The Complete Home Office Design Guide for Entrepreneurs

Tackling a home office design can seem a daunting task in addition to starting up a business. Are you getting ready to launch your own company? Think twice before signing a commercial lease to rent office space. The workforce is changing, and remote work is a very popular option. Plenty of professionals prefer telecommuting, which allows you to hire from a growing talent pool, and running your business from your home can help you save money! If you’re interested in linking up with a reliable real estate agent like Donna Bulika to purchase a home with plenty of office space, or simply renovating a room in your current home for your office, these tips will help you get started!

Buying Property

If you’re interested in moving into a new home with more room for your business needs, you might be wondering if you’ll be able to house hunt in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. The real estate industry has responded to the pandemic with safety protocols that make it possible for homebuyers to continue looking at properties without risking their health. You can take “tours” by viewing 3D property walkthroughs, signing up for video chat tours, or attending virtual open houses. You may want to apply for a mortgage online rather than going to the bank in person.

Buying a home in a seller’s market like Toronto can be a stressful process, and buyers must be prepared to move quickly to put down an offer. Working with a real estate agent who knows the city inside and out is the key to getting your offer accepted in this competitive market.

Creating a New Space

If your home lacks the room for a dedicated workspace, but moving is not an option, you may need to construct a new space. That might mean building a small shed in your backyard or hiring contractors to build an addition to your home. If you are planning to build a new structure for your office, make sure to get it connected to your WiFi network.

Shopping for Your Office

Once you’ve decided where your office will be, you’re ready to start shopping for all of your furniture and important supplies! Make sure to budget for a desk, an office chair, a filing cabinet, and tech devices like a printer, new monitor, and a webcam. These items can all get pricey, so look for deals at your local electronics stores and office supply stores. Research a few different models of each item on your shopping list before making your final purchases.

Organizational Tips

Now, it’s time to organize your home office! After all, you can’t run your business from a messy workspace. HGTV recommends colour-coding your filing system, creating a mounted mail station for letters and bills, establishing a printer station to store paper and ink, and placing small containers in your desk drawers to keep items like pens, pencils, and paperclips. Furthermore, you may want to create a daily or weekly schedule with a whiteboard or paper calendar and hang it on the wall above your desk so that you always stay on track.

Personal Decor

When you’re running a home-based business, you have the freedom to customize your workspace in a way that suits your personal style. This is your opportunity to get creative and design an office that reflects your tastes! If you need some inspiration for your decor choices, Real Simple recommends picking up a few house plants from your local garden centre, framing artwork for a splash of colour, and choosing a rug that complements the colour of your walls.

In the past, running a business out of your home might have seemed inconvenient or disadvantageous. But today, it’s becoming normalized. Designing a functional workspace in your home is a fiscally responsible choice for your business!

Written by Lisa Walker, writer at Neighborhood Sprout

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