Many people don't stop and take a moment or two before setting up their home office to consider little things like left or right hand orientation. Take some time to consider what tasks you will need to do besides using the computer. Will you have a lot of printing? Arrange printers so that they are accessible and easy to replenish paper and ink.
Make drawings of the furniture you have now and what you think you may require down the road will provide a useful guideline, which can help you get the most from your available space. Will you need a lot of storage space? Is a filing cabinet required? Plan that out now and leave yourself room to grow.
When contemplating where to have your home office, you should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of not having a formal work area.
Advantages & disadvantages to using whatever space is available
Advantages
- Flexible
- Don't require a lot of peripheral equipment
- Easy to pack and go when necessary
- Allows you to really work anywhere/anytime
- Can work in any room to avoid distractions
- Ideal for those using laptops only
Disadvantages
- Time spent setting up or putting away
- No space for any other equipment that may be needed
- Can get very tiresome to have to stop in the middle of something and pack everything up
- May inconvenience other members of the household
- You may be located in an area with a lot of distractions
Always make sure before you start working at home to make a plan for your home office, it will make working much easier and you will find it much less expensive when you have planned it out.
