BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS

OFFICE SETUP

17 Office Essentials to
Set up an Efficient
Home Office
By Alyssa Gregory | Updated on November 29, 2022

Reviewed by Khadija Khartit

PHOTO: THE BALANCE / JO ZIXUAN ZHOU

One of two things can happen when you

begin to set up an oCce setting in your
home. You'll either underestimate what
you'll need to get your oCce up and
running, or you'll overestimate. You can
quickly Ond yourself struggling in either
case.

Use this checklist to develop a streamlined

itemization of what you need in your home
oCce and things to consider. Check the
items you absolutely have to have, and
circle those that you think you might
eventually want to add.

01 Your Computer
of 17

PHOTO: @LINASHIB VIA TWENTY20 

Few if any small business owners who

have the ability to work from home can
complete their work without a computer.
Do your research so you select one that
meets your speciOc needs. Consider a
laptop if you intend to create a mobile
oCce in addition to your home oCce, or if
your work often involves visiting clients' or
customers' locations.

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02 A Monitor
of 17

PHOTO: OLEKSIY MAKSYMENKO/GETTY IMAGES

You'll deOnitely need a monitor if you have

a desktop computer, but it can also be
useful—and easier on your neck—to plug
one into your laptop. You might also
consider dual monitors, depending on the
work you do.

03 High-Speed Internet
of 17
Access

Use Internet Accounts to set up Facebook Integration. PHOTO:

SCREEN SHOT COURTESY OF COYOTE MOON, INC.

This one is pretty straightforward: The

days of being able to work with a dial-up
connection are long gone, and a
broadband connection is essential if you're
going to work eCciently online.

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04 Your Desk
of 17

Minimalist desk. PHOTO: MEDDIO DESIGN

Ideally, you'll have space for a traditional

desk where you can create an
ergonomically correct workstation. You
can make a table, counter, or other eat
surface work in a pinch if your space
forces you to get creative.

05 A Good Chair
of 17

An ergonomically sound chair won't cause you back pain.

PHOTO: PHOTO (C) LONDONEYE/ GETTY IMAGES

A comfortable chair is one of the most

important components of any oCce, so
take time and care to select and invest in a
good one. Again, ergonomics and comfort
count, so make sure you test the chair
before making a purchase.

06 Adequate Lighting
of 17

Using a desk lamp at the oCce can help prevent headaches.

PHOTO: WESTEND61/GETTY IMAGES

Adequate lighting levels are critical to

productive and comfortable work space.
You don't want to have to deal with
headaches and eye strain from squinting
in lighting that makes it diCcult to read.

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07 A Telephone and/or VoIP

of 17

PHOTO: COMPASSIONATE EYE FOUNDATION/HERO IMAGES /

GETTY IMAGES

You might not need a traditional landline

telephone with all the VoIP technology,
internet-based phone services, and mobile
phones that are available, but access to
phone service is usually necessary when
you're working from home. If nothing else,
you should have it for backup.

08 Software
of 17

PHOTO: MIHAILOMILOVANOVIC/GETTY IMAGES

Some small business owners simply need

access to word processing, spreadsheets,
and email management applications, but
others need additional software that's
speciOc to their enterprise. Make a list of
what you'll need to run your home oCce.

09 A Network Router
of 17

PHOTO: DEEPBLUE4YOU / GETTY IMAGES

Although it's not always required, a

network router can be necessary if you
have more than one computer that
requires internet access. Consider a
wireless router if you have a laptop and
computers located in dijerent parts of
your home.

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10 A Surge Protector
of 17

Belkin Travel Surge Protector. PHOTO: BELKI

A good surge protector is an often-

overlooked item, but it should be a staple
in any home oCce that uses computer
equipment.

11 A Printer or
of 17
Multipurpose Machine

Epson Expression XP-630 Small-in-One Printer - small printer

with big heart. PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF EPSON

Depending on the nature of your business

and even if you have a paperless oCce,
you might be able to get away without
having a printer. But there will probably be
many occasions when you'll wish you had
one to scan, fax, or make copies. Consider
looking into multipurpose machines that
can manage all these tasks.

12 Backup Drive or
of 17
Personal Server

You can download Oles of any type from a computer to another

device. PHOTO: PETER CADE / GETTY IMAGES 

You'll need a plan for backing up and

protecting your data once your home
oCce is up and running. You can use
cloud-based backup services to copy your
Oles automatically, but it's also a good idea
to have an in-house backup in place.
External drives and personal servers are
relatively ajordable and can save your
business in case of computer failure.

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13 An Uninterruptible
of 17
Power Supply (UPS)

PHOTO:  ALI BERKIN SAHIN / EYEEM / GETTY IMAGES

A UPS provides backup power for a limited

time in case your electricity goes out. It
can give you some useful bujer time to
save your work and safely shut down your
equipment.

14 A File Cabinet
of 17

PHOTO: TETRA IMAGES - ELENA ELISSEEVA/ BRAND X

PICTURE/ GETTY IMAGES

Even if it's your aim to be paperless, there

are always some hard copy documents
you'll need to hang onto. The best place to
store these documents so you're able to
Ond them is in a well-organized Ole
cabinet.

15 Storage Needs
of 17

PHOTO: NAMELY ORIGINAL VIA HOMETALK

Where will you keep your pens, sticky

notes, paper, folders, ink, business
cards, and other supplies? Consider
purchasing a bookcase or shelving to store
unused items in your home oCce.

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16 A Fire-Safe Box
of 17

PHOTO:  SENTRYSAFE

Speaking of storage, you might consider

using a Ore-safe box to protect your most
important business paperwork. Many small
business owners also use these durable
boxes to keep backup copies of their data.

17 A Paper Shredder
of 17

PHOTO: HUP / GETTY IMAGES

A shredder is a must-have for destroying

sensitive and conOdential business
information and documents. Consider
getting a recycling bin for other non-
sensitive papers.

There will certainly be other items you'll

need in your home oCce, depending on
the type of work you do and how much
space you have available. But you'll be on
your way to creating a streamlined and
eCcient home oCce if you use this Ad
checklist to get started thinking about the
Saeco Xelsis Suprema
essentials.