How to Set Up a Home Office

By eHow Careers & Work Editor

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Once you're ready to set up shop in your home, it's time to turn your little corner into a real corner office.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Step1
Establish a permanent space within your home for your office. A separate room is ideal.
Step2
Decide on an office arrangement. The best is a U-shaped arrangement, which lets you use three surfaces to keep everything within reach.
Step3
Choose an L-shaped arrangement that provides a secondary surface if space is limited. A parallel arrangement can provide two full-sized working surfaces if they are placed opposite each other.
Step4
Consider a V-shaped arrangement, which consists of a small working area in front of you (generally used for a computer monitor) and two surfaces angled to your left and right if your office area is very small. This is similar to a U-shape, except the central working area is much smaller.
Step5
Establish two business-only phone lines (one for voice and one for fax and/or Internet) for your office. If you'll need to forward calls to other offices, ask your phone company about related services.
Step6
Buy office furniture that suits the arrangement you've chosen. Include desks and tables, chairs and desk lamps.
Step7
Buy a phone with a built-in answering machine and a hold button. If you'll be transferring calls from within your home office, make sure your phone has a transfer button.
Step8
Buy a computer system, including a printer. Consider built-in fax software if you'll be sending and receiving files created on a PC.
Step9
Purchase a separate fax machine if you'll be sending and receiving photos or articles from newspapers or magazines by fax. To save money, consider buying a fax machine that can also serve as a photocopier.
Step10
Stock your office with standard office supplies. If you're self-employed, budget the cost of these items in your monthly business expenses; otherwise, your employer may provide these supplies for you.

Tips & Warnings

  • If you don't have a separate room available, use devices like screens, bookcases and directed lighting to create the necessary separation between home space and office space.
  • Consider getting a small headset for your phone, both to free your hands and to block out background noise.

Comments

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on 6/9/2008 Great article! Thanks for the ideas..

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on 12/13/2007 Does anyone know if there are any grants available to help pay for office equipment etc?

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 In my home office, on one phone line, I have a home phone number AND a "smart ring" number which each ring differently, so that I can tell if it's a client calling. Check your phone service to see if this is available. If you already have an established office phone number, you can have that number "remote call forwarded" to your new "smart ring" number and reduce your costs by losing one phone line.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 I return calls only three times during the working day, using a portable phone. I use the time I am waiting to reach my party to stand up and walk my office to file, sort papers, or pull documents needed for my next project.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 During the good weather, I set up my office outdoors in 5 minutes. I use the patio table and umbrella and wheel out an extra office chair from the garage. I have a laptop, which makes this easy. I love it and don't feel "cooped in" when it's nice outside.

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eHow Article:  How to Set Up a Home Office

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