I am settng up a home office in a bedroom. What are the best stores for this? And what are the essentials?

Question

I know I'm going to need a desk, fax machine, computer, and file cabinet. What are some gadgets that are helpful for a home office?

I'm not going to be stingy...but I also don't need anything unnecessary or too expensive.

Answer 1

Local office supply stores would be your best bet or a major chain store if you're looking for one-stop shopping.

Consider a multi-function printer that can act as a fax/scanner/printer/copier, but, be sure to buy something that will handle the work load of the type of business you're wanting to run and will have a good life expectancy. Also, look at cartridge pricing to make sure you don't have to buy cartridges that are overpriced for what you need.

Desks and file cabinets are really about preference and the amount of space and features you need. Have the store give you some options. Don't rule out a good, comfortable, ergonomic chair if you're spending a lot of time at the computer.

Take measurements of the space in your bedroom and bring them with you. You don't want to buy anything that won't fit. Diagram it on graph paper if you can.

Verify you have enough outlets (power, phone and/or cable).

Good Luck!

Answer 2

An all in one, printer, fax and copy machine can be a money and space saver. Although, if you plan to do a LOT of copying, then a dedicated machine would be much more economical.

A shredder can be an essential for protection agains identity theft. You don't have to spend a LOT of money, but don't look for the cheapest models. Look for one that can handle a dozen or so pages at a time. One that can shred CD's might also be good.

Phone with reliabe voice mail, speed dial and phone book is a time and money saver.

If you are spending a lot of time in the office, don't skimp on the chair. You need something with good padding, lumbar support and as many adjustable features as you can find. You might look into one of those vibrating/massaging back rests.

Your computer may have a calculator, but a separate one, kept on or inside the desk would be faster to pull out than finding and opening up another application on your screen. You might consider one with a paper printer that you can switch on or off as needed.

A wireless router can be very handy if you want to keep your tower and peripherals away from your desk or underfoot. I also like a wireless mouse because that damn tail keeps getting caught under the corner of my keyboard.

A handy USB hub, sitting on, or stuck to the side of my desk makes moving files to a card reader, camera or USB drive trouble free.

I also added a bit more storage space by putting a set of those hanging wire shelves under that shelf above the closet. I hope you dont still intend to store clothes in that closet. It's the perfect space to keep the file cabinets and extras storage shelves for paper, office supplies and books.

A home office IN a bedroom certainly IS tax deductible as long as you follow some IRS recommended guidlines, such as that the office is ONLY used as the office, and NOT as a bedroom, den, playroom for kid's video games. To this end, a door and key lock can assure any IRS agent that the kids don't get in casually. (the deduction from your rent or mortgage is based on square footage used EXCLUSIVELY for the home business)

Answer 3

What you'll need/want depends on what you'll be doing in your home office. Realize that a home office in a bedroom is not eligible for a home office tax deduction.

Maybe the handiest little gadget I have is a little device (about $1) that slides under the flap of an envelope and slits it open. You'll also want scissors, a stapler, pens, pencils - basic supplies.

Answer 4

Just start with plastic or cardboard boxes until you determine what you need. You will need fax, copier or All In One machine. Manila folders are a must to organize your stuff and label them.