DIY Saturday #91: How to Create the Perfect Small Home Office

Guest Blogger #398, Entry #993, March 3, 2012

Happy DIY Saturday! Now that we are into March, many of you are trying to get your head out of winter mode and into spring. While your outdoor home needs attention so does your work area inside your home. The home office is one of those rooms that is used by many daily, but tends to get over looked for comfort, and decor. While it would be nice to have a large home office, many people choose the smallest part of their home for the office!

Create a home office you can feel comfortable in

Image via: Apartment Therapy

Today we watch a video to help you create the perfect home office with organization tips and decluttering advice. Then my guest blogger gives tips for the 5 essentials for your home office. Whether you have one and are needing a revamp, or you are trying to think where to place one in your home, today’s DIY Saturday should help!

You Tube – How to Organize a Small Home Office

Guest Blogger – 5 Essentials for your Home Office

Working at home is becoming quite popular today, especially since jobs can be extremely difficult to find. For those people, who choose to work at home, there are some things they will need to make sure they have for their home office. It does not matter what business people may be involved in, every home-based office should have the following equipment.

Determine what essentials you need

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All Home Offices Need a Computer

Since many college courses or work-at-home jobs are online or have online content, home offices should have a computer with an excellent internet connection. People do not need to invest in a highly expensive computer with tons of equipment. A simple laptop will do so long as it has any essential software and programs on it that is necessary for the job. High-speed broadband connections are best for home offices, as people will be able to perform their work quickly and efficiently.

Even those home-based businesses that are not online jobs can benefit from using a computer. Computers can help people in many ways from designing, emailing contacts, advertising, ordering, and even bookkeeping. It is a fact that most businesses today, both home-based and brick-and-mortar, have an online presence; and for people to be successful, it is a smart idea for them to have an online presence, as well. They can accomplish this by either creating their own website or simply creating a page on a social site.

Home Offices Must Have a Sturdy Desk

While some people, who work at home, work off of their kitchen tables, it is much more convenient to have a desk. In this way, they do not have to pack up their work materials whenever it is time to eat or go to bed. They can arrange their desk any way they choose, and they will not have to move things around unless they want to. There are many desks for people to choose among, and there are even some that will fit into tight budgets.

However, when people are searching for a desk for their home office, they will want to make sure that it is large enough for any equipment and paperwork they may want to place on it. Some equipment that people may want to place on a desk includes computers, printers, fax machines and scanners. The desk should also contain enough drawers for such things as ink pens, paper, envelopes, staplers, paper clips and stamps.

Ensure comfortable seating and desk area

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A Comfortable Chair is a Must for Any Home Office

Perhaps one of the most essential things that a home office needs is a comfortable chair. Since many people, who work at home, will be sitting at their desk for several hours a day, they need a comfortable chair to sit on. A hard chair can often lead to aching backs; thus, it is best to purchase a cushioned chair that provides support to the back. Swivel chairs on wheels are terrific options, as people will not have to scoot their chairs around while they work. There are many different chairs available, and it is best if people try them out before they choose one.

All Home Offices Need a Phone

While many people, today, choose to conduct all of their business through emails, there are still those people who wish to talk to people on the phone. Cellphones are the best choice for home-based businesses, as even if people are out and about, their clients can still call them. When people are trying to become successful in a home business, it is essential for them to be accessible to their customers at all times. A cellphone will help them accomplish this.

Take into account how many people will use the home office

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A Home Office is Not Complete Without Storage Area

Although computers have made it extremely easy and convenient for people to store many things such as bills, client information and bookkeeping records, there are still some things that people will need to store in a traditional filing cabinet. This may include such things as order forms, marketing flyers, marketing brochures, tax records and contract forms. When people choose a filing cabinet, they will want to make sure that it is large enough to hold any papers they may have.

In conclusion, for those individuals, who want to work at home and set up a home office, there are a few basic things that they will need. These things are a computer, desk, comfortable chair, phone and a filing cabinet. No matter what business people may choose, they should have all of these items to ensure their success.

Charles Latch is a business writer earning his executive mba online from the comfort of home.

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