How to Design a Home-Based Office

Eliminate your daily commute by designing a well equiped home-based office.

Design a home-based office that is a balance of comfort and function to achieve maximum workplace efficiency. Home offices come with many benefits and distractions that would not be found in the commercial business sector. Start by considering how you will use your office, including the tasks you will perform and whether you will meet with clients there. Then design a home-based office that eliminates distraction while taking full advantage of the available space.

Instructions

1. Make a list of every task you want to perform in a home-based office and the equipment you need to perform each task. This list should include everything from desks and trashcans to electronic devices and storage.

2. Choose a place in your house that will limit your distractions. The location should be away from the television and well insulated from exterior noises.

3. Measure and record the size of your available space, as well as the larger items on your equipment list. Smaller office supplies like staplers and calculators do not need to be measured.

4. Draw your office space, using a scale of 1 foot equals 1 inch. For example, if your room is 10 feet by 10 feet, your drawing should be 10 inches by 10 inches. You can use graph paper for this.

5. Draw the larger equipment items, using the same 1 foot to 1 inch scale. Cut these out so you can move them around on your drawing of the room. Decide where to place these items, starting with the largest, which probably is your desk. Find a place for the desk that eliminates distractions and takes advantage of light from windows or fixtures.

6. Imagine yourself functioning in this preliminary home-based office design. Revisit the list of tasks and go through them step by step to make sure your design will work. Erase and redraw items until you have reached a design that meets all your needs.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid choosing colors and decor for your home-based office that create too relaxing an atmosphere.

• Create a visible boundary where your office begins; use partitions or screens if your space has no door.

References

• Entrepeneur: Design the Ideal Home Office by Eve Gumpel