Steps to Setting Up Your Workspace
If you are starting a home business office there are lots of things to consider to make it an efficient and comfortable place to work. Having a dedicated space is ideal.
If you do this, a part of your residence can be claimed on your income taxes as a business area. That means however, that you don’t use that space for anything other than your business operations. The IRS is strict about this and we REALLY don’t want any problems with the IRS.
The next thing to consider is the equipment you will need to outfit the space for your needs. Do you need a photocopier, fax machine, dedicated phone line, computer and a printer?
The next thing to decide is how much space is available to house these items. I like a stacking shelf system that is near enough to an electrical outlet to plug into a surge suppressor without an extension cord.
Another consideration is your filing system. For papers you will need to access often I recommend a mail sorter with labels. These can be hung on a wall so as not to take up valuable floor space. After the bin is full or you feel you can file the papers, a stationary file cabinet or file bins are the next step.
Desk placement is also important. You don’t want the glare from a window shining on your computer screen all day. Position the desk facing or perpendicular to any windows and utilize artificial light to illuminate your work space.
June 13, 2009 10:00 pm 
