Small Home Office Ideas

Setting Up Your Home Office in a Small Space

Most home-based entrepreneurs didn’t move into their homes with a home office in mind. Once the business get started – people usually make do with what they have.

In some cases that’s a spare bedroom that is used for multiple activities. In other cases, a home business is run on a kitchen table or living room sofa. Some home-based entrepreneurs locate their offices against a wall, in a hallway or under a staircase. And, of course, some traveling entrepreneurs work out of their cars.

In any case, these small spaces need to be used wisely, as their purpose is to help generate income. What typically fits into the CEO’s corner office now needs to be condensed into a small corner or mobile workspace.

Below are some ideas for organizing your small space and resources for getting the most out of small area, including organizational tools and multi-functional furniture.

As we learn to do more with less, we often find that we didn’t need all of that space in the first place. We can do just fine without it – and in the meantime, we’ve created more efficient businesses.

Small Home Office Ideas

A lot goes on at home besides work – especially with a family. If you plan on working from home amongst all the activity, it’s important that you create a space where you can actually get work done.

In some small spaces, this may not be completely possible, but having a designated work space can really help you be more productive, so keep this in mind as you lay out your home office design.

Key components to any office include a work space, seating and storage.

Your work area doesn’t need to be spacious, but it should be adequate so that you can get your work done without tripping over yourself – or someone else tripping over you. Being well-organized can actually help you accomplish more in less space as well.

Seating needs to be comfortable (if you are sitting). Some home-based entrepreneurs (myself included) have set up standing desks to avoid the health issues that come with sitting all day. Money invested into a comfortable ergonomic chair is likely able to save you money in the long run at the doctor’s office.

Store items that you need frequently in close proximity to your work space. Keep your supplies organized so that they take up less space and you can find them quickly and easily. If your home office is part of another room, store your stuff in cabinets or drawers so they are out of sight when not in use.

Home Office Desk

If you are working in a limited space, you may need to convert a piece of furniture that you already have (ie a cabinet or table) into a part-time desk. This way, you aren’t adding another piece of furniture where you don’t have room for one, and your “desk” can be used for other purposes when not being used as a desk.

For example, in this photo, a table in a living room temporarily turns into a desk when you pull a chair up to it. When you’re done working, you simply clean up work work materials and more the chair back to it’s original place. Voila! The living room is back to normal and doesn’t feel like an office.

Sometimes a desk can be concealed as a wall shelf or as a fold-down table in a armoire or even a shelf or tabletop in a closet. When not in use, the workspace is completely concealed – and in some cases, paperwork, phone, computers and printers can be hidden as well.

Part of what makes limited desk space work is that you limit the items you have on and in your desk in the first place. Sometimes, you can organize your supplies and equipment so that it takes up less space.

Other times, you can get rid of a lot of the stuff that you really don’t need in the first place. You also may be able to store items in different locations – and not right at your desk.

Therefore, the first step to setting up a desk in your home office is to figure out what you really need at your desk and what activities you will be doing there. Then buy, build or create a desk that meets those needs.

The Mobile Desk

And who says your desk has to stay in one place? Yes, there is a mobile deskoption, and there are mobile craft tables too. The benefit of these is that you can set them up and work anywhere. You also can fold them up and store them away when not in use.

They come with built-in drawers in addition to the working surface, so you can keep your desk items organized in your desk without having to store them elsewhere. All you need is a chair, and you’re ready to work!

Mobile desks are ideal for those with limited work space at home because they are small. Because they are mobile, they allow you to work virtually anywhere in your home – including outside. They also can be transported if you need to take your work “off site”.

If you just need a workspace for a laptop, and you don’t need shelves, drawers, etc.. you can get an adjustable table with wheels. I know I shouldn’t be saying this, but for those of us who take our work to bed with us – these things are great!

Home Office Furniture that Saves Space

If you can keep all of your work stuff in a file cabinet, desk drawers or in a nearby closet, that’s great. However, that’s not always an option. Here are some unique alternatives that will help you store your work gear and stay organized at the same time.

If you have extra wall space, why not use it? Wall mounted shelves can help you get clutter off your desk but still keep items in reach.

A classy wall hutch can help you stay organized but not make your spare table look like a work station when not in use. Add a framed photo or piece of artwork in one of the cubbies to make the hutch look more like home decor.

Another way to conceal work items is with baskets. Basket-drawers provide easy access to stuff when you need them, but when you “close up” you office, these cool storage options look more like home decor than storage space.

Storage cubes and traditional shelving can be great, but leave all of your work stuff exposed. Alternatively, you can purchase baskets or fabric or leather boxes separately that fit in the cubes or shelving units.

And who knew the nice leather ottoman was part of the office? I thought those things were for extra pillows and blankets.

Ottomans can provide tons of storage space while still being available for extra seating. great for home offices that are situated in a hallway, a spare bedroom or living room.

Mobile Home Office: Working from Your Car…

Sometimes, home-based business owners need to travel to meet clients or conduct work at other sites. To make best use of time, it may be best (or essential) to work out of one’s car.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, you may find that working out of your car may turn out to be quite productive if you can park in an area with few distractions and you have space in your vehicle set up as an “office”.

You can actually get “desks” that you can set up on the passenger’s seat of your car which houses a laptop, printer, files and other desk accessories. When you have everything you need in an organized space, you can get a lot more done.

If you have a busy household with lots of activities going on – you may find that working out of your vehicle may be your most productive work time of the day. Check out this cool car desk:

AutoExec Car Desk

The RoadMaster Car Desk is ideal for people who work in their vehicles and use a laptop. It’s convenient for typing, has a printer stand and it stays secure with a seatbelt.

The desk can also can store file folders, books, pens and other mobile office essentials. As you can see, this lady is successfully multi-tasking, and she looks like she’s enjoying herself.

How to Organize a Small Home Office

For more new business ideas for small and home-based companies, visit The New Business Idea. You can also get over 200 business start-up guides and download the Home Business Start-Up Checklist free from www.HomeBusinessCenter.com.