The Home Office

Whether your home office is for your job or a place to conduct your home's business, or it is used for both, a home office is useful even if it is only used part time. Having a spare room in your house is not a requirement for setting up a home office. There are many places in your home that an office can be set up and organized to meet your needs. Take a look around your home. Is there an unused closet, a nook, cranny, corner, a space under the stair case, garage, attic, or basement? You would be surprised at the number of places you can set up an organized, comfortable, and attractive office space. All you need to get started is the ability to have a vision, and to know what type of office you want or need. For every purpose, an office can be created. Here are some things to consider for the decisions that need to be made.

1) What type of office do you need?

a) A full-time workplace for the full-time work from home job.

b) A part-time workplace for a part-time work from home job or for your household management.

c) An after-hours workplace for finishing work you bring home from the job.

d) A craft or hobby station to pursue a hobby or run a successful crafting business.

2) Evaluate your needs:

a) How much time will you be spending in your home office?

b) What tasks will you do there?

c) What equipment and furniture is essential?

d) How many square feet do you need?

e) Will you be receiving clients or suppliers in the office or using it as a private space?

3) What are your preferences?

a) Do you want a plain and simple environment, or a more visually appealing and mood setting environment?

b) Do you work best in the quiet with total privacy, or will you perform better being around others and their normal noise?

c) Are you easily distracted and easy to get off track?

d) What colors enhance your productive moods?

Once you have determined the type of office you need, and what your needs and preferences are, the next step is to decide where your office will be created. Be on the look out for spaces that can satisfy your needs with little to no alterations. Think about other factors such as, do you want a window view to the outdoors to inspire you, or is it better not to have one so that you will not be too tempted to ditch work for the outdoors. You will also want to consider comfortable furniture for working and taking a break, and good ventalation so that you can breathe good air. And, of course, if you don't already have a desk, it is best to choose your workspace before shopping for the desk. Purchase one that is a perfect, measured, size for the chosen space. If you already have a desk that you will want to use, choose your space according to the size and shape of the existing desk as well as any other furniture and equipment needed for your office. When using equipment such as a printer, a copier, fax, etc. chose furniture that is appropriate for its given space and that can easily house all of your equipment in an organized manner.

Sit down and draw up a plan. Answer the questions above, make a check list, and determine what will need to be purchased. Decide on the style you want your office to have. What atmosphere do you want to create? What other items will you need in the room?

At least one small filing cabinet is essential in any office. The size you need should be deternined by how many files you anticipate having. If you are conducting your personal and professional business in the same office, you will either need one drawer for each or one file cabinet for each. I always recommend to get a desk that has at least one file drawer. In that drawer, you sould file your most used documents. Those that you need to file daily, and that you may need to pull on a regular basis. If both your professional and your personal, home business require regular attention, and there is only one file drawer in your desk, you should use a color system. Using all of one color for business paperwork and all of another color for personal paperwork.

If your desk does not have a file drawer, consider a short two drawer file cabinet to place next to or under your desk. If your files are of a minimal amount, the one file cabinet or drawer may be enough. If you require more document storage space, I advise that you have one small cabinet with one or two drawers for your most need to access paperwork will be stored, and one or more tall 3 or 4 drawer filing cabinets. This decision is soley based on your needs and the volume of current paperwork your office will encounter. It is also important to learn what documents should be kept for what length of time. I recommend packing away documents and files that are no longer needed. See the blog on Filing Systems for information about decluttering your files.

If you are one who does not have the abilitiy to have a vision, that is okay. You are not alone. That is where Get Organized can help. We do have the ability to have a vision. We can go to your home and help you locate the perfect spot to transform into an office space, or we can transform any available space that you want to use for your office. With a good eye for appealing design and color coordination, we can help you create the perfect workspace and atmosphere you desire for producing the best work from your home. With more than twenty-years experience in office organization, we are experts in creating an organized system for better office work flow and productivity.