Creating Efficient Space in Your Home Office

So you've taken the first step: you've decided to earn a living working from home. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? You can have food and drinks at your desk, breaks can be spent watching TV or reading books, and you never have to ask permission to run an errand. You set your schedule, and you're your own boss, which is exactly what you've always wanted. So what's the next step?

Getting organized!

Some people thrive on this area of work, and others put it off until they absolutely have to face it. Whether you're more like the latter or the former, however, organizing your office space can be an exciting excursion. There is unlimited potential for your home office, and only you control how the final product turns out.

There are several aspects to your home office that must be considered before you embark upon the organization: space, funds, time constraints, necessities, decoration, and functionality. You must determine your needs before you determine the wants.

First and foremost, your space must be functional. You'll need room for a desk, a filing cabinet, your chair, and possible one or two other office chairs where guests can sit. It should not be cramped, because it should be a place in which you want to work everyday. You will be spending quite a bit of time here, so make sure that you are comfortable. You might want to have room for plants or floorlamps, and an extra cabinet to hold office supplies might be necessary.

You will probably need a computer, a printer, and possibly a fax machine. Your desk will need to be large enough to occupy the monitor and the CPU, as well as a keyboard and a mouse. You might also want to find a desk large enough so that you have space to write as well as type at the computer. Your filing cabinet should be easily accessible from your desk, as you will probably need to go back and forth between the two several times a day, and your fax machine and printer should also be within reach.