No matter what field your new business is in, you will need a home office. Perhaps you already have one, provided by your former employer. Or maybe you need to start from scratch. Either way, your office will be the nexus of your new company, so plan the design carefully.

There are many essentials that are basic to every home office. The computer is perhaps the most important. As the heart of your business, the computer must be up to date and reasonably powerful.

It is not necessary to purchase the most expensive, however you should make sure that you can meet or exceed the system requirements for the software you will purchase. No less than 512 MB of RAM, a Pentium or similar processor with a clock speed of no lower than 2 GHz, and a 3D enabled graphics card should be considered minimum requirements.

Another essential for the home office is a fax machine. Though e-mail is becoming more and more common, many business situations still require the use of a fax. A very practical and cost effective solution is the all-in-one. Combining a fax machine, copier, scanner, and printer in one machine, these devices save both space and money over purchasing components separately.

You will need a way for your electronic devices to communicate with each other. Many devices are now able to communicate wirelessly, from printers to keyboards and mice, allowing you maximum convenience in office layout.

Connecting wirelessly also allows you to place devices in more than one room. The disadvantage of wireless networking is that it tends to be somewhat more expensive than wired connectivity.

You will also need a variety of office furnishings. A comfortable desk chair will save your back. Rolling chairs are convenient but certainly not required. Your desk will need to accommodate your monitor and other devices, and storage space would be a convenience. General office supplies such as pens and paper clips should be within easy reach when seated at your desk.

A filing cabinet is highly recommended, to organize both your business information and your client files. The filing cabinet should have a locking capability. For maximum security a heavy metal fireproof filing cabinet is the ideal, however these are expensive. A mid-range filing cabinet will usually suffice at the beginning.

A shredder is an often-overlooked but highly necessary component to a home office. Identity theft is rampant, and simply shredding sensitive documents is an easy first line of defense. Remember to shred both company documents and client files.

Your home office will be the heart of your new business. Proper design is important. Your new setup should be functional and ergonomic, as well as pleasing to your eye. A bit of planning and initial investment will net you an office that will suit your needs for years to come.