If you are working from home, you probably already know that you need a dedicated space where you can go to work. Having a home office helps you to keep your work life and home life separate so that you are not thinking about work all day while you are doing other things at home or with your family. A home office also creates a visible cue for your family which can help them to understand and respect the boundary between your work time and your personal time. That said, most of us do not have the space nor do we have the money to create that perfect home office space that we envisioned in our minds when we first started thinking about working from home.
It is possible to create a nice work space where you can get comfortable and get down to business without breaking the bank. First, you will need to figure out where your office will be located within your house. Is there an entire room that you can devote to it? If not, is there a quiet corner or other unused or underutilized space where you could create a comfortable work space? When you are looking for places to put your office, be realistic. Would you really climb the folding staircase to the creepy attic every day to go to work for a few hours? Would you be comfortable working in a corner of the dark, damp, unfinished basement? Just because a space is currently empty does not mean that it is the right space for your office. Be choosy and move other things around if you have to. Work is important and you need a place that you will look forward to spending time in.
Once you have located your work space, think about what you already have and what you still need to acquire. You may find that although you want a lot of new things, you already have a lot of things that will serve the purpose that you need them for and that your money may be better spent elsewhere. Most home-based professionals need a desk, a computer, a comfortable and supportive chair, and good lighting. If you do not have a desk and chair, remember that office furniture can be expensive. You may not want to go shopping at an office supply store for it. Try looking at yard sales or on Craigslist to see whether there is a used desk or table that would work well for your space.
As far as smaller office items go, you can save a lot of money by not going overboard on office supplies. Some people really have a thing for office supplies and they tend to spend a lot of money on them. Check the prices of your local office supply store on things like paper, pens, envelopes, and other things that you commonly use. You may be able to get them for less at other stores like Wal-Mart or the dollar store.
These are just a few tips to get you started on thinking about your home office. With a little planning, you will be able to transform a space in your home into a pleasant place to work.