Working from home office is a great experience; while it’s not for everybody, it can provide you with flexibility, more time to spend with the family and the chance to work in the way you want, It also means that you can decorate your home office the way you want to help improve productivity and make it more efficient through technology including printers, computers or laptops and perhaps even a stereo.
To help you, we have devised a short guide on how to setup a home office and what you’ll need to make your time working from home as stress-free as possible.
home office
Location of the Home Office
When choosing a place in your home to setup your home office, you should consider a few things including how well lit the room is, accessibility to plug sockets, size and potential. Ideally, you’ll want a room that offers an adequate amount of natural light to help save on your electricity bills during the day and you’ll need easy access to the plug sockets dotted around the room for chargers and other devices. In addition, you’ll need a room big enough to house a desk and your work and other essentials; so before you make a final decision, it may be worth taking a few measurements and matching them up to your current furniture or the office furniture you’re looking to purchase.
Lastly, if you’re thinking of redecorating, you’ll need a room that has a lot of potential in terms of cosmetic alterations and simple revamping. For example, if you want to install a few more plug sockets or extend the room, you’ll need to get an expert in to discuss the feasibility of your plans. This expert will also advise you on what can be achieved with the room and alternate possibilities.
Home Office Colour
Once you have the location sorted and, if you chose to have carried out work on the room, it’s time to consider your colour scheme. This will depend on a few factors such as your personal preferences and whether or not you’re planning to have clients over for meetings. If you are, it’s always best to opt for a simple scheme to help maintain a level of professionalism even in your home. If not, you’re free to work wonders on the walls and you can choose a colour scheme that inspires you.
Home Office Supplies
After you have decorated the room, it’s time to buy some office supplies. While these supplies will vary depending on the career you are currently in, there are a few basic essentials that you’ll need to get going. These include:
- Basic stationary
- A Computer or Laptop
- A Printer (you’ll also need to stock up on printer cartridges)
- A desk and comfortable chair
- Wi-Fi connection
- A wall organiser or whiteboard
- Filing Cabinets
You can also include a few extras to enjoy during your breaks such as a TV, sofa or stereo or a few motivational wall decorations to keep you focused and productive throughout the day. Remember, you don’t have to spend lots on kitting out your office; there are plenty of places where you can find affordable yet high quality goods online and in-store.
It may also be worth having a regular check up on your office supplies, either fortnightly or monthly to ensure that everything is in working condition and you’re not running low on essentials. This will help you to prevent problems from occurring throughout the month.
Keeping your Home office in tip top condition
For most people, keeping their office clean and tidy helps them to be more productive and efficient so maybe schedule in at the end of every Friday having a quick tidy up of the home office to ensure that it’s neat for a fresh start on Monday. Also, by investing in a few cabinets it will help you to keep all of your important documents organised and ready for when you need them, helping you to cut down that time-consuming hunt for past meeting minutes or flow charts. Lastly, it’s always good to keep track of what you’ve completed each day so either on the wall organiser, whiteboard or even a spread sheet, it’s worth jotting down exactly what you’ve done so you know where to start off the next day.
