Getting the Most Out of Your Home Office

You may associate the term "home office" with entrepreneurial types who run their own businesses out of a spare bedroom but most people today have what amounts to a home office, even if they are just paying bills online, shopping the Internet, or keying in correspondence. Free lance writers spend a lot of time in an "office" which may be just a crammed corner of whatever space is available. You may not have room for the Home Office of Your Dreams but you can still set up an efficient one which may be a joy to use.

At first blush, the pivotal component of a home office would appear to be your computer but in this area you probably need the least advice from me. American consumers have been blessed with a great variety of Personal Computers - desktop or laptop - and software options. What is good for me may not be tailor-made for your needs or desires. You probably have your own ideas about what you are looking for. If you have computer gurus in your family or circle of friends, ask for their advice. When shopping for either hardware or software packages in Best Buy or other stores, take a list of questions along to ask the clerk who is helping you.

The Proper Desk

Software may vary but there's no use having the best computer money can buy if you don't have the proper desk to house it. Even if you have a laptop, it's nice to have something stable to place it on instead your lap. Your desk must be sturdy, able to hold heavy machinery, with plenty of knee room, and storage space. It doesn't necessarily have to be "State of the Art" - I'm currently using the wooden desk my Mom and Dad had when they were first married but it's getting the job done. (Knock on wood!)

A Good Desk Lamp (or Other Proper Lighting)

Hopefully, your desk will be near a window which admits beneficial sunlight but on dark days (or late at night as will probably often be the case) a good desk lamp is necessary. Something heavy and with a wide base to lend stability is least likely to be accidentally toppled and it should have a light which can be adjusted to an angle which illuminates with a minimal amount of glare.

A Printer You Can Depend On

I use a Lexmark Three-in-One Printer which is lightweight, doesn't take up much space and scans, copies and prints like a champ. It is also easy to reload although new cartridges aren't cheap. A vital part of any home office is a printer which does its part and just gets the job done, like a faithful employee. Lexmark gives owners a chance to register for great customer service and technical support if necessary. (If you plan to fax documents, you may want to get an All-in-One Printer with that capability included.)

The Right Stuff

Nothing can be more distracting or time-wasting than interruptions because you have run out of or lost something. Make sure you have the right things you need ... plenty of paper well-suited to your printer, mailing labels, notepads, pens, scissors, Scotch tape and a small calculator. Don't forget a small battery-powered clock for your desk. Also of vital importance is a small notebook containing passwords, websites, e-mail addresses and phone numbers of friends and business associates.

Something Comfortable to Sit On

One of my best investments was a really comfortable office chair. It cost $100 and I had to assemble it myself but its contribution to my work has been priceless and a big improvement over the old-fashioned (and sometimes excruciating) wooden desk chair I use to have.

An investment in a good chair will redeem itself in those long intense hours when you are trying to make a deadline (or just playing a round of Social Slots at Winster.com). I selected a "desk chair" (no arms) to save space and allow more room to reach to the right or left. The height of the seat and angle of the back can be adjusted. My chair also is covered in nice dark gray brocade upholstery. That may seem irrelevant but if your office is a major part of a small, cozy home than it is important that its appearance not be too jarring or intrusive. Minimizing the "eye-sore" factor is worth a little extra money.

Plenty of Filing Space

Someone has said that we are living in a "Paperless Society." Well, someone was WRONG! Try as I might, I still ended up with bundles of paper documents - old bank statements, various legal and tax documents and even a foot-high stack of research material for the book I wrote which I am still trying to sell. In order to corral the mess and keep track of everything, I bought a two-drawer file cabinet. Because I didn't have space for it in the "office" corner of my bedroom, I selected a cabinet with a "faux" oak finish which blended in beautifully and doubled as an end table in my living room. I had to assemble the darned thing myself and nobody would mistake it for fine furniture but I don't know now what I ever did without it.

A Phone with an Answering Machine and Caller I.D.

Preferably this should be on or near your desk where you can glance over at it without getting up. Doubtless there are going to be calls you don't want to miss but what you are working on is too important to be interrupted by just anybody or someone who wants to sell you something.

Nobody can guarantee that your personal at-home business endeavors will make you a millionaire but it's nice to be your own boss at least some of the time ... and with a few carefully planned investments in equipment and furniture, your home office will work as hard as you do to afford you enjoyment and maybe some profit as well.