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Whether you work at home from time to time or you run your own business from home, it can make a nice change to work from somewhere that’s comfortable and yours that’s just a few feet from your bed! For a productive home working environment, you’re going to need the right equipment, and there are some things that you may not even realise that you need around you. Take a look at these essential items for your home office and make sure you’ve got your home kitted out.
A home computer or laptop
Well, this one might seem obvious, and while it’s very likely that you already have a computer or laptop at home, you should make sure that yours is as up to date as possible, and invest in a new one if it’s a couple of years old. You’ll need equipment around you that works and is unlikely to fail on you, and that can also cope with the work you intend to do. If you work with photography, graphic design or video editing, for example, you’ll need a high-performance machine to cope with the essential software you need. You may find that it makes more sense to you to lease your equipment, but you should check out the pros and cons of leasing technology first.
A desk set-up
If you’re going to be working from home regularly, you should invest in a more sophisticated desk set-up, as bending over a laptop every day will leave you hunched over and cause you pain. Your desk should have a comfortable chair, a work area that’s the right height with enough storage, as well as a monitor, keyboard and mouse that can be adjusted to suit your needs.
A printer
As more and more of us move paperless, it’s likely that your home doesn’t have a printer for everyday use. When you’re working from home however or are running your own business, a printer will become an essential item and will be worth an investment. As well as your printer, you’ll need a good supply of ink cartridges, and sites like 123 InkJets are a great place to pick up affordable ink for your printer. Make sure you’re well stocked on paper too – it’s better to have too much of these things than not enough.
A good network
Having all of the right technology in place means nothing unless you’ve got a good network to run it on. It’s important that you setup your wifi and phone line with a reliable provider that can give you the best connection for the best price. Choose from a reliable provider as dealing with connectivity issues is not something that clients and customers will want to hear about if you run into any problems.
Stationery
Stationery is another thing you might lack around the home, and you won’t realize how important it is until you start working from there. Go to a supply shop and pick up notepads, pens, staplers, etc., and all of the other usual things you would normally expect to have in the office. Funky or motivational stationery is a great idea to help bring some personality into your office and keep you feeling productive and motivated.
A filing system
When working from home, the last thing you’ll want to do is have your office spin out of control and have papers all over your home. The right home filing system will help you to keep your work organised and will stop your business taking over your home. You should also consider investing in a shredder to help you get rid of documents that you no longer need.
A coffee machine
A coffee machine will be your hero when you need it! It makes sense to have one at home so that you can work from home and enjoy good coffee, without having to leave home to get it. Having your own coffee machine will also help you save money as you’ll no longer need to head out to Starbucks or the nearest coffee shop for a pick me up. Choose the right coffee machine for you and make sure you find a good supplier online that will sell you high-quality, affordable coffee.
Setting up your home office can be one of the more exciting parts of setting up your own business and is usually a good place to start. Make sure you pick somewhere that is quiet and free from distractions (in its own room if you can), and you’ll be able to create a productive work environment that lets you get stuff done. When working from home, always make sure that you set yourself office hours so that the lines don’t become blurred and you spend all your time at home working. Rest and relaxation in your home are also important, so make sure you plan your time in your home office wisely.
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