Tips for a Functional Home Office

The best way to succeed in a work at home job or a home based business is to have a separate space dedicated solely to your work – an home office. The following are several tips for creating the optimal home office working environment easily and affordably.

Have a door that closes. To really concentrate and make your time effective and efficient you need at least the option of working "behind closed doors". Maybe you don't always keep the door shut when you work, but it will help immensely to have that option available should you need to take it.

Use furniture you have already got. Most of us have attics, garages, basements, sheds, etc. filled with old furniture we no longer need are just waiting for that yard sale we never have to get rid of it all. No sense spending money you haven't even earned yet to go buy a nice new piece of office furniture when you can touch up and recycle something you have already got. Alternatively, consider shopping for office furniture at yard sales before you head to the big shopping malls.

Have a place for everything and everything in it's place. Organization is paramount to an effective office environment, not to mention to success in general as a work at home mom. In your home office, you need to have places for things, and keep those things in those places when you are not using them. It is easy to get overrun by a mess of paperwork and office supplies if you don't watch out. Prevent that from happening by preparing an organized work space in advance, including labels noting where each thing – files, blank paper, toner cartridge, batteries, CDs, books and magazines and other research materials, et al. belongs.

Get a dedicated phone and number. Working at home, the last thing you want to do is compete with your family for the telephone. One work expense that is well worth your money is investing in a separate phone line – whether that's a land line or a cell phone – and keeping a separate telephone in your home office strictly for office use. The benefits to this are many. For one, you won't be interrupted by personal calls beeping in or family members needing to use the phone. For another, it comes across as more professional, as the business associates and clients calling you will reach either you or your business voice mail and not be leaving messages with your children. And thirdly, you will better be able to manage your home-based business or working expenses when your home phone bills and work phone bills are kept separate.

Follow the above 4 tips and you’re well on your way to creating a working environment in your home that really works for you.

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