Office Essentials for Working at Home

The dream of many people is to be able to work at home without the pressures and regimen of working at an office. But with that dream comes discipline and organization. Even though you are no longer required to get up early, get dressed and be at an office for 8-10 hours, you still have to produce the same quality of work. How you schedule your work day depends on your profession, but it is necessary to set up a schedule and stick to it. Having a comfortable, well-equipped home office will make all the difference.

1. Dedicated office.

If possible, use a separate room dedicated as your office only. With many people this may be impossible. If you don't have a separate room, then use your bedroom so you can lock your door when working. My home office was in my den and my family knew that when I was in the den, I was working and was not to be disturbed.

2. Home Office Furniture.

Secretarial Desk - Any desk will do, but, one with drawers is preferable for easy access to files which you use regularly. As a former real estate agent, I was always doing research on my computer so I used an L-shaped secretarial desk. My monitor and keyboard were on the sidearm, which left plenty of working space on the desk. If you are limited on space, a pedestal desk with drawers on each side or a compact computer workstation will work out fine.

Comfortable chair - This is a must. Standard armless secretarial chairs are fine if you have a space problem, but the adjustable executive swivel chairs are the best for your back.

Filing cabinets and bookshelves - Again, depending on your profession, these may or may not be necessary. I always kept a dictionary and thesaurus handy, but you can put those on your desk instead of a bookshelf and use your desk drawers for files instead of buying a filing cabinet.

TIP: Office furniture can be just as expensive as the furniture in your home. You might want to consider buying all your home office furniture from a used office furniture store. All furniture depreciates and becomes "used" once it is sold and delivered (or picked up). Some are returned because of small chips, scratches or dents, or because the person didn't like the color or it didn't fit. For whatever reason, once it is returned, it is considered "used," and has to be sold as such. You can find some really good deals on expensive home office furniture at a fraction of its original cost.

3. Computer/Monitor/Keyboard.

First, you should decide if all your work will be from home, or if you may have to travel. If you will always be working from home, then a desktop computer, monitor and keyboard will suit your needs. However, if you think you might be traveling, I would suggest buying a laptop. You can get laptops now with just about the same features you find in a desktop computer.

TIP: One feature I never liked about the laptop was the keyboard. I just couldn't type fast enough on it. So, when I purchased my laptop, I also purchased a docking station and standard keyboard. The laptop slides into the docking station (which hides the laptop's keyboard), giving me the benefit of the laptop's monitor and a standard keyboard (which is plugged into the docking station). When I travel, I take only my laptop and power cord with me. I leave the standard keyboard and my printer plugged into the docking station at home. When I return home, I just plug my computer into the docking station and I have all the components of a desk station.

4. Fax machine/copier/printer/scanner - You can buy the All-in-One models that give you a fax, copier, printer and scanner. But, if you intend to do a lot of printing from your computer, I would suggest a separate printer (either laser or inkjet). The All-in-One models usually print and copy too slow. If your business requires a lot of copying, then I would suggest a separate flat-bed copier, also.

5. Phone - Many people today use their cell phones, and that's fine. Again, it depends on the type of work you do. Mobile phones may not be practical in some cases, but if you don't need a land line, don't add the extra monthly expense. Obviously, if you require a fax, you will have to get a land line.

6. Office supplies - Pens, pencils, scissors, stapler, staple remover, hole-punch, tape dispenser, file folders and copy paper are just a few to get you started.

As with any work at home office, your profession dictates what you need and don't need. It's important to make your office area is comfortable, efficient and pleasant to be in. Hang pictures and get a nice lamp for your desk. The more you enjoy being in your office, the better your work product.