Furnishing A Functional Home Office

If you are one of the millions of people (and more are being added every year) who work from home or even if you bring work home with you, you need to have a nicely furnished home office. Your plan for the office should be functional and comfortable; you want to combine the "get to work!" feel of the cubical with that relaxed feeling that can only come from working in the home.

Here are a few ideas we put together to help you achieve this.

• Start from the entrance in! Believe it or not, a door can make a huge difference to the feel of your office. W recommend a door with a glass middle. This way, you can shut it for privacy without feeling as though you have lost contact with the rest of your house; catching a glimpse of your kids running by can really lower your stress level. Best of all, you won't have to put up with people knocking if you are on the phone; they can see that you can't be disturbed!
• Buy an ergonomic desk. People who work at home tend to spend a lot of time on their computers, and it is absolutely critical that your desk and your entire computer set up is measured to prevent repetitive motion injuries. I prefer a desk that sits with at least two feet between the edges and the walls on either side, with enough room to slide a chair a little bit back and forth to shake the ideas out. There should also be room on the desk for the tower of your computer; you will probably need to access all those ports at some point, and it can be a real pain to get on the floor to do it every time!
• Get an ergonomic chair! A nicely padded, adjustable chair can make you feel as though you aren't really working at all. In addition, it will help you to avoid future aches and pains.
• Have a bulletin board. In many respects the computer has taken over many of the functions left to office "furniture". They include calendars which can be programmed to remind you of important dates and so on, but they can't keep pictures of your family and friends where you can see them as you work. These can be important parts of getting any working person through the day, so personalize your office a little bit with the addition of a bulletin board.
• Bookcases along the walls. Even if you don't need a lot of books for reference at your job, having books lining the walls definitely gives the home office a professional feel.
• Don't forget the waste paper basket!
  

Those are a few of the ideas that many people incorporate into their home offices which combine for a great combination of the professional and comfortable feels. Of course, some home offices will also include additional furnishing in order to communicate with customers and clients.

By: Leslie Gerard

Home Based Business – Running Your Business From Home

By: Sheila Nelson

Many people hesitate when starting a home based business because they are not sure they can run a business from home and take care of their family at the same time. One of the conveniences of having a home business is so you can be home with your children and take care of the things you normally would not be able to if you worked outside of the home. However, this can be difficult if you do not have two key elements in place.
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Office Space
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You must reserve office space for your home based business in your home separate from your living space. Let your family know where you will be working and you need to keep that space for your home based business. If you are able to reserve a room with a door, let them know you do not want to be disturbed when the door is closed because you are working. Make sure you have comfortable furniture so you can work for a few hours in your home office. If you are not comfortable in your home office, you may find yourself on the couch in the family room or sitting at the kitchen table trying to work your home based business. If you can keep your home business space separate from your living space, you will be able to stay organized in your home.
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Work Hours
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Decide what your work hours will be for your home based business. Just like working a 9 to 5 job, your home business should have office hours for you to work your business. It is very easy to find house work to do instead of working your business when you work from home so making a schedule will help organize your time. It may also help to make your schedule available for your family to see so your family will know your work schedule for a given day. Note the times you really do not want to be disturbed, like when you know you will be on a conference call or making business calls. It is also a good idea to note when you will spend time with your family on your schedule as well. They will see your schedule and feel good that you did not forget about their school events or night out at the movies you promised them. Setting work hours for your home based business and sticking to them is a good way to make sure you are running your home business and running your household efficiently.
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Having both of these key elements planned and in place will help you have a greater chance for success with your home based business. Also, involving your family in the decision for both elements is a good idea to give them a sense of involvement in your home based business. It is important to make your home business something that your entire family will be able to live with because they will play a part in your success by helping you stick to your work hours and keep your office space for your business.