Creating a Cozy, Productive Space for the Chilly Months Ahead
As winter approaches, it’s essential to consider how you can transform your garden pod – that delightful, detached home extension – into a warm and inviting retreat. Garden pods, small outbuildings that resemble a miniature summerhouse, serve various purposes, including creating additional living space, detached conservatories, but most commonly nowadays they’re used as cosy home offices for remote workers, who don’t have the space inside their home for a dedicated home office.
Photo by Max Rahubovskiy: https://www.pexels.com/photo/spacious-living-room-of-modern-house-7031618/
However, without proper winter preparation, these charming spaces can quickly become inhospitable, which can be especially annoying if you need to trudge out to a chilly, damp garden pod to work every day of the week.
So today, we’ll delve into why you should prepare your garden pod for winter and explore practical steps to ensure it remains a comfortable, functional workspace even when the temperatures drop.
Why Prepare Your Garden Pod for Winter?
Keep the Cold at Bay: Unprepared garden pods can become bitterly cold during the winter months as the temperature drops down, creating an unideal and inhospitable work space as you spend your work day shivering.
Guard Against Leaks: Winter often brings rain and snow. Without adequate waterproofing, moisture can seep into your pod, which can damage not only the furniture in your office pod, but also your work computer and other electronics.
Combat the Darkness: Winter days are shorter, and the limited natural light can make your garden pod feel dark and unwelcoming, which again isn’t great if you use the pod as a home office space, the darkness will cause your eyes to strain while working at your PC, which is far from ideal.
Preparing Your Garden Pod for Winter
Now that you have a good idea as to why you should be preparing your garden pod for the winter (especially fi you intend on working in it every day), let’s take a look at some of the ways you can get a head start on the cold Winter months and prepare your garden pod so it is just as comfortable as it is during the warm Summer months.
Bringing Additional Light Sources
Shorter winter days mean that your garden pod will be incredibly dark for most of the day, which can cause problems like eye strain and headaches if you’re trying to work on a computer in the dark. You can combat the darkness by introducing additional light sources to your garden office pod. Consider placing floor or table lamps inside, which will brighten up the space, making it less of a strain to work on your computer – You should also consider getting a sunlamp, with has a warm bright light, which can help fight Seasonal Affective Disorder caused by the dark days.
Install a Radiator or Buy a Space Heater
As the temperature drops outside, the temperature in your garden pod will also drop to uncomfortably cold levels if you don’t have a handy heat source to keep you toasty. You can combat the chill by installing a radiator or purchasing an electric space heater for your garden pod. These heating solutions can efficiently warm your space and make it a comfortable environment for working or relaxation during the winter months.
Install Thermal Blinds
During the Winter your office pod will be a lot colder than your used to, meaning you want to keep every little bit of heat trapped in your garden pod, Windows are a common source of heat loss as hot air leaks out and cold air passes through. You can ensure that your garden pod remains cozy by installing thermal outbuilding blinds in your office pod. These insulating blinds are specifically designed for outbuildings and can help prevent heat from escaping as well as keeping the cold out, which will result in your workspace remaining warm and inviting.
Carpeting the Floor
A cold floor can make your garden pod an unpleasant place to be during winter, especially if you have to spend 8 hours a day hard at work in the space. You can keep your feet and the space warmer by adding thick carpets or rugs to insulate the floors, which will only does provide warmth and insulation to your garden pod, but also add a touch of style and comfort to your outdoor workspace.
Ensure the Pod Is Waterproofed
The last thing you want when you enter your garden pod in the morning for a day of work is to see cold puddles of water across your home office’s floor. So, to safeguard against leaks during winter rains and snowfall, you should test your garden pod for waterproofing, allowing you to patch any leaky areas before the weather takes a turn for the worst. You should inspect the roof, walls, and windows of your garden pod for potential leaks. If you discover any issues, it’s crucial to address them promptly, by applying waterproof sealants or by consulting a professional to ensure your pod remains dry and comfortable.
Preparing your garden pod for winter is vital to maintain a comfortable, functional space when the temperatures drop. With additional lighting, thermal blinds, insulated flooring, waterproofing, and heating solutions, you can create a cozy haven that allows you to work or unwind without being hindered by the cold, darkness, or leaks. Make the most of your garden pod year-round by ensuring it’s ready for whatever the winter weather has in store.
