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Setting up your home office in a designated space for maximum productivity

By Lori Karpman

Edited July 20, 2026

To be successful in a home-based office, you need a designated space equipped and designed for maximum comfort and efficiency. You likely spend more time in this space than in any other, so while it must have the elements of a “real” office, it can be personalized to support your daily activities.

In order to be successful in a home based office you have to have designated space that is equipped and designed for maximum comfort and efficiency.

The two most important decisions you will make first are selecting your desk and chair. When choosing a desk, choose one that is solid and heavy (not an Ikea table) with four legs, a full front and drawers. Use the drawers to keep your desktop clean since a clean desk is a clean mind. It assists the subconscious mind in solving problems and generating new solutions.

The next big investment is your chair. Indulge yourself with an ergonomic chair you can sit in comfortably for long periods. If you are not comfortable and are suffering from aches and pains, you will not be productive. It is well worth the investment to shop around and find the right seat. Remember that you’ll spend most of your day in it, so make it as comfortable as it is functional.

Insofar as function is concerned, your office needs to have all the same supplies a working office requires. This includes small stationery supplies for your desk drawers, such as sticky notes, pens, paper clips and a stapler, to name a few. A larger desk drawer can accommodate file folders, catalogues and other materials that need to be filed. Depending on the nature of your business, you may need more filing space, and filing cabinets now come in a range of colours. If you have one, you can use the top for a printer organizer to support the printer and store paper.

‘Have fun with decorating and personalizing so that your office becomes the supportive and productive environment you need to generate revenue.’

Usually, some form of shelving is needed to organize and display books, family mementos, pictures, awards, and other items that personalize the space and make it your own. Don’t limit your search to an office furniture store. Choose something you love, that fits your personality and that you can look at day after day, providing it is functional, of course. Have fun decorating and personalizing your office so it becomes the supportive, productive environment you need to generate revenue.

You will also need the right equipment: a computer and a printer. Buy the best quality you can afford. Your printer must provide a professional-quality product. I recommend getting an all-in-one printer/scanner/copier. Run an automatic backup of your computer daily and make sure you have the latest antivirus software installed. An external battery for the computer is a good idea, as it gives you precious time to save your data in the event of a power outage.

Do not use a Gmail or Yahoo email address — get a professional email address. Additionally, if you really want customers to call you, provide a toll-free number.

What most people haven’t considered is insurance, and there are three kinds you will need. The first is property insurance for your office contents, since these assets are not covered by your home policy. Next, you need personal liability insurance in the event that someone is injured on your property, and finally, business interruption insurance in cases where you cannot operate because of property damage or theft. This will reimburse you for the loss of income during that time period.

‘Do not use a Gmail or Yahoo email address — get a professional email address.’

For extra measure, here are a few tips from the spiritual discipline of Feng Shui. Blue is the best colour for an office, as it is associated with wealth. The ideal desk placement is where you have a good view of the door and, if possible, out a window. My desk is on an angle so that I have both. Never place the desk with your back facing the door or up against a wall in front of you. If you have awards and diplomas to put up, put them on the wall behind you where they can support you. And last but not least — do not buy a glass desk; money and energy flow right through it, making it difficult to amass and keep wealth.

The level of success you achieve in your home office depends on your self-discipline and how happy and comfortable you are in your office space. I have a massive mahogany club foot desk with a leather top, and I feel like a queen sitting at it. The wall behind me is decorated with diplomas, and my bookcase is filled with books, art and cards from my children; awards and personal items that make me smile.

This could easily be an external office and feels entirely different than any other area of my home. There is a big environmental difference at the end of the day when I close my computer and leave to go “home”. Having the routine and the discipline was hard at first, but I can now easily separate work from play and have the true quality of life that only a home office can offer.

In Part 1, we looked at Why having a home based business can be a challenge

Image: Elly Fairytale – Pexels

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