ideal elements of your home office

[Blessed]

The rumor is that in the spring we'll go about selling our current little house and buying a slightly larger house that will better hold a family of four. Our current house was built for a retired couple who wanted an extra bedroom - it's a 1200 sq foot, 2 bedroom, on a slab. All of our rooms are nice sized, but we have no easily accessible storage space, no basement and it simply isn't practical anymore. It worked fine when there were just 2 of us and we could put shelves and storage in the 2nd bedroom - now that we have two little ones who need a space to sleep and play, it isn't working so well anymore.

Anyway... currently my "office" is a corner in the living room and I really want to have it in a separate room in the new house - so, what types of things make your home office space ideal? I'm making my wish list now...

[ParaTed2k]

My current "home office" is much like yours, the corner of the living room. We do have an extra room from kids moving out, but I quickly claimed that as my guitar room (a guy has to have priorities, right?).

If I could make my ideal home office, it would be kind of small, just big enough to not feel cramped or stuffy. The only furniture would be a computer desk with hutch and chair, a file cabinet and book case. There would be a radio with mp3 player, but no tv or any other "entertainment". The phone would have an answering machine so I could screen calls. There would be a nice sized window, but it would have blinds so I could decide when I wanted to see through it and when I didn't. It would be decorated with Motivational posters (along with "Demotivator" posters.. I mean, come on we can't be stuffy either).

I would only be in the room to do business. Nothing else.

There are probably more details, but that's the gyst.

[Lyrafire]

Natural light is a must-have for me. And bookshelves. A comfy chair (I've gotta get one of those!) is nice, and a nice big flat surface for my keyboard and screen, coffee cup, reference books, and a bunch of stickies and paper. A laser printer/copier is a must. They're fast, and I save oodles of money with mine. Even though it's initially more expensive and the toner costs about $70, a toner cartridge lasts me about a year. That's huge--ink cartridges for an ink jet would cost me that much every two months.

Big bonus about a dedicated office: you can write off the office space on your taxes (but, last I knew, only if it's an entire room used only as your office).

[vangogh]

My current office probably isn't ideal since it consists mainly of a laptop and wherever I happen to feel like sitting in the house. Instead I'll offer some thoughts about what would be ideal.

I'd like a big desk that I could really spread out on. On it would be a desktop computer with as large a monitor as possible and a laptop. Each would be able to share the other's monitor. I'd want a high speed connection and a variety of peripherals like router, hard drives to back up to, printer/scanner/fax, etc. Hopefully the desk would have at least one drawer which would contain notebooks, pens, and pencils.

One or two file cabinets to hold all the paperwork I need to store and as many bookshelves as could fit in the room. Some setup to play music. In the interest of saving space that would probably be an iPod and one of the systems you could hook it into to serve as speakers and power supply. Natural light would be good (along with enough indoor lighting for days where there isn't much natural light available), ideally with a nice view of nature outside.

Some art on the walls and plants around the room would also be nice as would a nice paint job inside.

[Harold Mansfield]

I don't have the same space and privacy issues since I am single, but when I set up where I am now it was a no brainer. It's actually supposed to be the dining area, or breakfast nook, so it was the perfect space since I don't have many dinner parties nor do I need a "nook" for breakfast.

It's the room with the most windows and one side faces the pool. There are 6 electrical outlets and a cable hook up in the room..that's pretty much all I need.
With kids and all, you probably want a door.

After that it's more about hardware and organization.

Having a wireless printer is great because it can be anywhere, you don't have to take up desk space because of cord restrictions. Actually, I use as many wireless and blutooth peripherals as possible to cut down on cords.
An L-shaped corner desk is a nice addition. I don't use it as a workstation, but it fits nicely to hold other stuff and a second computer. You can get a decent cheap one for under $100.
My room didn't have shelves and neither of my desks have drawers so I improvised a little. I got a little 2 shelf thingy from Target that I have positioned under the L-Shaped desk with paper supplies, disks, and other supplies. I also got a couple of wall square shelf things that I mounted and use for discs and CD's (although I don't have or save many discs anymore).

I have a small, one drawer file holder for any papers that I need to keep, but I mostly save any documents that come through my computer, on my computer.

Once you have the windows. electrical outlets, and internet hook up, it's really about what you do with the space.

[Lyrafire]

My office (only room in house that isn't painted yet): rigged up L-shaped desk. Wireless everything. Rundown chair. Window--don't want curtains.989799

[nealrm]

If i were to get a new office one of the key features would be a door that closes, sound proofing in the walls, a large window and desk.

[KristineS]

I'm in the process of setting up one of the spare bedrooms upstairs as an office. So far it has nothing in it except book shelves and a lot of boxes. Eventually I hope it will have the following: a filing cabinet, more bookshelves, a desk, a comfortable chair, hook - up for music and computer unless I go wireless. It's not a huge room, but I'm also contemplating getting a futon or something for the times when I want to curl up and read.

[Lyrafire]

I use one of three things for music, all right on my computer: music lists I have downloaded onto my computer, Pandora (so cool), and WNCW (even cooler). WNCW is in Spindale NC, but you can listen to it anywhere. It's part of NPR, and if you go to the WNCW site, you can stream their broadcast. I love them--they play an amazing, eclectic array of music. One minute, Billie Holiday, the next indy rock. Off the top of my head, yesterday I believe I heard Billie Holiday, Moby, Everything But the Girl, Django Reinhart and Stephen Grappelli, Mavis Staples, Jethro Tull, Leo Kotke, Robert Plant and a bunch of others. I have a pair of speakers attached to my computer. El-cheapos, but better than nothin'. Maybe I'll ask Santa for a nicer pair.

[Harold Mansfield]

I haven't seen any reason to stop using iTunes for music. It has everything..all the radio stations you want, instant access to music downloads, podcasts, video podcasts, movie rentals (if you so desire) and your apps.
I got a set of Logitech THX 5.1 speakers, 640w a while back ( on special for $200) and they sound even better now with the new computer that actually has 5.1 sound capability.
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-THX-Certified-Digital-Surround-Speaker/dp/B0002WPSBC/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_1 - This set is only 505w. I haven't seen the others in a while.

I agree that having music is integral to enjoying your work space. I even picked up a little portable digital TV that I have on my desk, underneath my monitors, for $69 so that I can have news or whatever on without using a monitor for TV..and it's much simpler than installing a TV tuner and no need to waste processor on that anyway. Just split the signal, plug and play.
Amazon.com: Haier HLT71 7-Inch Handheld LCD TV: Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Haier-HLT71-7-Inch-Handheld-LCD/dp/B001E78UQY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1287168336&sr=8-1)

Like I said, once you have the space set aside, it's really all about the set up that makes the workspace efficient, functional and comfortable.
Outside of food, and a commode, I have everything I need in front of me for long sessions.
A lot of people would think it's a distraction, but I think it actually helps me work long hours when I need to.

[billbenson]

A friend had a small area off the living room with doors and windows all around it in a condo. Its about the size of a breakfast nook or smaller. H very cleverly built in a desk that consisted of a hardwood file cabinet and drawer unit from home depot and countertop from HD as well. A few hundred bucks. Some book shelves installed to look built in as well. The printer was on a drawer slide to keep it out of the way. The entire desk top was against the window so he had a lot of natural light. The whole thing probably cost him $500 or so. It worked out well because he was so successful at the built in look and hiding printer, computer, modems etc. You don't really need that much space if you do it right. The key was the window space as well. There was a tree that blocked direct sunlight as well.

[Blessed]

A small dedicated space would be awesome. With shelves and file cabinets. I like the iPod & docking station idea - I like to listen to recorded books when I'm working on some of the virtual assistant - spreadsheet/database work that I do or when I'm working on design, I can check out audio books online from the library and download them to an iPod/MP3 player. If I'm writing I like music instead. iTunes works well for music although I do listen to Pandora sometimes too. Good lighting and a nice window would be good too.

I have a wireless printer - bought it in the spring and it's awesome to not have to plug in to that, I also use a wireless mouse. Eventually I'd like to have a desktop computer in addition to my laptop with all wireless connections for that too.

I also want a small work table and I'd like to be able to meet with clients in my office rather than always having to run to the local coffee shop - I don't bring anyone into my home right now, I don't like meeting at the kitchen table with clients - it just bugs me. I've seen lots of houses with a small office or den off of the main living area - I think that would be perfect for us.

[Blessed]

Lyrafire - I really like the table to the side with the three little drawers in it - that is an awesome piece of furniture!

[greenoak]

ours is a big room with a desk and files and his computer table for his deskktop and printer.......and a closet for all the paper and another table for the other printer and copy machine..and big fireproof file with the fax machine on top......and racks for al the paperwork, in and out, hes got a nice chair on rolllers on a heavy plastic mat so he can go from desk to computer...
thats his part....mine is in my parlor? whatever you call it..a nice big room ..with my collections and stuff and for business a chair and catalogs and notebooks....and folders with all the different categories i use...like my openhouse info ..my laptop is wireless and in the tv room .... i dont really do work on it...thank heavens i dont have to do the paperwork...my work is a lot differnt...