Helpful Hints For Your Home Office

So you've decided to work from home, an idea that offers many advantages, no daily commute, relaxed environment, and a more flexible work schedule, to name a few. Though many would trade their office cubicle for such a work environment, home office set up is not without it's challenges. Reducing distractions, proper office set up, appropriate lighting, and ergonomics, are issues that must be addressed.

Let's start with the first one, distractions. Those with small children may know the joys of trying to calculate the household budget with an upset child providing back ground noise, difficult to concentrate, isn't it? Even if you don't have small children, the home business operator will likely encounter other distractions such as television, the phone, or non-business related acquaintances who have a habit of just "dropping in" during business hours. You can help alleviate some of these by locating your office in an area of your home that is further away from "entertainment" areas like the living/family room, putting insulation in the office walls for sound proofing, providing a solid door to your office, installing a separate business phone line, and laying down some guidelines and rules pertaining to social visits during working hours. You must be sure to separate your work area from the rest of the home as much as possible, not only because of distractions, but also to prevent your work environment from spilling out into the rest the home (remember the adage about not taking office work into the bedroom). You don't want to associate the entire home with work. Despite this fact, your home office need not be a sterile, utilitarian affair. A home office should be comfortable, professional, and set up for maximum efficiency to reduce fatigue.

Choosing the proper type of flooring can save cost and aggravation. I would advise against using the same grade carpet for your office that most people typically use for living rooms, hard wood flooring or commercial grade carpets will allow you to roll easier on chairs with wheels, and are far more resilient. There are also economical brands of laminate (imitation) flooring available, they are extremely resistant to scratching and denting.

Lighting is key in preventing fatigue, eyestrain, and headaches, so pay close attention to how your work stations and lighting coincide. If possible, locate your office in an area that has at least one window, this will provide natural light and can save you money on hydro. Your artificial light should be provided via overhead incandescent bulbs, with desk lamps situated at key workstations (do not use fluorescent lighting as it will create an "institutional affect). The light source should never be located behind your work station, as this will cast a shadow over your work.

Paint and furniture colors are a matter of personal preference, with darker colors producing a "cozy" more enclosed affect, while lighter colors produce a more "open" ambiance. Avoid using glossy finishes and stick to paints with matte finishes instead.

Proper equipment and furniture selection are vital to the successful home office. You can save desk space by purchasing a lap top instead of the bulkier monitor/hard drive combinations, and scanner/fax/printer combination modules take up less room than three individual units. If you need extra file storage space, and/or occasional extra desk top space, but you don't have room for a larger desk, a rolling file cabinet that fits under your desk may be the answer. You can also purchase a "swing arm"computer monitor holder which would enable you to swing the monitor to the side of the desk when finished, freeing up that space. Another good investment might be a desk with an additional shelving unit built on top. On most of these units there is a fair sized gap between the bottom shelf and desk top, so there's no loss of desk top area. These units allow for easy access to frequently used items like reference materials and product catalogues.

Organize your desk and equipment to allow for maximum efficiency and good ergonomics. Files which are currently being worked on could be placed on the top shelf and then moved to lower shelves once completed. Store frequently used supplies, such as pens and staples, in the front of the top drawer, while less used items like printer cartridges can be kept to the back. To prevent back aches and muscle strain, place your computer monitor on a stand so that it is more level with your line of sight, and it may help to use wrist pads and ergonomically correct keyboards to prevent wrist strain.

Those who wish to purchase window coverings will discover that there is a myriad of products on the market. Roman shades and Venetian blinds would compliment many office interiors, avoid using bulkier curtains if you have the desk close to the window, as they can become cumbersome in this situation. If you decide to go with any type of covering other than Roman Shades, adding a window valance would improve aesthetic appeal (Roman Shades look better without). A light tinting of the window would reduce glare and lower room temperature on those hot summer days, it could also add some privacy.

If you are continuously meeting clients at your home office, you may want to locate the office near an outside door to prevent the inconvenience of having them trundle through the rest of the house, this will more than likely appease the other family members by reducing the constant intrusions to their daily lives. In addition to location, your office should exude professionalism. Diplomas and credentials should be placed on office walls, where they can be easily viewed by clients, and there is no harm in placing a few magazines or reports related to your field on a small table for people to skim through. It would also be wise to select and arrange furniture in a manner that is conducive to productive and focused meetings. Avoid placing too many "conversation pieces" in your office (they are distracting) and a couple of reasonably comfortable chairs placed directly in front of your desk, would contribute far greater to achieving an atmosphere of "focus" than a couch or love seat placed along the wall.

These are but a few ideas that you may find helpful in your quest for your ideal home office. If you require further assistance for your home or business interior, please feel free to contact me. My name is Tanya Bierman, and I am the owner of Impressions Interior Design, located in Kingston.

Best Regards,
Tanya Bierman

Impressions Interior Design
Phone / Fax : (613) 388-9289
E-Mail : impressionsid@bellnet.ca