A home office is the center of having a home business or working at home. Many times people underestimate the importance of having an actual office area in which to work. It is important for many reasons and is essential when you are serious about working at home.

One of the reasons that a home office is important is that it helps to set apart a specific area that is for work only. When you have this special work only area it will help to get work done and stay more focused on actually working. Additionally, it tells everyone else that a person is working and that they can not be bothered.

Another reason is that having a home office makes the whole working at home environment much more professional. Everything is in one area and there is less of a problem with being disorganized and losing important documents and information.

In a good home office set up a person will have the following:

1. Desk - should be large enough to accommodate the other office items and still leave room for working

2. desktop computer - newest version possible, running a newer version of Windows

3. printer - can be simple as long as print is of high quality

4. fax - can use a computer fax program phone - ideally should be on its own line

5. internet connection - high speed is preferred

6. filing system - does not have to be elaborate, just sufficient

These are the main items that are usually something that a person will automatically think of when setting up their home office. It is often the little things that can trip a person up. Things like paper, pens, white out, a stapler, a hole punch and paper clips are more easily forgotten but not less important than the big items.

It is much like an office area that a person would have when working outside the home. They will have everything they need to be efficient in their business or work at home job. Being well stocked and prepared is the whole point of creating a good home office set up.

Besides just the basic set up, it is important to consider other things about the home office set up. It should be in an area of the home where there is not a lot of activity. It should ideally be in a room of its own. When the home office is in a room of its own it can then be used as a tax write off, which is an added bonus. Additionally, the home office needs to be a quiet area with limited distractions.

Having a good home office set up is imperative to being able to function in a work at home setting. Working at home comes with many distractions and it can be hard to be focused on working if a person does not have a specific work area. Additionally, potential clients or employers will find a person with a home office to be a better candidate because it shows professionalism and dedication.