1. Picking the correct place within a house for an office can aid this tremendously. Look for a quiet spot, as well as one with room and any other desired features. This may mean changing a window to create more insulation or even adding insulation to a room to make it quieter. Don't be afraid to speak to neighbors to see if you can convince them to keep the stereo down or dog quiet. If need be, consider hanging heavy drapes or even wearing earplugs.

2. If you can do a little remodeling, you can get good benefits. A home office can benefit from a separate entrance to keep clients out of your home living area, and to help you mentally separate the office from the home. More electrical outlets can be useful, and installing them above desk level can eliminate a lot of crawling around behind things. Setting them up on a separate circuit can help protect from knocking out parts of the house at inconvenient times. Plan your lighting. Use as much natural light as you can, since you aren't paying for the sun and the light is better quality than artificial lights provide. Then, create a mix of light for the room, usually mounted on ceilings, and light for the job, usually mounted on the desk. Fluorescent light is not usually a good idea. Track lighting and recessed lights are also more interesting looking than useful. Light that reduces eyestrain, is soft and yet bright where needed is what you desire. You want another two phone lines dedicated to the office, close to electrical outlets, and consider carpeting to further reduce noise.

3. When arranging your office, consider ergonomics. You'll spend a lot of time there, and it is worth some thought to prevent pain. A good chair is worth its weight in gold. It is also worth occasionally moving around the room. Carefully plan the location for the computer monitor. Locating the monitor slightly below eye level can save much neck strain. Place the keyboard and mouse to provide the most natural arm movements possible. Minimize bent wrists. You should alternate heavy computer work with other tasks to prevent long periods of typing. Invest in ergonomic keyboards and a mouse to assist this. Get a good monitor to reduce eyestrain.

4. Create room. Make yourself reorganize and put everything in its place once a week or as needed if more often. Use a filing system so you can find papers when you need them. Put everything possible on the computer to reduce the need for physical copies, and then back up the computer files to a safe location. This can be in a firesafe or some other location. Use wall space wisely. Bookshelves should be only as deep as needed to avoid stealing floor space, and place office equipment on top of filing cabinets, both to use the space and to prevent papers from living there.