With the advancement in electronic technology more people are choosing to work from home and creating the right working environment is the key to being productive.
If you have a room that can be dedicated to an office it is much better because you will be able to make it exactly as you require and also be able to shut the door at night and leave your work right there.
Plan out what is required by determining who will use the space and how.
Make sure there are enough electrical points because by its very nature an office can use a variety of different machines and gadgetry. Lighting too is important and ideally for an office, main lighting combined with individual task lighting will suit most types of work.
Having sufficient storage to hold all relevant paperwork and other necessities is important. If you set up an easy to use filing system right from the start then you will never end up with a cluttered space. So make sure everything has a place and is quite well organized.
Storage does not have to involve expensive shelving and cabinets, reconditioned metal filing cabinets are very reasonably priced. There are an array of plastic storage systems and even cardboard box type products than can make for a budget solution.
Look out for second hand items from yard sales and auctions. There are bargains to be had and many home office furniture outlets have ‘end of range’ sales etc.
The matter of ventilation and natural light will obviously depend on the room that is available to use as an office. Make the most of the available light coming through the windows, so take this into consideration when planning the room’s layout. In other words don’t block it out with furniture.
If your business involves clients calling or various colleagues stopping by, ideally you will need a separate access from the outside. This may involve putting up a partition wall or updating the door into your yard to a smarter look.
If the only possible way for visitors to get to the office is through part of your home, you will have to ensure a level of tidiness at all times.
The desk area is the key to an effective work area, it must hold all the equipment you will need: monitors, printers, pen holders and anything else that you need.
An alternative is a workstation that might work better for your type of employment, in particular if it is computer based.
