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January 18, 2024

Considerations When Picking the Location for Your Home Office

If you work from home and are planning a household relocation, you are probably excited about setting up an office in your new home. Moving a home office can be intimidating. Selecting the ideal space for your home office will significantly impact your productivity and ability to complete tasks.

Here are some considerations for selecting your perfect office spot in your new house.

1. How much time do you spend going back and forth between work and home life?

Consider your typical at-home work day. Do you go into your home office and only come out to eat or go to the bathroom? Or do you work for a while, get up to do household tasks, and then work some more? If you spend a lot of time bouncing back and forth, your home office should be near activity hubs like the kitchen or the laundry room.

2. Is privacy important?

Working from home can be challenging, balancing your work and personal life. You need a place where you can work quietly without interruptions in order for your home office to be effective. Assess your new home to determine which room will provide the most privacy. Your spare bedroom may work because it is farther from the activity hubs and has a door. An open loft space might not work as well as a private room with a door.

3. Are some rooms quieter than others?

Outside noise might not affect your new house if it is in a rural area. Choosing a home office location in an urban area requires consideration of external noise sources. Decide where inside the house will be most isolated from the street and neighbor noise. For instance, having your office in the back of an apartment instead of the street may reduce noise disruptions.

4. Will the environment suit your work?

Your office setting should accommodate your business requirements. For instance, a designer will need a larger desk to fit your tools, supplies, and finished goods. But, if you’re a copywriter, you might only need your laptop and compact space.

Also, will someone else be joining you in your office? For example, a coworker, a customer, a business partner, or an employee who will come meet you at any time. You will need to think about them if that applies. They should be able to fit in your office space comfortably. Impressions matter for every business, especially if a client visits.

5. Can you control the lighting and temperature when needed?

Natural light is critical; you can also enhance it by using mirrors and painting the walls in light colors. Make sure there is a place where you can put your computer screen that won’t cause it to glare from the sun. Select an appropriate spot where you can have a good lighting arrangement for working in the evenings. Also, having a window you can open is ideal for letting in some fresh air.

Ensure you have a reliable way of heating and cooling your home office area when the temperatures fluctuate in the winter and summer. Being too cold in the winter and too warm in the summer might distract you and prevent you from concentrating on your work.