The possibilities for creating a work from home business are vast. Instead of asking what kind of business you could run, you should think about what kind of business you would like to run. One of the main criteria for a work at home business is that it is something you are completely passionate about.

So, having decided that to work from home would be your dream, what opportunities are open to you? Here are a few ideas to get you thinking about the possibilities:

1. Sales

Research various direct selling opportunities in your state and see if any of them interest you. There are many different kinds of items you can sell in this way, some people who work from home find they can run a successful business by combining more than one of these because they attract the same customer - for example children's books/toys plus kids clothing.

Buy and sell antique furniture - buy it cheap and then clean it up and sell it on. You can purchase the items at garage sales, through local house clearance sales, or even the classified ads in the local paper, and then once you clean it up, you can try selling it to local dealers, or over the internet.

Sell items online with auctions such as eBay. EBay didn't get big on publicity alone. There's money to be made here if you can find your niche. Spend some time looking around eBay. What's selling? More importantly what's selling that you can acquire without much expenditure and which will give you a tidy profit.

Turn your hobby into your business. Are you a knitter? Or a great car mechanic? Do you scrapbook? Make cookies? Do you read? Are you a puzzle enthusiast? All of these, and many more, have the potential to be viable as a business you can work from home.

2. Services

What skills do you have that you could develop into a business idea that you could work from home?

Pet Sitter/Dog Walker - if you have an affinity with animals, and love the outdoors, this is a great idea. You could also think of opening a doggie day care center in your own home - talk to your local vet about the idea.

Day Care for Babies/Toddlers - if you have experience in this area, and your local area has a number of young families in it, ask around and see what regulations you need to follow in order to set up a day care center in your home. Alternatively consider an after school activities center for older kids.

Do you have computer skills? There may be many businesses online, but there are still many of them who aren't. Or are you graphically gifted on the computer? Sharpen your skills, then go and find businesses that need your skill set. If you have office skills you could consider being a virtual assistant.

Are you trained in cosmetics or hair - or even massage? People are willing to pay for you to come and attend their needs in the privacy of their own homes. If you're not, a course at night school would quickly qualify you to work from home in this field - why not combine this one with a direct sales position for a company that has the kind of products you'd use on your clients?

Paid Surveys or Online Opinion Surveys - Do you have computer and internet connection at home? Market research companies are willing to pay for filling online surveys and providing your honest opinion about new product and concept. Paid Surveys companies are willing to pay you between $1 to $50 per surveys based upon length and importance of surveys.

The list of possible businesses you can run from home continues on. Just find the one that fulfills your personal passion, and follow it.