6 Home Office Essentials
If you plan to work at home or start your own home-based
business, your home office should have some basic equipment to
help you project a professional image. The proper tools will
also help you stay productive, eliminating emergency trips to
the office supply store.
1. First of all, you will need a desk. Your desk should
have enough room for your computer and enough surface space for
any writing you may need to do. If your computer desk isn't
large enough, consider adding a table nearby. You will need
pens, pencils, a stapler, paper clips, binders, computer paper,
and a hole puncher for your desk. A small notebook for jotting
down notes and reminders is also helpful.
2. Make sure that you get a comfortable chair for your
desk. You may be spending a lot of time in it! Adjustable office
chairs are best. That way, you can raise or lower your chair
according to the height of your desk.
3. A small three-drawer file cabinet will help you
organize your paperwork. Get file folders and hanging file
folders for your cabinet. As your business grows, you can add
file cabinets to suit your needs.
4. You will need a computer for your work at home
endeavors. The amount of memory and the processing speed
necessary will depend largely on the type of business or work
you plan to do. Some work at home jobs list specific computer
requirements. By the way, you may need to purchase a high-speed
Internet connection for some jobs. If you need to buy a
computer, make sure that you list your requirements and take the
list with you when you go shopping. You will know what you are
looking for and be in a better position to discuss your computer
needs. Your computer may or may not have software installed. At
the very least, you need to have good word processing software
and virus protection for your computer.
5. A fax machine is also a good investment. You never
know when a work at home company or a client will need you to
send a hard copy document in a jiffy. Those of you who are
interested in telecommuting, will learn that you will need to
fax tax forms and contractor agreements to companies. You can
pay to fax documents through document copy centers, but that can
get expensive.
6. A copier is also a nice thing to have. You will have
to make copies of contracts or client documents, and running to
a copy center can get tedious. In fact, you can get more for
your money if you obtain a copier, fax, and printer in one.
Do you need office equipment? Do you have office equipment that
you would like to get rid of to make room for newer furniture or
supplies? Check out the Freecycle Network. It unites
people who have a need for something they don't have with people
who have something they don't need. This is a neat organization
that helps break down communication barriers so people can make
use of items that may otherwise end up in a landfill somewhere.
Not only can you eliminate clutter to make room for your new
home office, you can get good free, usable (sometimes new or
lightly used) items through the Freecycle Network. There are
local organizations that you can join throughout the United
States and worldwide.