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Step 1
Choose a desk. It’s easy to go cheap with pre-fab furniture. But if you’re going to be working at home all day (even if not) you can still find a nice desk. Can’t afford a new one? Check out CraigsList.com to find furniture in your own area. You can also find a cheap but, quality furniture at office furniture stores. The small mom-and-pop shops often have floor sample discounts and other deals that put Wal-Mart or Target fiberboard desks to the dust. Not to knock the big box stores, though. Some of their materials are very sturdy and you can even find a good desk there.
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Step 2
Embrace technology. Again, it depends what your needs are out of a home office. But if you’re going to run a business from it, I highly advice putting money into an all-in-one machine for printing and faxing if you don’t have separate machines. I have an HP machine that cost about $250 dollars, but the printing, faxing and scanning functions work impeccably. A good computer is key. Depending on what you do, though, you may not need the speediest, top-of-the-line machine.
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Step 3
Get lit. Good lighting is integral to productivity. Whether you’re in the office all day or not, some good room lighting and optional task lighting adds a lot to the comfort of the office.
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Step 4
Sit well. Your most valuable investment may not cost the most, but a good chair is a must. Don’t pull in the kitchen chair--even if you only surf the Web at night. Be prepared to spend $100 to $200 for a decent office chair that supports good ergonomic health. Watch out, though. Chairs can be super expensive and you may be able to find a seat that supports you well for less. Shop around.
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Step 5
Plan for peeps. Is it a family office? If so, you’ll want to have places for each office user to put scrap paper and supplies. File cabinets or small bins can keep a multi-person place clean and organized. If the office is just for one, you’ll want to institute methods to organize yourself, especially if you work at home and run a business out of this room.
