Setting up a Home Office | Home Office Warrior

What is the must have technology for a new home office?

Feb 05, 2008

OK, here is your mission if you chose to accept it. You get a phone call from someone you know. They are tired of working at the office downtown and are planning to move their work home. But, they have no equipment for the home office. No gear or technology whatsoever.

He/She has come to you for advice on what to get. What is the must have technology and gear he/she has to get for his new home office? Leave your comments here and lets have fun with this one. I will post the results sometime in the next week as a post answering your friend’s question.

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Cheap ways to Improve Your Home Office

Dec 19, 2007

Freelance Switch provided 10 things you can do to improve your home office cheaply. And they are:

Buy a Plant
Get a Recycling System
Tidy Up the Wires (a personal problem)
Add a Filing Cabinet (Or go paperless as I have)
Organize Your Desk (Have ice storm, will organize)
Get some Color
Get a Clock
Get a USB cup warmer (I have to have one of these)
Improve Lighting
Add a Calendar/Wallplanner/Whiteboard

Some great tips. If you have others, post your comments here. Lets keep the conversation going.

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Selecting the Proper Business Entity

Nov 28, 2007

Build a Solo Practice, LLC had a post the other day in her series Tip of the Week called, The Art of Selecting the Proper Business Entity. In the post, Susan provides a link to a “very succinct and useful piece called “Picking the Right Method of Registration for Your Business.”

The article gives you some choices you can compare and contrast with. However, forming a business can be a serious matter. I would not recommend you go it alone. Contact your own attorney to help you with the process. I would also urge you to visit with your CPA or accountant to discuss the tax liabilities of each and which is the best for you.

This post fits right in with the series we are doing over at Home Office Warrior — Financial Planning.

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Making a Home Office Work

Nov 14, 2007

The most important word to remember when setting up a home office is the later one: OFFICE.

One reason home offices fail to work is that those that use them, don’t set them up as that. An office. This is your workplace. The only difference is it happens to be in your home. You home office requires all those items you would have in an office if it was downtown or in an office building.

Most important in my view is a door. You have to be able to shut out the rest of the world when you need to. The space must be yours and yours alone. When my wife and I were considering my move from downtown to my home office we discussed this a lot. We were considering a room on the main floor of our two story house and the basement room. While the room on the main floor may have been a little nicer, it was still in the main traffic flow of the house. We decided on the basement room. This room is mine and mine alone. No other person in our house uses it for anything.

Besides this, I attempted to set the home office up as if it were not in the home. I have a U-shaped desk that provides enough space for my two printers, my ScanSnap scanner and my Mac Mini and my MacBook. My main desk is my primary work area and is also where I use most of my equipment.

In addition, I have a ergonomic chair. No one who uses a home office should use a chair that is not comfortable. And especially don’t use a chair just because it is pretty and looks good in your house. Ask yourself one simple questions. Would you use the chair you are using if you had an office outside of your home? If the answer is no, than why use it in your home office.

Post any comments you have on this. I would love to hear from those that have home offices.

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10 Ways of Setting up a Home Office Without Blowing Your Budget

Nov 12, 2007

Here are 10 ways to set up a home office without blowing your budget:

1. Look for rebates on basic office supplies. Check sales circulars for special offers and rebates on items you will use all the time.

2. Sign up for customer loyalty programs at office supply stores. Many offer bonus points for initial purchases, and you will receive specials and coupons because you are a member.

3. Ask friends and family if they have any desks, chairs, bookcases, etc. that they are replacing. Tell them you will be glad to take any items they don’t want. This can get your office furnished as you are starting out.

4. Garage sales can yield very inexpensive items such as bulletin boards, file boxes, desk organizers, and storage crates.

5. Search the Internet for low-cost business cards and promotional items. Vista Print is a popular choice offering free business cards, and you pay only shipping.

6. Online auction sites are great resources for deals on items such as shipping supplies and ink cartridges.

7. Sign up for a six month with no interest credit card to get you started with inventory and supplies. Just make sure you have a plan in place to pay off the balance in full before the no interest period ends.

8. Check with different banks and credit unions to see which offers the best deal for checking accounts and various banking services.

9. Don’t overlook the obvious. Dollar stores are great resources for pens, pencils, notepads and calendars.

10. Search for websites offering free or low-cost advertising to get your company name out there.

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