Furnishings in a home office should be set up so that they work efficiently and comfortably. Here are some tips for getting the job done. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Draw the outlines of the office or office space to scale on graph paper. A scale of 1/4 inch equals 1 foot usually works well.
2. Mark anything that would affect your arrangement: electrical outlets, phone jacks, light switches, windows, doors that open into the room, windowsill heights and so forth.
3. Make same-scale paper cutouts of your furniture and shift them as needed until a likely arrangement emerges.
4. Think about how you like to work. Some people must face the door or have a window view; others prefer to have fewer distractions.
5. Be sure you have ample light regardless of where you put your desk, drafting table, reading chair or other primary roosting place.
6. Analyze what you do most frequently and situate the furnishings accordingly. If you often search through file cabinets or reference books, keep them accessible.
7. Place an ample surface for note taking near the telephone.
8. Try to arrange the furniture in such a way that pieces viewed as a unit don't show dramatic shifts in height and mass as the eye sweeps the room. If a tall bookcase is next to a low desk, hang a picture above the desk for balance.
9. Don't put any obstacles (including a wastebasket) near a chair on wheels. You don't want to whack your shins or scatter trash every time you shift position.
10. Set up an area for meeting with clients if this is part of your home office needs. This can usually be a small table with two or more chairs; stacking chairs can be useful if space is at a premium.
11. Make the best use of storage, which is often in limited supply in the home office. If storage is at a premium, think about what you seldom use and move it to another storage area, such as the garage, attic or basement; consider installing a high shelf in the room - perhaps above the window or the closet door - for occasional-use reference books and supplies (extra file folders, computer paper).
Tags: home office, reference books