If you are thinking about working from home, here are a few things to consider.
Firstly, be clear and realistic about what you can do in your home. Think about the spaces you need, and what is available. Can you use those spaces in ways that won’t intrude on others, and that will give you the right atmosphere in which to work.
Just thinking about office space for bookkeeping, correspondence etc, you’ll need a space that has enough room for all your things, and where you won’t have to pack your things away each day (say, before the kids come home). A separate room is ideal.
Plan out your furniture to suit how you like to work. Have sufficient work surfaces – somewhere for the computer, for writing, for reading. Make sure things are handy. You could have a U-shaped space, a V-shaped space, or parallel desks.
Get a good desk and chair. You might be able to make do with furniture you already have, but don’t compromise because this is about your health. The chair needs to support you well, and the desk needs to be the right height, and preferably have a way of elevating the monitor so your neck is at the right angle.
Storage for filing will be necessary. That is paper, but also you’ll store important things like computer back-up discs. Lighting is also important. It can affect your mood and therefore your productivity.
What permanent stationery items will you need? If you’ve worked in an office, think about all the things that are just there for you to use: stapler, scissors, hole punches. You might even need specialised equipment, like a spiral binding machine.
Your technological equipment requires careful thought as it could be your most expensive set of items. You’ll almost certainly need one (or more) computers. So how many, what sort, how fast, how clever. And while you’re at it, how will you back up your data? What options are there?
You’ll also need a printer. Laser jet or ink jet? Scanner, fax machine? Maybe you could use a multi-function machine that does all three. Will you need colour output? Duplex (ie double-sided) printing? Will you need to print bigger than A4?
You’ll need a phone system. You might want a fixed line as this is usually cheaper to call. Cordless phones are ideal for the office so you can move unimpeded. Therefore you’ll need one or more dedicated phone lines, other than your home phone. Contact your phone company to see what sort of deals they offer.
You will almost certainly want good Internet access. How much, how fast? Work out how much you’ll be uploading/downloading, and don’t get caught with deals that drop your transfer rate when you exceed your limit. Your business might not be able to function at low rates.
Other things to think about are answering machine or phone company answer service, wireless or fixed wires, and if wireless, what variety?