It is recently said that our work lives and personal lives have morphed together into a new kind of life where the two - previously separate worlds - are now one. This is true for many of us. We work from home, we work from a Starbucks table, we respond to work emails using our smart phones at 9 AM at night.
Having a home office where you can communicate as necessary could make your work life easier and your personal time better, but how much would setting up a home office cost? That depends mostly on the technology you already have available at home, and on the living space you can allow for this project.
## Make A List Of All Things Technical ##
You probably already have access to much of the technology you need in a home office: a smart phone, a laptop, a tablet, a wireless Internet connection and a printer. You may not yet have a fax. If your printer does not have wireless capabilities, you'll want to trade up to one that does.
## Do You Need More Electrical Units? ##
Plugging in your laptop, a phone, a phone charger, a tablet charger, a wireless printer and more can mean getting more electric plug-ins installed. Consult an expert who can tell you if your chosen location can handle all the electricity you'll need to flow your way.
## How Much Space Will You Need? ##
Are you going to be the only person who uses your office or will the occasional co-worker or client visit? Do you think that your university-aged child might want to use the space when you are not? Map out how much space you will need to work comfortably and to store your work materials.
## Do You Need New Furniture? ##
It is important to have a solid desk to work at, as well as a filing cabinet and an extra comfy chair or two. You might even want to spring for some colorful art to hang on your wall or a tropical fish tank; remember, you are likely going to spend quite a bit of time in your home office.
The only contractor you will need to consult is an electrician who can educate you on how much power you can reasonably expect to use in your chosen space; the furniture and decorating you should be able to handle on your own without incurring significant cost.
Linda Lawson
