First, make sure you select a quiet place, free of distractions. Pick a place that is far away from the general activity in your home. It should be bright, well ventilated and have plenty of electrical outlets for your computer, fax machine and lighting. Install a wireless, high speed internet connection, making sure that you have a strong signal when working in your home office. (A better signal means faster download speeds.)
Next, get a decent sized desk. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. Just something big enough to hold your computer, a lamp and any documents you may want to spread out on your desk will do. I have an old, plain laminated desk with a large top. Use a desk lamp with a halogen bulb to go easy on your eyes. Direct the light on your documents and keep the glare off of your computer screen.
Spend some money on a decent chair, and set it up to be ergonomically correct: Back straight, knees bent 90 degrees, feet flat on the floor, arms parallel to the ground at keyboard level, and your eyes roughly level with the top of the screen.
Keep yourself organized with a file cabinet. Invest in one with drawers that will accommodate legal-sized documents, like closing statements. Also invest in a label maker. I use hanging folders vs. tabbed folders. They hold more and are easy to expand.
Lastly, install a hard phone line. You spend enough time dealing with dropped calls, static and that maddening cell phone delay when on the road with clients. Having a “real” phone connection is a welcomed relief!
