Home Office Must-Haves & Nice-to-Haves

Now that most companies are allowing and even encouraging employees to work from home for safety, the number of telecommuters has risen exponentially. If you’re one who can do your job at home, it’s a good idea to consider a home renovation to create a home office.

If you’re new to this, then this list will help you figure out what you absolutely need for your home office, and it might also give you an idea of which things are nice to have, all in the name of better productivity and comfort.

What You Absolutely Need

A reliable computer – You will have a difficult time doing your job if you don’t have a reliable computer with an internet connection. Consider a laptop if you like moving from place to place in your home to work. Even if you do have a home office, a laptop is nice to have if you need to meet clients or want to work outdoors or in a coffee shop.
A desk – Just because you own a laptop doesn’t mean you don’t need a desk. Find a desk that’s inexpensive and serves the purpose. One that’s the right height should help you avoid eye strain and muscle soreness when you’re working long hours.
A chair – An ergonomic chair designed for office use is a better choice than a kitchen chair. It can help you avoid lower back pain and other common issues experienced by office workers.
Good lighting – Make sure to discuss the lighting you need with your remodeling contractor. Natural light is better than artificial lighting as it’s kinder to your eyes and great for your overall health. However, if you have to work at night, choose good lighting fixtures.
A door you can close – You want the space to be all about work. Design it so you can close the door and focus on the task at hand.

What’s Nice to Have

UPS – An uninterruptible power supply unit might not be necessary if you use a laptop, but other devices that you need don’t run on battery power. Your Wi-Fi router or modem, printer and server need a backup power source in case of a power failure. You absolutely need a UPS if you use a desktop computer so you can avoid losing data.
Cloud storage – You don’t have to spend a lot of money on a server to make sure your data is safe from loss. You can use cloud storage. A free account like Google Drive should have enough storage capacity for documents.
Printer – If you need a hard copy, you can’t do without a printer. There are many affordable printers available.
Filing cabinet – If you keep plenty of documents in hard copy, then a filing cabinet would be nice to have. Nothing beats a filing cabinet when it comes to document organization.

Let’s Start a Conversation!

Need help with your home remodeling project? DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Aiken can help you design and build your home office. Call us today at (803) 335-1758 or start a conversation using our online form.

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