Congratulations.
You’ve made the leap (fall?) into working from home. You’re a go-to gal (or guy) and you’ve taken the plunge. You’ve designed your logo, incorporated it onto your business cards. Your facebook page is set up. Your website looks great. You even splurged on those pretty tri-fold brochures. Networking meetings? Check. Maybe even the occasional public speaking gig. You are on your way.
Now, big question. What does your office look like? Okay, you probably don’t bring clients into your home, preferring the reliability of Starbucks with their free wi-fi and extra strong java for your meetings. But really? How can you exude professionalism on the phone while talking in your bunny slippers? Do those yoga pants you’re wearing REALLY make you feel successful? You’ll get there, but while you’re working your way up, let’s talk about some home office do’s and don’ts. (Any entrepreneurial fashionistas want to chime in here!?)
(BIG) #1 Your home office does NOT belong in your bedroom. Period. Bedrooms are for, well, they are NOT for paperwork, piles and ______? They are for relaxation. Relationship building. Reading. Even TV viewing. They are NOT for work. Even if you need to tuck the office into a closet – you can at least shut the doors. Dining rooms can do dual duty as home offices as well. Put the little used formal china away and use the hutch for your business supplies. (more on this subject to come!)
#2 – Are you a piler or a filer? I heard a great talk on this from (you guessed it – another entrepenuer). This one a professional organizer. Many of us creative types (read: me!) tend to be pilers. Filing is BORing. Other people LOVE the order of a well designed and organized file drawer. Embrace your inner organization personality (more on this as well in future articles!).
#3 – Just like the REST of your home, your office needs a place for everything. And much like we hang our car keys readily accessible by the door (you do this, right?) have (at the least) your box of business cards in a quickly accessible spot AND in your car AND in your purse/briefcase. (Guys – my hubby keeps a small stack in the inside breast pocket of EACH suit coat!) There is nothing worse than flying out of the house without this basic of your business.
#4 – Thank you notes. Now I KNOW this has nothing to do with the interior of your office, but I have a little set up on my desk of thank you notes, stamped, with return address labels affixed sitting literally right next to my computer. Why? Because handwritten thank you notes are HIGHLY underrated and HIGHLY underused. Try it. AMAZING. (Also, if you embrace this idea, why not stash two or three in your glove box and in your purse/briefcase. It’s SO easy if someone does you a wonderful service to simply pop off a quick little thank you from the parking lot of their business – or Starbuck’s!)
#5 – Your business brand. When you look around your home office, much like your home, does your office speak to your business? As an Interior Designer my home office is littered with fabric swatches, swaths of wallpaper, tear sheets from magazines and color boards. (the photo below is my former home office – today’s office is too “piled” to share with you!)
Depending on your business, the books you want to reference, the client notes you want to refer to should all be readily accessible. Now: does your business brand, speak to who you are personally?? This is NOT a marketing article here, this is about feeling supported while working from home. However I KNOW we have coaches on this blog, so feel free to chime in!! My feeling? If your business brand doesn’t feel authentic to you, you can’t surround yourself in it. Which brings me to…
#6 – Your office style. This might sound kind of silly, but I feel your home office should carry out your business branding. It need not be overt, but it’s a positive re-enforcement of who you are at the basic level. Sound too hokey? I’m not making this up…I live it. {Feel free to click over to read my personal branding story and why I came to utilizing pink in my brand. here.} Don’t want something else to read? Just trust me and try a sample or two:
Branding Big: Major companies do this all the time! Look at these great shots from a couple of Google offices. (Want more???They have some crazy spaces – ahem… Google “google office spaces” click on images. Fantastic. Almost, but not quite enough to entice me back to corporate!)
Small and easy example? My business card is black and pink. (business on the front, party on the back!) In addition to this feminine theme in my home office, I use colored notebooks. In my home office, anything regarding my business is in a pink notebook. My clients are in white notebooks (’cause it’s about their personality, not mine. ) Organization’s notebooks? Color coded as well. Easy and visual and fun.
#7 – Separate home business from home-based business. If possible (and especially if you’re organizationally challenged) have separate quarters for your personal bills, banking, files, etc… Perhaps a cupboard in the kitchen or the dining room hutch can handle the business of running your home and designate the specific home office space to JUST your business. Why? By keeping these areas separate, it allows you to focus on your business and not the household during business hours. It will make your accountant happy…and the IRS if they decide they want to audit you! It will also be easier when the mail comes into the home. Your business mail in one bin, home in the other. (tip: I sort the mail in the car before it comes in the house. All the postcards/advertisements/outer envelopes go directly into the recycling bin without EVER touching the kitchen counter!!)
FYI – Laundry rooms & kitchens are EXCEPTIONALLY bad home offices!!
#8 – Finally, remembering why you work. For me? It’s about family. Mine and MY clients’. Since I’m in the business of helping others create their ideal home environment, remembering my family while I work, keeps me focused on theirs as well.
Here’s to a beautiful life…9-5 and beyond!
