No Money? How to Create a Functional Office Area for Working at Home

So you’ve decided to work from home, or start your own small business from home and you’ve got everything you need, well, that is except for the actual home office.  Don’t panic, creating a functional home office, even on a shoestring budget, is totally possible. 

Start by assessing what tools (i.e. computer, printer, fax machine etc.) you will need for your specific home office and how much you are willing to spend.  For those whose home office also doubles as a kitchen or dining room, select tools that are easier to move around, like laptop computers and printers that are more lightweight.  For those whose budget is more limited than their space, look into second hand equipment.  Keep an eye out for sales and definitely make the most of the money you do have to spend.

Once you know what you will need, the next step is choosing the right spot for your home office.  Whether it is a corner of your dining room or a guest bedroom, you do not have to spend a lot on office furniture and being realistic about what you will need and what will actually fit will help tremendously.  Look for office furniture, like desks, chairs and file cabinets, at second hand shops, garage sales and auctions.  Check out the classified section of your local newspaper for deals on furniture.

Be creative.  If your office is drab and boring try painting it a more inspiring color.  Or if having no walls at all is your problem, try using simple room dividers like bookshelves, a screen of a curtain for privacy.   No natural sunlight, try moving lamps from other rooms into you home office.  Hang up pictures, posters or any other kind of artwork that inspires you to work towards you business goals.

Stay organized.  Creating your home office on a limited budget often means that you also just can’t afford to let things get too sloppy.  Even if you don’t have a lot of money or space for your office, keeping things organized and neat will help you stay focused when you are working and it will make your job easier knowing where things are when you need them.  Don’t let papers pile up.  Since you are your own boss, you are also your own secretary.  Sometimes it is helpful to designate one day of the week to reorganizing your home office. 

Limit distractions.  When you work at home, you should try to cut down on the distractions of the home. This is even more difficult if your home office is also in your living room or kitchen.  You can help yourself maintain a functional office and avoid distractions if you set up some simple rules.  Limit or eliminate entirely your personal phone calls, by screening calls or having a separate line just for work related calls.  Do not have the T.V. on and if others are watching the T.V. make sure your home office space is not near them.  Allow yourself breaks, but stick to a schedule so that you are not tempted to just get up and wander off and search the fridge whenever you feel like it.  Designate clear work time and home time and try not to mix the two up.

Make sure that other people in the house respect your home office space.  If you are sharing your house with roommates, children or other family members it is important to make it clear that your office space should be respected.  Sometimes it helps to keep this space off limits to children when possible.  Your home office is often the most valuable tool in your business and you need to protect it. 

By putting just a little bit of work into it your home office can work for you.