Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers

Finding Space For Home Work

A home office used to be the exclusive province of those who worked at home. But today, almost everyone needs an area reserved for "homework", whether it's work we take home from the office, a place to file and pay bills, or for working out of our homes. It's easier to be efficient in a well, planned work space.

How Big Is Big Enough?
A home office needn't be an entire room. It can be a well defined corner of a room. A closet can be converted into a small work area for housing a desk, end to end, with built-in shelves and files on either sides. A large dining room or kitchen often yields an out of the way niche. So the first decisions are: Where can you steal some space?, and, Will you be comfortable working there?

Making Plans
Ask yourself the following questions:
l.What work will I do here?
2. How much space would I like?
3. How little space can I realistically live with?
4. What equipment do I need, i.e. typewriter, computer, adding machine, filing cabinet, etc.?

What You'll Need
Make a list of everything you'll need on hand on the desk top and what you want hidden. Do you need shelves? How many? Drawers? Files? Stationary items? Storage for computer paper, reference materials, etc.?

Catalogs
Office equipment catalogs will give you ideas for setting up different size efficient work spaces. They're fun to look through.

Design An Office
Several manufacturers carry designer items such as desks, bookshelves and computer stands, intentionally small for home, rather than office use. They are also better looking and cheaper than typical office furniture.

Specialties<
Look for catalogs containing artist's drawing tables and architectural files, among other things. These can be functional for you even if this isn't your line of work. For example, there is an item called a "Boby" (pronounced Boh-bee). It's a compact, plastic, sectional taboret to hold art supplies and it rolls on casters. Everything fits neatly into the swing out drawers and it's perfect in limited space. Great for a sewing room as well as a home office! This item is available at most art supply stores.

Make A Layout
Use graph paper to plan the layout. Draw each item to scale and in position. If you want to go further, you'll find room planning kits for around $30 at home centers. The one for kitchen designs has the right elements to use for designing an office. In fact, check out kitchen counters and cabinets if there's a showroom nearby. You can easily adapt these elements for your office space. Formica or Corian, traditionally used for kitchen counter tops, are a terrific surfaces for a desk. They're easy to clean and if you use white or beige, the light reflects off it to brighten the work area.

Important Items l. A comfortable typing chair is good for any office work, it rolls and fits neatly under a kneehole space.
2. Industrial carpeting muffles sound and is practical. It also defines the office area.
3. A good desk lamp that's adjustable.
4. Accessories: Don't adapt coffee mugs and drinking glasses for holding pencils. Try to find good looking accessories that make your new home office look smart and businesslike.
5. A phone with a separate business line.

Copyright Leslie Linsley, author
Reprinted with permission, HouseNet, Inc.

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