Home Based Business Workspace

 Now that you have selected your home based business, you need to think about setting up your home business office.

Different home based businesses have different space requirements. Some businesses require a place where the owner works alone on a project using a computer, printer, fax, or telephone. Others may require a workshop area for the assembling of a product or servicing of a product. Or, you may need storage space for inventory.

All home based businesses will require space where you can make phone calls, create invoices, and do your day-to-day recordkeeping.

You need to determine what you will need to run your home based business. The following questions will assist you as you plan your workspace.

How will your home based business workspace be used?

Determine the type of work and meetings that will take place in your home business. This will help you determine the best office set-up.

Answer the following questions:

1. Will all of your work be done in your home business office or just the adminstrative tasks?
2. Will separate areas be required for specific tasks?
3. Will certain business equipment need its own space?
4. Who uses the space? Will it only be used for your home based business?
5. Do you need space for employees or a partner?
6. Will clients or customers visit you at your home office?
7. What type of image do you want to portray to clients or customers?
8. Do you need a separate waiting area for clients or customers?
9. Is there adequate parking for clients or customers?
10. Is your home based business office easily accessible from the waiting area and/or parking?
11. What type of storage will you need? How often will you need to access it?
12. What equipment will you need?

The answers to these questions will assist you in determining the amount of space you need as well as where your home based business should be located.

Consider your personal needs, too. You will be in your workspace for hours. Your home based business office should be set up so that you can work comfortably with few distractions.

Your chosen home business will determine what form your home office should take. You may be able to use your kitchen or dining room table to complete your administrative tasks for the day.

If you have a family and your home based business requires that you make and receive phone calls during business hours, you will probably want to set aside a specific area.

If you have a desk or computer desks, you may want to use it. However, if that area is currently used by your family and for your personal papers, you will want to make sure that your business papers do not get mixed in together.

Plan your home based business workspace.

After answering the previously listed questions as to how your home based business workspace will be used, you need to determine the equipment you will need.

Make a list of the equipment needed for your office. Determine if it will fit in the space you have selected for your home based business office.

One way to do this is to use graph paper to layout your room. There is software available you can purchase to layout a room. Use the plan you develop before you shop. You will want to make sure everything fits into your home office workspace.

Your home based business office

Setting up a separate and distinct work area for the office of your home based business has two benefits:

1. It will allow you to focus on your work during your business hours, and
2. It will make it easier for you to relax once the work day is over.

There are also tax benefits associated with creating a "distinct, separate" area used only for business.

Sometimes it is not possible to use a separate room that can be closed off for your home based business. In this case, you may want to partition off an area and use a folding screen or curtain to set it apart. You may also want to post a sign while you are working so that family and friends will not disturb you.

If you have a space in your garage or attic, you may want to convert it for your office. This makes it easy to calculate business deductions for tax purposes. It also prevents visiting clients or customers from having to walk through your home.

Another option is to add an addition to your home. Do this only if you can afford it and if it makes sense for the start-up of your home based business.

The advantage of a home based business is that you are in control. This means that if you are to be successful and have a profitable business, you have to put in the work and effort required. Your home business office should be conducive to this end.