Most modern day homes have some form of home office. Some homes have large dedicated rooms such as a study or den, other homes have a smaller room or portion of a dual-purpose room, and still other homes simply have a desk in a bedroom to house the computer for paying bills, surfing the web, sending e-mails, posting on social media, and more.
In homes that have the luxury of having a large office space, it is easy to create an ideal home office with all the necessary furniture and supplies. If you have a smaller home office space, you may need to prioritize the furniture and supplies for the office and place some of the items elsewhere in your home. One piece of office furniture that could be stored elsewhere is the filing cabinet; especially if you are using it for long term storage or if you infrequently access these items. In these cases, the filing cabinet could reside in your basement or garage.
Just as home offices come in all shapes and sizes, they also come in a wide variety of uses to the homeowner. According to a recent article on www.workshifting.com, there are 3.1 million home-based businesses and 2.5 million employees, or 1.9% of the working population, work at home. In short, there are a lot of people who need home offices for their primary careers; and based on the recent boom of social media and electronic communication, we know that most homes include a computer and internet access.
Regardless of your home office space and how you will use the space, there are some key elements to consider with your home office set up.
First – desk placement. The desk should be the first piece of furniture placed in the space because everything else will need to be arranged based on the location of the desk. In considering desk placement you must account for your own desires and how you use the space. You need to answer some important questions: Will clients be coming to see you in your home office or is this solely for your use? Do you gain better internal harmony by being able to look out the window when you are working on the computer? Does the sun glare impact your ability to see the computer screen if you set up the desk and computer in certain areas of the office?
If you use your home office to meet with clients, you may want the desk to be in a position which allows you to see the door and in a position which allows room for additional office chairs in the space. If you will be the only person working in the office, then this will come down to personal preference and comfort.
Second – computer, printer, phone, and lighting placement. The computer, printer, and phone are typically the most utilized items in a well functioning home office space. The computer should be placed on the desk and the printer should be placed nearby. In an ideal office set-up, the printer should be within a few feet of the desk; perhaps on a small printer stand. In addition, the phone should be placed on the desk if you are using a direct line and if you are using your cell or smart phone this should always be kept on your desk. Lighting is the final element for the immediate work space area. Proper lighting via desk lamps or overhead lighting is essential for creating a good home office work space.
Third – bookshelf and filing cabinet placement. If your home office requires additional storage furniture for books, binders, supplies, or even merchandise for your home-based business if you house inventory; you will need to arranged bookshelves, storage systems, or filing cabinets in a way that allows the space to feel open and comfortable. A good rule is to keep some open space in the middle of the home office so you can access everything in the space and also allow ample room to sit at the desk.
Fourth – additional office furniture. If you utilize your home office for meeting with clients, you will need to include chairs in your office set up and may even need to include a small conference table in the space.
Tell us about your home offices and share your stories and picture about your creative home offices spaces.
