Furniture comes in a thousand different shapes and sizes. Some furniture designs incorporate origami folding effects to save storage space. Other types of furniture provide a multipurpose function, allowing one piece to serve two needs. For example, a stool which can also store books. Here are some common space-saving furniture ideas:

• Standing desks – People take up less space standing up than sitting down, and it’s healthier too.
• Stackable chairs -Chairs that aren’t used can easily be stored off to the side.
• Dividers – Walled-off offices are more expensive and less adaptable than a large room with dividers.
• Bar Height Counters – Positioned around peripheral walls, these counters give people views out the windows and exposure to natural light during the work day.

3. Hire, or Assign, a “Space Manager”

This might sound superfluous, but it can be a real lifesaver as employee numbers grow. A space manager manages how the space is used in a commercial building. They can see where traffic jams occur in corridors, offer solutions, and rearrange rooms or entire floors.

4. Utilize Forgotten Space

When you are desperate for space, you’ll find a use for places you initially thought unusable. For example, could you store supplies or create workspaces:

• Under stairways
• Outside
• In hallways
• On the roof

5. Open Concept Design and Collaboration Zones

Working alone takes up almost the same amount of space as two people working together. Think of a fast-food restaurant kitchen. The collaborative kitchen is not large, but since team efforts are required to complete the meals, more space would almost be a nuisance. A study by McKinsey found that “Improved communication and collaboration… could raise the productivity of interaction workers by 20 to 25 percent.” Encourage teamwork and save space by creating more collaborative work areas.

6. Sliding Doors

If you’ve ever looked at a blueprint of a building, you’ll understand how much space hinged doors take up. As the doors open out into rooms and hallways, they can block traffic and limit desk space. Consider installing sliding glass doors. The transparent glass will help areas appear larger while the sliding doors stay close to the wall rather than encroaching on precious room space.

7. External Additions

Even with the best interior design, some buildings still feel like they are bursting at the seams. Having a separate trailer or container outside of your building is a cost-effective, flexible way to increase your space. With the ability to mobilize, these units can serve as a second office in a hotspot location and double as trade show exhibits. Here are three different external building extras you can drive into your parking lot:

● Medical trailers

Depending on your business, purchasing or renting a medical trailer to park outside your commercial building can save having to accommodate a first aid room inside. It will also encourage clients and employees to receive flu shots and COVID boosters, as well as regular health checks such as mammograms.

● Stage trailers

Mobile stage trailers save even more space if you live in a climate suitable for outdoor events. Fully customizable setups are designed to host conferences, concerts, and annual get-togethers. Save time worrying about how everyone will fit into a single lecture room and host atmospheric outdoor events in a local park or right outside your front door.

● Food trailers

Cafeterias and coffee shops make a workplace substantially more accommodating for employees and visitors. However, they can take up hundreds of square feet of precious space. Having a coffee stall and custom food trailer right outside your building accomplishes the same purpose without filling any more floors. Most employees will welcome the chance to step outside at lunch breaks, and you might receive additional business from local pedestrians.

If you’re searching for a mobile trailer or extra external office or kitchen space, Craftsmen Industries is here to help. We offer fully customizable trailers for one-time events, longer-term rental, or purchase. With years of experience transporting and installing a wide range of setups, we can support your goals by bringing you the space you need to achieve them.

Sources:

1. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/the-social-economy