Setting Up Your Office

If you plan to have a home based slipcover business, you will eventually need a dedicated office. While the kitchen table may work for a short while, having an office space will contribute to a professional mindset for you and your clients. Your office does not have to be a huge space, just a dedicated space. Here are a few suggestions to help you locate and set up your office:

having an office space will contribute to a professional mindset for you and your clients.

Identify the space

If space is limited, you can take over a closet
Claim a corner of the living room, dining room or family room
How about that awkward space under the stairs?
Retrofit an armoire for your office

Plan out the space

Before purchasing anything, do some pre-planning. Decide on how big a desk you will need. And what type of tools/equipment will you have in your office. Will you have a dedicated computer? Or will you use the family’s computer? How about a phone, fax or copy machine. Making these decisions ahead of time will save you from having to make major adjustments once you get busy making slipcovers.

Choose your equipment

Now that you have a plan, you can start making some decisions on office furniture and equipment. Take a look around your home, you may already have pieces that you can use. Here are 3 major items you will need:

Desk—there are many items that can stand in for a desk. How about an old farm table? Or two file cabinets topped with an hollow core door? Look around, I’m sure you can come up with more ideas. Do a Google image search if you get stuck.

Chair–be careful when choosing a desk chair. Be sure and choose one that is comfortable with an adjustable seat height and back rest. Make sure you take time to give any chair you are considering a test drive. Choosing a well made, comfortable chair can save you a lot of aches and pains later.

File containers–A 2 drawer file cabinet should be sufficient for your filing needs. If you choose a desk of file cabinets and door, the second cabinet can be used for storage of office supplies.

Proper Lighting

Good lighting is essential. As we get older, we need more light, so this is an important consideration. Even if you aren’t older yet, proper light can reduce eye strain. Include as much natural sunlight as possible, however, in many cases, there just isn’t natural light available, especially if your office is in a closet. The two main types of lighting you need to consider are:

General lighting –Intended for general illumination of an area. This is usually a fixture on the ceiling or a table lamp.

Task lighting–Mainly functional and is usually the most concentrated, for purposes such as being able to see the details of something you are working on. For example a bright lamp that would be used when working at a desk or table, with the light focused on the project at hand.

Do give some serious consideration to your lighting needs. Proper lighting can enhance task performance and increase your productivity.

Storage

In a small space keep only the minimum you need to operate on a daily basis. Store less frequently used items outside of the office. Maximize your storage by making use of vertical space for storage. Use the walls for shelving or build in bookcases or other wall mounted storage solutions. Hang a chalkboard or whiteboard on the wall to keep track of commitments and deadlines.

Get creative and can use old objects to organize and accent your office. Eggcups, old muffin tins and wide mouth vases make attractive containers for your desktop.

Decor

How much effort and expense you put into decorating your office is up to you. As a minimum, you want to create an attractive space to work in. If you have a closet or armoire office, you can create an unique statement, since it can be closed off. However, if your office is part of another room, do try and keep the decor related to that room.

Either way, you can add some touches to make the space reflect your personal style. Try using baskets for organizing papers and mail. If you are into recycling and re-purposing, cover boxes with paper or fabric for a nice coordinated look. Look at things you would normally discard and I’m sure you will see many storage possibilities in them.

By taking a look around your home, you can scout out a place for a small office for your slipcover business. Taking the time to plan out your office space, organizing and personalizing it to suit you, doing the dreaded paperwork won’t seem so bad after all.

I would love to hear what you are doing or have done to carve out an office space in your home.  Feel free to leave a comment and share with us.

Tagged as: home based office, home office, how to organize office, organize office

The Slipcover Diva on September 3, 2010 in build your business,getting organized