Home Office

[filletsunruly]

I definitely need to set up a home office or at least get a small office for my (very) small business. I am not getting much work at home and my wife is getting tired of being my secretary - answering my work phone calls. I am also tired of conducting meetings at Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds, etc. 

 

Does anyone else have a home office? How do you do it! 

[DatsunZGuy]

I recently purchased a home on a horse property. Behind the detached garage, there is an attached guest quarters. I converted that to my home office and workout room. I added a WiFi repeater to allow for internet connectivity from the main house.

[Kurbycar32]

I've had two home offices.  One was a converted 10x10 bedroom with a custom desk built into the closet area, i built it myself.  The current house is nicer but my office is on the other side of the "great room" so its essentially share with the living room.  Being mixed in with everyone else makes it feel less like working and my clients actually seem to appreciate the family aspect of the business, though they dont exactly come by for meetings, they just drop off computers.  About the wife: i printed mine business cards that say "lovely assistant" and take her our to dinner all the time.

[240260280z]

These are trendy:

https://www.google.ca/search?q=small+office+backyard&espv=2&biw=1137&bih=570&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=17RsVMnmBIP4yASI-oD4Cg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&dpr=0.9

[rcb280z]

You could always buy a Tuff shed. It could go anywhere on your property. No limits to what you can do with a custom shed. I converted part of my garage at our first house and that seemed to work fine. It was right near the downstairs bathroom too which was convenient.  

 

 

BTW, I do not work for Tuff Shed

[filletsunruly]

Nice one re business card, Kurbycar32! My wife gets 1 Saturday a month to herself for her "troubles" although she has not taken her day off in about 2 months. 

 

A couple of friends who are also starting their own small businesses have proposed to get a temporary office and we share the expenses. Still contemplating this - in the meantime, the wife will continue to be a reluctant assistant / secretary. 

[psdenno]

I've had a home office for decades and for my purposes, it works just dandy. There are a few tax benefits and the amenities are top notch. Phone issues can be addressed with a landline fax and a cell phone or Google phone#. A real office would make you seem a bit more legit, but comes at a cost. How often do you meet with clients in person?

Dennis

[Z fan]

I have the opposite issue at the moment , as an investment I own an office condo that is my temporary home , the only problem is that the bathroom has no shower and I have to  take showers at the gym. It keeps me on the move and eventually my home situation will go back to normal. As per female companions  there are great places in the MD Eastern Shore to spend happy/quality times , so a perfect setup for the moment.

[Stanley]

Not much of an office for my structural engineering business, just a laptop for drafting, calculations, and communication, a place to sit down, and books and documents taking up too much space I'd rather have for something else.

I do all the grunt work in the field, crawling through filthy attics and crawlspaces with my headlight and cam, and I'm the president, secretary and janitor. The secretary and janitor won't do their damn jobs. Wish I had a real office with a big desk, filing cabinets, a beautiful and brainy secretary and a hard-working janitor, but can't pay for one.

 

Big plus: drink beer at work!

[filletsunruly]

I've had a home office for decades and for my purposes, it works just dandy. There are a few tax benefits and the amenities are top notch. Phone issues can be addressed with a landline fax and a cell phone or Google phone#. A real office would make you seem a bit more legit, but comes at a cost. How often do you meet with clients in person?

Dennis

Just once or twice a week, but the meetings tend to stretch depending on how complex their website situation is. I am still not convinced that a temporary office, like the ones my friends are convincing me to rent out with them is the best option for me at this time. My business is just starting out, so I am not really in a hurry, but I do not to figure out how to be more productive - otherwise, my business will not take off