The Importance of Home Office Planning (Link Roundup)

When you are out to design a workplace, there are a handful of key points that you must keep in mind. Ask yourself – what are you going to do in this area? To answer this chief question is to know what to plan. Planning, after all, is a key feature in achieving office space function.

Analyzing your requirements entails a lot of writing. You need to jot down the equipment, furniture, layout, office supplies, and many other things that you will need. Knowing all these things from the onset will give you an idea of how much space you will be needing.

Jumpstarting Office Space Planning

As soon as you have determined the use of your workplace, then it is time to get to work. For instance, if you are about to open a clinic, then you need to incorporate a reception area, a billing department and a back office.

It is not good for clients to see a studio-type office with every little activity happening right before their very eyes. If you can squeeze in a storage room then this will surely help in creating a neater and cleaner look.

Space wherein you will set your office should be established early on. This can be the attic, basement, even an old warehouse. If you live with your family, just make sure that the office space will not impede any of their daily activities.

While you need to consider your loved ones’ comfort, you must not forget what the home office is for in the first place – it is a place where you could focus without any distractions. So, just as you need to plan that your family members will not be disturbed by your work, you also need to map an area where you will get the least amount of distraction, too.

Light It Up

One other important area to focus on is how to illuminate your office space especially if you are going to use the basement or attic. Darkness can be depressing and can hamper productivity so bring natural light in.

Have windows installed and in the case of windows that have been tightly shut, well, it’s time to open them up. See also that space is well-ventilated. Consider placing electrical outlets in areas where you will be using the fax machine, telephone, and computers.

Have It Your Way, Customize

The greatest part about having a home office is the freedom that working from home provides. You are, literally, working in your comfort zone so it is quite easy to stay motivated.

Hang your favorite paintings, family photographs and spiritual items on the wall. If you want to listen to soothing music while working, then you can also set up a music system.

A personalized look can help you feel more comfortable, aids in your productivity and can help you stay motivated.

Lastly, make sure that you coordinate the style to the overall theme and colors that you will use in your home office. Harmony is fundamental, do not just fill up the space with large furniture and oversized carpets.

Let Technology Help

Thanks to technology, you can now plan the layout of your home office before you drive a single nail into the wall. There are now many computer applications such as Ikea Planner and Google Sketchup which can help you plot the doors, windows, furniture and electrical points in 2D or 3D.  With these, you can eliminate interior design mistakes that can happen due to negligence or human error. Office space planning has always been an important part of any interior design project. Therefore, you must take the time to obtain every bit of information before you call an interior designer and he starts to charge by the hour.