You don't need a big oak desk, a state of the art computer with five monitors, or an assistant to have a home office. You do need to have the essentials, though. Here are five must have items for every home office.
No home office can function these days without a computer. A base model is fine for most work at home jobs. On your computer, you will need an anti-virus program, anti-spyware program, and a word processor such as Microsoft Word (or Open Office, which is free).
To print out documents, scan photos, IDs, and signatures, and to make copies of contracts, you need an all-in-one printer/scanner/copier. You can find these for as little as $50 in places like Wal-Mart, Target, and office supply stores.
You'll need a phone, preferably a phone and fax setup. Occasionally you may have clients who will want to fax important documents to you that require a signature, such as contracts. This is especially true for freelancers. You will want this phone to be on a separate line from your home phone so personal calls don't interrupt your work day.
Get and maintain a calendar or planner. Make to-do lists for each day, week, and month to get specific and broad views of your goals. Keep track of important appointments, meetings, and conferences on your calendar, too. If you prefer the paperless route, there are many online planners and calendars that will keep you organized and focused.
For moms to work from home, a filing system needs to be in place. Whether you maintain your files in paper form, electronically, or both, start organizing from the beginning. Don't let papers pile up in generic electronic folders or on your desktop. File papers as they come in or are completed and pull them as needed.
These five items will take care of most of your home business needs. You'll have all the tools a professional needs to run a successful business day to day.
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