MAKE A PLAN



If you're building an office from scratch, the first thing you need to do is make a plan. This first set of tips will get you thinking about where to start.

Define Your Space

The first thing you need to do is decide where your office is going to be. Do you have a whole room to dedicate to it? Or maybe just a corner of a room? Whatever the case, it's important to clearly define your office space.

Questions to Ask

You're going to want to ask yourself some important questions while considering your home office. Questions like:

What furniture do I already have (desk, chair, lamp)?

Will clients need to come in my office?

Is my space big enough that I won't feel crowded?

Draw Your Work Area

It's a good idea to plan out your work area. Where is your desk going? Do you have room for shelves? If you can see everything on paper, It'll be a lot easier when you move things to where they need to be.

Measure

After drawing your office, get out a measuring tape and measure everything. Be sure you measure your office space and all of your furniture. Even if you don't yet have all the furniture that you need, at least you'll have the measurements of what will fit.

Give Yourself a Space to Write

When planning your office, make sure you give yourself room to write. With all of your computer equipment, lamps, printers, etc., you can easily forget to give yourself space to write. Even the most technology-savvy individual needs to simply jot down an idea sometimes.

CREATING SPACE

Many people don't have room for a home office, so they need to make room. All it takes is a little creativity. This next set of tips will give you some ideas and hopefully get those creative juices flowing.

Using Long, Narrow Spaces

If you have a long wall, you can use it as a make-shift office. Just look around for a narrow desk, and you're halfway there. You can even use some cinder blocks and a sturdy piece of wood.

Use a Wall Separator

Wall separators do wonders for would-be-rooms. They're not very expensive and can make any corner look like a real room. You also can use the extra wall for calendars, sticky notes, etc.

Look For Nooks

You'd be surprised at the little nooks and spaces you can use for an office. Look for things like:

Under stairs

Entryway

Laundry room corner

Walk-in closet

Garage or Basement

Don't forget to consider your garage or basement for a make-shift home office. You may need to do some temperature and lighting control, but in the end, either could make a great office.