Creating a Home Office

With so many people working from home these days, a home office has become an essential space in many homes. It's a growing trend where many Canadians are now choosing to work from home. A home office provides flexibility and saves time where people don't need to go on long commutes. A truly productive home office requires more than a phone, fax and computer. It is important to keep in mind your specific needs and remember, your space not only needs to be functional, but it also needs to be aesthetically pleasing. So, whether you're contemplating making the move or just want a handy place to work in your house, it's time to create a comfortable office space that's right for you.

Define Your Space
If you're lucky to have a separate room for your home office, this will be ideal and the task won't be so hard. A guest room or underused bedroom can serve the purpose. If not, make use of whatever space you have, whether it's a stair landing, a small closet, or an unused corner of the living room. It is important that this space is defined as yours and not shared with others in your household. You will be more efficient if you find a space that can be dedicated to a home office area.

Designing a Layout
Calling in a professional to help you design your space is a good idea. If that isn't an option for you, then do your homework. Although, it might be tempting to just move furniture and accessories around until the space works, if you spend some time measuring your space, creating a floor plan, measuring your furniture, and thinking it through, the final result will be more satisfactory. Most people require two different workstations: one for administrative duties, such as billing, faxing, phone calls and computer work; and another that is project related, such as a meeting, or drafting. Remember to dedicate space for both stations.

Decor
Whatever work you can do yourself will save you money. Fill your work environment with a personality to spark creativity and prevent you from feeling isolated. Consider painting the walls yourself. Adding a fresh, lively colour or a sedate, calming colour will set the tone for your workspace. Surround yourself with objects you love. Since you will be spending lots of time in your office, remember to make it an enjoyable place to be in.

Furniture
Can you move furniture or accessories from one part of the house to your new home office? You'll save money if you don't have to purchase new items. Is there a comfortable chair in the guest room? Do you have some pictures or artwork tucked away in a closet that would be inspiring and decorative on the walls? Look around to see what you can use in your new home office. If you will be purchasing new furniture, look beyond furniture designed specifically for offices. Try to artfully blend home and work to create a calm and peaceful space.

There are many ways to create a good space for working at home without spending lots of money. Home offices can be created in a variety of spaces, from a guest bedroom to a large closet to a corner of your kitchen. These ideas can help you start on your project. You will feel a great sense of accomplishment after turning some wasted and unused space into an efficient home office.