Designing a Home-Based Office

There are better options for a home-based office than a kitchen table.

Working from home comes with many advantages, such as a more casual atmosphere and flexible working hours, but it also requires careful planning or it could end up a real headache. Creating an organized, functional home-based office will increase productivity and help you keep work and home life separate.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Graph paper
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Write a "wish list" for your ideal office space to help you decide where to set it up. Consider privacy and accessibility. An office near your front door will be accessible for clients and you won't need to tidy up the whole house every time you are expecting a client. If you do not plan to have clients visiting your home office, several places in your home can become office space, such as a niche under a stairway, a guest bedroom or a basement. Weigh up the pros and cons of each -- for example, the pros of a basement are that it has plenty of space, while the cons are that it is damp and does not receive natural light -- and make your decision.

2. Measure the room (or the part of the room you are devoting to office space) and write the dimensions down. Make a floor plan using graph paper, with one square on the graph equaling one square foot of office space. Mark immovable fixtures such as doors, windows, plumbing fixtures and electrical outlets. Measure your office equipment and furniture and make cutouts of them to scale. If you don't have your equipment yet, look online or in office catalogs to obtain average sizes and use these for your cutouts.

3. Position the equipment and furniture on your floor plan the way you want it, then examine it for any potential problems. Make sure you have enough room to move around comfortably, and that equipment (such as the fax machine, copier and printer) is easily accessible and close to electrical outlets. Place your computer facing away from a window to avoid glare.

4. Invest in a desk that is big enough to meet all your needs. You needn't spend a fortune; if your budget is tight, go for a sturdy no-frills desk with a few drawers, or an adjustable computer desk if you only have a small space to fit it into. A computer desk with a built-in monitor stand, printer stand and storage space accommodates several needs. An L-shaped workstation is ideal if you are transforming a corner of a room into your office space. Ensure that your computer desk is deep enough to let you work without being too close to your monitor.

5. Allocate sufficient space for storage. Include a vertical filing cabinet if you have the space for it. A two-drawer filing cabinet is the same height as a standard desk, so you can place it right next to a desk to extend your workspace. If floor space is limited, go for wall-mounted storage systems.

6. Arrange for a licensed electrician to inspect your home system to confirm that it will cope with your electrical needs, which are likely to increase significantly when you start using your home office. A 20-amp circuit dedicated to your office alone is a simple setup for a qualified electrician and means you won't overload your existing system.

7. Contact your phone company and ask them to connect a second telephone line, if you don't already have one. The phone company will provide you with a separate number to give out to business clients. A third line will be required if you use a fax machine.

Tips & Warnings

• Check your local zoning ordinances before starting your project to find out if your business needs to be regulated; relevant factors include whether your office is open to the public and if you keep inventory on-site.

• Follow adequate safety precautions when moving heavy equipment and furniture.