Some home offices are set up in a dedicated area just for
business, but most people need to have a family room, bedroom, or guest room do double duty. Getting focused about what you need your home office to do for you will help you buy most efficient equipment and have most effective layout to help you get more things accomplished.1. What do you want this space to be able to accommodate? Are you planning on using this space to just get household bills paid in and maybe keep a few records, or are you starting up a small business and looking to run all of your office operations out of this space? Make a list of all of things you will need to do from your office space.
2. Develop a floor plan: Once you have made your list of all things you will need to be able to do from your new home office space develop a floor plan and begin to draw where all of your equipment will go.
3. Don't estimate space: Get out that measuring tape and measure where everything will go. Refer to your floor plan and using small pieces of masking tape mark out where you want everything to go. Then you can see if things fit in actual room as well as they did on your floor plan.
4. Don't forget to plug in: Check your office layout; are existing electrical plugs near space where you are gong to put your desk? Are phone jacks in a good location on plan or are they berried behind those file cabinets. Review floor plan, actual layout of room and where windows, electrical outlets and phone jacks are and revise plan accordingly. Now is a good time to have a few more outlets wired in or add that second phone line.
5. Who will be using this office space? Are you sharing it with your kids? Are you sharing it with your partner? Answering these questions will help you decide what furniture to buy. Does it need to be sturdy and serviceable to hold up to kids use or can it be a little more upscale for just use of you or your partner.
