WORKING SPACE
© Barbara Massie
WORKING SPACE
A home-based business is assumed to be located in a home. For one person's insight read Working at home: An office away from the office. This means using space that is probably already used for some other reason. To operate you must find an area that can be called your work area, workshop or studio.
The area must have three main elements:
- a surface to work on
- a place to keep tools of your trade
- some type of storage.
Much of what is used for the three elements depends on the
type of home-based business you have. What process is used to create your
product? A computer related service requires an office-like space, with
storage for paper, a copy machine, etc. If you use the computer to design
patterns for sewing, the whole picture changes. Space will also be needed
for a sewing machine, fabric and those items related to sewing. List what
equipment is needed for your type of business.
What are you going to work "on?" The kitchen table is usually handy although the kids' peanut and jelly sandwiches can make papers messy. Decide how much work surface is needed. A small desk might suffice, or large surface tables might be a necessity.
Every work area needs at least one chair and while working, one needs adequate light with which to work.
Then there is question of storage. How much inventory will you carry? How many supplies will you need?
Listing the elements and describing how they relate to your business will help make the decision of where you will actually work in the home.
THE RIGHT ROOM
If you need to find a place to work from, take hints from Introduction to Finding and Maintaining a Live/Work Space It is best to find an "out of everyone else's way space" to set up a business. Some home-based entrepreneurs use the dining room, kitchen table or a closet as an office. Evaluate every room in the house, including a basement or attic area.
Some items are a must to conduct business. A telephone is essential and electrical outlets are required. Find a room where these can be made available. When your livelihood will depend upon the income from your business, making room, even at the discomfort of the family, is sometimes necessary.
Finding a room in the home to be transformed into business space is the ideal situation. Then the whole room can be set up and configured into work area and office space. It is critical to the operation of your business that supplies and tools of the trade are kept together in a structured space. This might mean that you have to take the never used dishes out
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