Many people are shifting to working from home. Here are the basics on how to set up a home office.

Claim Your Plot

While the couch or even your bed seems like a comfy place to work, it’s important to set up a designated spot to call your office. Having a specific place helps with concentration and more importantly, it creates a boundary between your personal and work space … and life. You may need to get creative with moving some furnture around, but it’s necessary. Pick an area that is free of major distractions and as quiet as possible. 

Get the Basics

For bare bones purposes, you’ll need a desk or table, a comfortable chair, a computer (of course) and a power source. Additional items that will really help include: a filing cabinet, a chair mat, a clock, a trash can, and some lighting. 

Light it Up

While natural light is great, there may be times when you need more illumination so consider a small lamp or two. In addition to being functional, lamps also help to style your space. If your work requires you to examine printed documents, consider a lamp that will help with this. 

Stock Up

When working at home, you want to minimize distractions. That trip into another room to look for a pen can turn into 15 minutes of The Price is Right and a snack if you’re not careful. If you have  you need at arm’s reach, you’ll increase the likelihood you stay on task. Common supplies include: pen, paper, paperclips, printer paper, USB drive, highlighter, stapler, calculator, tape, reading glasses, and a USB drive. 

Get Wired

Internet service is a must and likely you’ll need a printer. It’s also wise to have a phone charger at your desk so you are able to take long calls without running out of battery power. Other things to consider are: a scanner, a multi-port USB drive, a photo card reader, and even a portable hard drive. There may also be other industry specific items you’ll require. If any of your components prove to be a challenge to install, check with your employer’s IT staff and worst case, see if you can research the how-to on YouTube or other instructional sites. 

Go to Work

Going to work at home seems like the easiest thing in the world, but it does take some discipline. While it’s tempting to sleep in and take care of work later, your company may be counting on you to meet specific deadlines and participate on scheduled calls. It’s in your best interest to match your employer’s expectations regarding the time of day you work and when you’re available.

We sell a number of small desks and tables that can easily be integrated into a home office. We also have sit-stand desks for those who are health conscious and corner desks for those looking for a certain configuration. We’re here to help! Shop and buy online and pick up at our local distributor — who has been given approval to stay open for no/low contact transactions.