(https://www.pexels.com/photo/apartment-architecture-business-chair-265129/)
When you first think about setting up your own business, you tend to get more excited about the idea of launching things compared to anything else. And while it’s great to be passionate about what you do and ready to make your startup a success, there are a lot of things that you need to put in place on a practical level. One of which will be your office. Now, as a startup, you may not be looking to buy an office building, or even rent a floor – not yet anyway. But you’re still going to need an area to work and it often make sense for that to be your home.
However, setting up a business from home isn’t always as simple as opening your laptop at the dining room table and getting to work. For some people, this is going to be the ideal situation. But when you have a family or home chores that are likely to require your attention, working in your living space won’t cut it. Instead, you need a designated work space that will serve as your business’s very first office. To do that, you’re going to need to make sure your home is up to the challenge.
Figure Out Your Requirements
By now, you’re probably starting to realize that you’re actually faced with quite the challenge. Trying to work out what you need from your home office can be tricky. But this is always the best place to start. If you just decide to dive right in and start painting or fixing, you may end up making poor choices and forgetting things. So, first you need to determine what you need from your office. From the room to the facilities, by figuring out your requirements, you’ll be able to make better decisions going forward.
Choose A Designated Space
Okay, so after giving this some thought based on your individual business needs, you then need to choose a designated space. If you have a downstairs study or a spare room, should be an easy decision for you. However, when you have to squeeze an office into an already full house, you can often wonder where you’re going to put it. In this instance, you may want to consider converting an unused garage into something suitable, or even setting up something in your basement if you have one.
Clear It Out
Your vital next step is to get your chosen space into a state fit for an office. Let’s face it – not all of us will have an empty, clean and tidy room just sitting there waiting to be used as an office. More often than not, it’s a space stored full of old junk, so you have to work on clearing it all out. You’ll need to find a home for what used to be kept there and throw out what you don’t need. You should also start cleaning, just to make the next part easier.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-study-lamp-on-black-table-159839/
Jazz It Up
With your empty room, it’s now ttime to decorate. And this may sound frivolous, but it’s an essential step. Nobody wants to work in an ugly office. You want to feel proud of where you work. You’ll also find that your chosen decor will set the atmosphere in your office and you often need that to keep yourself on track.
Find Your Furniture
With a good lick of paint and maybe some new flooring, your office should start to take shape. But at this stage, it’s still an empty shell. So you’re going to need to get yourself some office furniture. Even if it’s just a desk and chair for now. Just make sure it’s a showstopping table, and chair combo and the room will look great.
Invest In Equipment
Next up, you need to think about any equipment your business might need. Just because your office is based at home, it doesn’t mean that you have to cut back on the things you need. Technically, you should have more budget to put towards the things you need because of this. You may be happy with your laptop for now, but it’s also nice to make sure you have everything in place, too.
Hook It Up
From here, it’s on to getting your home ready to host a business in terms of the facilities you have. Your office needs access to the right communications, such as broadband. If you are out in the garage or basement, you may even need to get electrical outlets and internet connections installed.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/blur-bottle-bright-building-273238/
Secure It Up
Another key consideration to make is about security. If you don’t have a home security system, you may need to look into the right security systems to protect both your home and business. If you have invested in expensive equipment, you’re not going to want to risk anything happening to it. So installing a security system either for the entire house or just your office could be a good idea.
Add In Some Motivation
From something quite serious and practical to something much for frivolous and fun, you’re going to want to dress your new office space up. Think of this as a motivational must have. Hanging motivational quotes on the walls is always going to make your office feel like the business space it should be – even if it is nestled in next to your bedroom. You may want to add some candles and cushions while you’re at it, just so you feel more at home.
Inform Everyone
Finally, you’re then going to want to let everyone know. Whether this is a brand new business that you’re just about to start, or one that you’ve just found a home for, you should share your new address with clients and get some business cards written up too – just to show that your company has arrived!
