Design a home office

[Tim The Toolman Taylor]

There are several different aspects to take into account before you rush headlong into creating a home office. Don’t make the mistake of buying a plethora of equipment, only to find you didn’t really need it, or that it won’t fit into your designated area. Careful planning is absolutely essential.

First, you must choose a location in the house where you want your home office to be. A bedroom, attic or basement is fine, so long as you can be guaranteed a high level of privacy at times when you need it. Don’t be tempted to base the home office in an area regularly frequented by other family members. Screaming kids may break your concentration at any time, or a customer on the telephone may view you as unprofessional, due to high background noise. Make sure the room has adequate lighting according to your needs, and that temperature and humidity levels are comfortable.

Once you have chosen an area for your home office, you will need to equip it. Think very carefully about what you actually need before buying, and check that it will fit into the space easily. It is better to buy the bare necessities and build on that, rather than buying a load of hi-tech equipment that you hardly use. Also, consider buying your equipment second hand, to save on some cash.

Next, you need to consider the layout. Most home offices will include a photocopier, a computer, a printer, a fax and a telephone. When installing these items, it is best to make sure each one is positioned in a practical fashion. It’s no good everything looking neat and attractive if you have to twist uncomfortably to answer the phone. Generally, an L-shape or triangle layout is the most attractive, especially if you have a swivel chair with wheels, as all equipment and files are to hand.

An important consideration is comfort, and this is one area that you shouldn’t be afraid to invest in. Buy a chair that you can sit in a working posture for a long time, and a desk that is at a comfortable height. The cash you invest in these quality items of furniture will be repaid many times over with a high rate of productivity.

Productivity will also be increased if the home office is organised. So make sure you set up a proper filing system that is easy to use. Consider the use of an answer phone for the times when you are not in the office and if you are using a computer, it is crucial that you back up your files onto floppies or a zip drive.

At the end of the day, part of the joy in creating a home office is that you get to choose the exact layout and location. However, by adhering to these fundamental basics, you can avoid falling into the most common traps. Follow these guidelines to obtain an effective home office.

[havoc]

Thanks, I was looking to build an office in my basement.

[TheLawnGnome]

My room has bascially turned into my office.. but Thanks for the info!

[Gilbert]

Interesting..:)


Thanks for the information. Good read