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Creating the Perfect Home Office

by Darklady

I work about 20 hours a day. But the nice thing about being self-employed and
working from home is that I get to choose the 20 hours.
- Darklady

A man’s home may well be his castle but my home office is the center of my universe. It’s where I spend the majority of my day and nighttime hours, where most of my telephone and online communication takes place, where I conduct business, where I usually eat, and where I stay in touch with my friends, fans, family, fellow professionals, and lovers. The other rooms in my home compliment and support my home office, but all roads lead into it.

More than 25 million people have offices in their homes and the majority of us set up our businesses in unconventional spaces. For instance, my previous office was in a dining room. The current one is in a bedroom. Regardless of whether we use an intentional or adapted space for our offices, our first job is to create a work environment that is uniquely our own and suits our personal and professional needs.

In order to do this, we must first define what the purpose of the room will be. Will we be engaging in photography, webcam performances, code wrangling, meeting and greeting clients, writing, sales, or perhaps a combination of activities? Once our goals have been determined, we can figure out what tools will be required in order to accomplish them. Will we need a telephone and answering machine? A computer? Multiple computers? A printer? A scanner? How about a photocopier or fax machine? Perhaps a television and VCR? Most likely we’ll need chairs, at least one table and some sort of lighting. If we have multiple projects going on at once, we may find that a dry erase or corkboard is useful for quick visual reference. After we know what we need to fit into our space in order to get our work done, we can better understand the amount of room we will need and how it should be configured.

Things to keep in mind when envisioning the arrangement of furnishings and equipment include the location of windows for optimal lighting without glare or prying eyes, where electrical outlets are installed and how much power they can provide, the placement of telephone jacks, available storage, interior and exterior noise levels, how much time we will spend at our computers or using other pieces of equipment, how many people other than ourselves will use the room and in what way – and how much privacy from members of your family, pets, or friends you will need.

If you plan on taking the home office deduction on your taxes you will want to make sure that your office is used exclusively for business purposes and that you keep good records of your expenses. A door that can be closed and possibly even locked will help ensure that other members of your household do not confuse the importance of this room for exclusive professional use. If you make many business phone calls, having a dedicated professional phone number allows you to deduct the entire bill as a business expense, something you can’t do if you use your home phone. It can also help emphasize the fact that you are a professional running a real business.

For your own sanity, make sure that the ambient temperature and view are conducive to a healthy physical and emotional workspace. Rooms that are too hot, cold, or isolated are likely to make it more difficult to focus on work, so don’t feel guilty about getting comfortable and having an appealing view or access to natural light. Remember, you are going to be spending a lot of time in this room while earning your living and most of that time will be spent by yourself.

Although the ultimate decision is ours, experts suggest that desks be at least 24 inches deep, 36 inches wide, and placed so that they face the door, allowing for immediate eye contact with anyone who enters the room. An “L-shaped” or triangular work surface allows for a certain amount of spread and, when combined with a swivel chair (ergonomic style, of course), everything we need will be within arm’s reach. And don’t under estimate the amount of storage space you’re likely to need, especially if your business is growing. Paper, pens, photographic and computer equipment, books, costumes, and supplies require dedicated space and should be kept in easily accessible places. This may require some creativity depending upon the room you’re using. For instance, my office has a large closet which I have converted into a mini storage room with book shelves, software, research books, S/M toys, and copies of publications my work has appeared in. This leaves me a great deal of floor space for general movement, as well as entertaining clients. I’ve even been able to place a futon couch in the room so there’s a place for people to sit while discussing projects.

Creating your home office can be an exciting and rewarding experience if you are honest with yourself about your work habits, priorities, and needs. It’s definitely not the time to lie to ourselves about how we really work, although it can be a good time to make changes that will improve productivity and morale. Removing distractions while adding things that help cheer and motivate us can be important. Photos or illustrations of people, places or things that inspire us, access to on or offline music that will enhance our work environments and not distract us from deadlines, views of the outdoors, and/or the ability to take breaks on a balcony or patio can all provide a welcome alternative to the grindstone. If you’re not able to incorporate all of these things into your office at once due to budget limitations, don’t stress! As your business grows you can incorporate more and more improvements into your space – which will likely result in greater productivity.

In the meantime, think portable (cordless phones and laptops), personal, practical, safe, secure – and profitable.