If you’ve never set up a home office before, and if you’re about to embark on just such a mission, buckle up – you’re in for a wild ride.
It can’t be that hard, you must be thinking. It doesn’t look that hard in the work office, after all.
There’s a table and chair and that’s it. Right?
Sure. OK. You go buy your table and chair.
Not much of an office though, is it. This is going to need some thought.
There is a mountain of small things to sort out.
Take printer ink, for example (people who think that inkjet cartridges can be expensive use their discount here).
Have you got printer ink? Maybe one spare cartridge? What if that runs out?
You see, it’s not just about building the office from the ground up, it’s about keeping it running once it’s operational.
Let’s look into things a bit more closely.
Every detail matters – nobody else is going to do it for you
This isn’t going to be an exhaustive list, because arguably such a thing is impossible (depending on the kind of office you need), but as a starting point you need most – if not all – of the following:
Lighting
In the work office, you probably work under strip lighting or downlights, but from home this probably won’t be the case – invest in a desk lamp.
A desk with drawers
Don’t overlook the need for storage (paperless offices are only ever paperless to an extent.)
A comfortable computer chair
These aren’t cheap, and you could be tempted to buy any old chair to fill the gap, but you will appreciate padding and arm rests more than you might think!
A powerful laptop or desktop computer
When your computer freezes, so does your work day.
Make sure you shop around for a higher performance model than you might be used to for home use, and make sure it has a webcam.
High speed internet connection
This speaks for itself!
Quality printer and printer ink
Again, this speaks for itself.
You may be able to get away with your home printer depending on your needs.
Other things you need for your home office
Extension leads and surge protectors.
Some kind of filing system.
Radio, clock, calendar.
Lastly, if your office doesn’t have a door, buy one.
A closed door means do not disturb.
Even if you live alone, the closed door has a “work mode” effect
You’re also probably going to want to look into personal items and accessories, like photo frames, desk toys, and plants.
Now it’s time to start to build your home office
This is where you’re going to be spending eight hours per day, so why not put in the extra effort to give your home office a few personal touches.
