What Are the IT Systems Needed for Your Home Office?

When setting up your home office, you will undeniably need different kinds of IT equipment. Of course, what you will need can vary greatly depending on your personal and business needs.

And much like the IT equipment, you will also need to establish specific IT systems. These, too, will vary according to your specific circumstances.

What are the IT systems needed for your Home Office? The IT system is anything that is used to create, gather, store, deliver, or transfer information and data. A home office needs these IT systems as they are vital in optimizing the work process and achieving the goals of your home office business.

The IT systems are vital to any small or large business. Having a good idea of the IT systems you may potentially need to have is a thing that can help you start off on the right foot. Below I will go into greater detail as to what are the different IT systems and everything you need to know about them.

What Is Considered an IT System?

To find out what IT systems you may need, let us first start with defining what an IT system actually is.

And let’s be honest, stumbling upon the term IT system for the first time may be very confusing.

An IT system (or Information Technology System) is the information and communication systems you will be using in your home office, business, and more. This includes the computer systems and all the software and hardware and peripheral equipment you will need while working.

And if we dig a little deeper into the IT aspect, we will find out that the classical definition of information technology (IT) consists of three main things:

Information processing techniques;
The use of statistical and mathematical methods in decision making; and
Simulation of advanced thinking using computer software.

So, not only your computer will be considered an IT system.

Arguably everything that is going to add or is necessary for the carrying out of your daily work activities in your home office can be considered an IT system.

In other words, an IT system can be considered anything that is used for storing, transferring, moving, collecting, manipulating, and analyzing data and information.

The Elements of a Home Office IT System

Hardware

No matter what you do, the hardware is probably going to be the biggest and most important part of your home office. Not probably. But a certain fact. And hardware is going to be responsible for the computer system. Hardware is the physical parts of the computer equipment. This includes a large list of different things like:

The monitor;
The computer itself – Or the case and all the different parts of a computer like the CPU, GPU, hard drives, power unit, motherboard and more;
Speakers and microphone;
Keyboard and mouse;
Printers;
Scanners and scanning devices;
Magnet readers;
Card readers;

Of course, this can also be a laptop which can incorporate multiple hardware parts into one neat package

Software, Services, and Tools

What good is having a high-end computer or hardware in place if you don’t have the necessary software and tools that will help you actually use it? You cannot make do with just one or the other. You need both hardware and software, which are specifically designed to meet your needs. The software and tools will be responsible for implementing the different managerial and operating systems. Below I list the most commonly used systems that you may need in your home office.

Operating Systems

In order to begin, we need an operating system (OS). This is considered the most basic and low-level software and programs that are necessary for your computer to run and work. There are three main operating systems that people generally use today.

MS Windows;
iOS or macOS; and
Linux.

Windows is the most widely used OS in the world, only surpassed by Android, which is the OS on most mobile devices. There is a great and very heated, I want to say, debate between which one is better Windows or iOS. Each operating system has its distinct advantages and disadvantages, and which one will be best for you is hard to say without proper inspection and assessment of your specific needs. But with its great number of users, Windows is usually going to be the better and safer choice. It has more versatility and ease of use, and if you ever happen to have a problem, the chances are you are almost sure to find a solution online.

Content Creating Systems

This will be very specific to your occupation and type of work you are performing from your home office.

Arguably, even without any context, it may be justified to venture and say that the chances are you will be involved in some kind of content creation. This includes anything like:

Audio and video editing, rendering, and recording;
Copywriting, researching, ghostwriting;
Coding;
Website creation;
Data analyzing and data capturing;
Image and photo editing and creation. And so much more.

And you will need specific content creation systems and software.

What will work best for you will be highly individual and specific to your personal needs and type of work.

This is one of the most vital parts of your workflow. So make sure to do in-depth research into what works best and what are the most widely used tools in your particular niche.

I cannot stress this enough, but going with the wrong tool or software may not just severely handicap your work but reduce both the quantity and quality of your work.

Management Information Systems

The purpose of the management information system (MIS) business-wise is to help in several different categories like:

Decision making;
Planning;
Control;
Analysis;
Coordination; and
Visualization.

There are different types of MIS, and one of the essential steps in setting up your home office is to decide the right technical implementation of the system you will need.

MIS can include but are not limited to: cloud computing, client and server-based networks, and more. But MIS is not just hardware and software.MIS includes a lot more. It includes not just the technology used, but also the people and the business processes used to store and record the data, which then can be used to develop and grow the business.

Managerial and Planning Systems

One of the things that many may overlook when working from their home office is setting up a proper managerial and planning system.

This can be done with different kinds of services and software, which can help you better focus and direct your actions toward achieving your goals.

Marketing and Social Media Management Systems

If you are running any kind of business or freelance service from home, you may end up needing a way to promote yourself on social media or somewhere else.

There are a lot of tools, both premium and free, that may be able to help you in doing so, or ultimately, you can end up hiring a person to do that for you.

Work Logger and Timekeeping Systems

Another aspect that may be overlooked is keeping track of your work time.

I have been working from my home office for quite some time now, and I can say that something as small as this can prove to be super helpful.

You can use different methods, like keeping a notepad where you write and note everything down or use third-party software.

This will allow you to get a better feel for how productive you are and how much time you are spending working, and how much is your time worth.

Financial Management Systems

One of the first things you learn in Finance class is that if you want to run a business, you need to have a proper way of keeping track of the costs and profits.

But, to do that, you need proper processes and systems set in place.

We have things a lot easier today. Back in the old days, accountants had to calculate everything manually. But today, luckily for us, we have the advantage of the technology behind our backs. Today you can check your production costs, profit margins, trends, and so much more just with a simple click of a mouse.

A good financial management system is going to help your business grow. And even if you are a freelancer, it can still provide you with numerous benefits.

Auditing Systems

There can be different auditing systems implemented that can improve the effectiveness and performance of other systems and processes.

The purpose of audits is to inspect, assess, and confirm that the different elements of a system are suitable and going to support your objectives and goals appropriately. In other words, auditing software can give you the necessary feedback, which will allow you to make the needed changes in the workflow of the different processes.

Network Architecture and Servers

The extent of the network architecture you will need will depend on how heavy your business relies on the internet.

Depending on your field of work, you can do fine with just basic Wi-Fi internet access.

Others may need specific data servers or disk farms. If you are using multiple computers, you may need to establish both local and internet connection across the computers.

Regardless, when we are talking about the internet, we need to understand that this is the most vulnerable part of our IT equipment. Computers can get infected with viruses, malware, spyware, and so much more nowadays.

Establishing a proper protection and security system goes hand in hand with the network system.

Communication and Customer Service Systems

Email System

More and more people and businesses turn away from the old and regular phone support and start using email and chats to communicate with their customers and departments.

An email system consists of all the email accounts and email providers you will be using.

Choosing the right email system can add a lot of breathing room in a sense. It can make communication a lot easier. One of the best advantages is that every email and all the communication between the respective parties are going to be kept in the history, it will be easier to track, and it will be time-stamped.

Some advanced features allow for sending one email to multiple people with or without them being able to see the rest of the people in the group.

Some email providers allow you to add sophisticated filters, which will enable you to organize your emails a lot easier. It can even save you a lot of valuable time.

Even experts like Tim Ferris in the “The 4-Hour Workweek” talks about how useful to your home business an adequately set up email system can be.

Phone System

A phone system is exactly what it sounds like. It is a system or a network of multiple telephones which are interconnected with each other.

This gives the possibility for things like conference calling, call transferring, call handling, private or shared voice message boxes, and so much more.

All of these, deepening on your activity and individual needs may or may not be necessary.

A properly set and working phone system is important because it can ultimately save you on time and filter the inbound inquiries. And we all know that time is the most precious commodity. A lot of experts in the field talk about how a small touch or changes to your working processes can really improve your time-management and financial returns.

A phone system doesn’t need to be a real physical smartphone. Nowadays, we can use different software, programs, and apps to call people without having access to a phone.

Chat System

Another way to establish a better organization between you and the different departments or customers is by having a chat system in place. This can be handled by third-party software. This is a great and quick way to improve your business organization and performance. However, chats can be time-consuming, so care is advised.

Smart Home and Security Systems

Of course, we are talking about building a home office. It goes without saying that you may need some kind of smart home systems and solutions.

The good thing about these is that there is a huge variety, and these smart home devices are very versatile.

A smart home system can aid you in many different ways; setting up alarms, reminders, and meetings, finding important information online, managing security, calculating and analyzing data, and so much more.

Setting up a security system is also vital.

And I am not talking just about computer viruses and such. I am referring to cameras, motion sensors, and more. Frequently the smart home systems and the security systems can be tight together.

A home security system usually includes:

Security cameras;
Audible alarm;
Motion sensors;
Window and door sensors;

Frequently a home security system is controlled and operated by a control panel, or it can be operated remotely.

Backup Systems

Last but not least in our list are the backup systems. This can include a lot of things like:

Power supply backup systems;
Data backup systems;
Cloud storage;
Website backups (if you have a website). And more.

Having a proper backup system in place can be a life savior. Hard disk failures are known to happen, and a simple thing like this can wipe out all your clients’ data, which can frequently add up to hundreds if not thousands of dollars lost.

Usually, website backups and other backup services are a paid service. But I really cannot place a price on having the peace of mind in knowing all your information is secure.

What Office Supplies Do I Need

Many people have had the desire to start their own small business. The attraction of being able to be your own boss and work your own hours is appealing to many. There is an adage, “You have to spend money to make money,” and this statement rings true in any home business, as every business needs the supplies necessary to make it run.

What office supplies do I need? It ultimately depends on what is necessary for the products or services your home business is going to deal with. The first thing an office will need is a workstation, along with the necessary stationary to maintain records, invoices, and business transactions. After that, you may need to purchase the necessary equipment for the manufacture or creation of your goods and services.

In theory, starting a small home business is often easier said than done. Although simple and attractive in theory, at the end of the day, people who work for themselves will often have to work twice as hard. This is no different in the home setting, where the flow of work will directly affect your profit margin.

Office Supplies for a Home Business

Having the appropriate equipment necessary that is both efficient and dependable is key to a successful business of any kind. You could think of it in the sense that you begin working for yourself months or even years before you make your first dollar from your home office.

There will be a few things that should be considered when developing your home office:

What type of workstation do you need?
How important is your computing equipment?
Will you need Point of Sale applications?
How will you track expenses?
Will your home business need a solid internet connection?

These questions will hopefully provide you with the beginning framework for the design of your home office. Each person looking to work for themselves will likely have different products or services than the next. An artist who works through graphic design will have different requirements than an artist who used paints, oils, or inks.

The best practice is to start with the basics, keeping your investments low while investing in quality equipment and maintain a small savings. This way, you can adapt as you go, upgrading your workstation or purchasing additional equipment as needed.

First and Foremost, a Workstation for Your Home Office

By workstation, I mean a desk. This will be your office and the heart of your business, where the magic happens. Different business models will have different space and equipment requirements. For instance, for a writer, a simple computer with some word processing applications and a Wi-Fi connection are all that’s really required, a kitchen table could easily accommodate the space needed to begin working.

Your workstation is going to be where you spend a lot of time, so when looking for a workstation you will want to think about:

Whether or not the workstation has the required space and shape for your workflow.
Will you be able to sit or stand comfortably for long periods of time at this station?
Is the workstation built to last, or will it be a temporary investment?

An artist, however, may need quite the spacious workstation in order to accommodate all the required supplies, such as brushes and pencils and pens, along with the different types of paper required in order to create their products. They may also require a computer as well in order to maximize their avenues for selling their art. So, a large specialty desk or even multiple desks may be needed in order to maximize the flow-of-work for an artist.

Computers and Other Devices

In today’s world, having a computer is like what having a car was to our grandparents. It is a symbol of freedom and the ability to connect to and engage with the world at large. We are now existing in the information age, in which computers and the internet dominate and influence our everyday lives.

Having a computer that can handle your requirements is going to be very important for a home business. It will allow you to compete in the online market and get your products and services more exposure. Some home businesses will be having needs for a computer will nominal computing power, a writer may only need a computer with the ability to handle word processing and internet connectivity.

A computer is only one of the devices you may need to operate, however. Think of your home office computer as more of a network. Since you will be conducting commerce of some sort, it may behoove you to build a separate network for your office in your home. This is so you can provide cyber security for the digital information your customers will be providing you with.

You may also need a printer for your home office. You may need to print off invoices in order to maintain hard copies for your records or may need to work on something custom for a client.

Having an external hard drive wouldn’t be a bad idea for a graphic designer or illustrator either, as the file sizes they will be working with are often quite large, and storing them on the main computer will eventually slow its processing speed. Or simply to provide a backup of your applications and files in case of device failure.

Accounting and Software

Once you begin to operate, you will need to find a way to start tracking the income and expenses of your home business. The first step is that you will most likely need to open a business account with a bank or credit union. This way, you will be able have a separate record for your business and be able to easily maintain or prepare your tax situation.

Things to consider when thinking about proper accounting and P.O.S. requirements for your business:

Will the products or services you sell need to be separately tracked for tax reasons?
Will you need to leave the home office in order to complete a transaction on-site?
What sort of taxes will you have to pay based on your products?

If simply having a record of your transactions isn’t enough for your needs, you may want to consider some accounting applications in order to track your income and expenses in greater detail. QuickBooks is one such application that is great for small businesses to track numerous transactions and expenses.

If you have a business model that requires your customers to come to you, or you to go to them, having a portable P.O.S. system may be a good investment. Square is a company that offers portable card readers for your cell phone that can make card transactions easy a painless, or you may only need to have a PayPal account attached to your business account.

Internet Connectivity

If your home business has any need to connect to the internet, you will want to invest your time with a quality internet provider who has a history of maintaining high speeds and high service quality. This will be an integral part of your home business, and so it is important to do your research and make sure that you get the biggest bang for your buck.

Nothing would be more embarrassing to have your internet go down and being unable to contact a client for days, especially with a time sensitive product or service. As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to purchase a back-up hotspot device for just such an occasion. You’ll never know when lighting may strike the lines, and this home business may be your only lifeline, so you’ll want to protect it as such.

How do I organize my Home Office desk?

If you work from home most of the time then you are aware of the dangers of a messy desk. A messy, disorganized home office desk is not only depressing but also has a profound effect on our productivity. It affects the flow of the thought and destroys our efficiency.

Home office desk is easy to organize and maintain if you can follow a few simple steps and adhere to a set of tested and proven rules. This article will help you organize your Home office Desk space so that you feel productive and inspired to work.

Follow these 4 steps to organize your Home office desk:

Step 1 – Declutter – Clutter leads to an unproductive work space. As a first step you need to declutter. A good way to do this is to clear off anything from the desktop, shelves and drawers. There are usually many old items and devices that are useless or do not work. We either hold onto them for sentimental reasons or just could not get ourselves to discard them. Go through all your items and ask – “is it is really important for this to be in my work space?” Keep aside anything that does not fit the criteria. You can find another place for them or throw them away. Clean off the desk thoroughly.

Step 2 – Assign everything a place-Everything has to have a place and everything should be in its place. Before you put things back you need to clearly assign spaces for specific items on the desk. Where will the laptop/desktop go? Which side will you keep the files? What will go in the drawers? Think this through and only then start putting items back on the desk. Everything needs to be assigned a place and everything has to be in its place. Follow this rule and you will see your life becoming much simpler. When I applied this principle, the first thing I noticed was that I stopped misplacing things and work got done faster.

Step 3 – Invest in organizers– Without good organizers you will soon find your desk drawers overflowing with files, random papers, small clips, pens, staplers etc. Although these exist in your drawers they tend to become untraceable when you need them. If untended, drawers become unmanageable and you will feel disgusted just opening them. This is where good desk and drawer organizers come in. It helps you assign places for specific items and keep them there.

Step 4 – Create flow of work – Think of your work as a flow of activities. There is input, then there is a process and finally the output. Arrange the items needed in a way that will provide ease of access according to the input -process- output flow of your tasks. For example, the input may be an email you access on a laptop or a new client file on your desk. You may then transfer information from that onto a notepad,maybe check the calendar or do a few calculations -this is the processing part. You may need a notepad ,few pens or pencils,papers,planner,devices etc. for this step.Organize these so that these are readily available. Then the output might be an email too but you may also have some print outs and copies along with invoices,payment receipts etc. These you can arrange in a separate area.

(I try to arrange my desk aligning with the flow of work. All the inputs and files that contain the documents etc. which are associated with the inputs- I keep on my left side shelves of the desk and left side drawers. The materials needed for processing such as papers pens, empty folders etc. are placed on the middle shelf of the desk and the items associated with the output are kept on the right shelves and drawers- these include files, folders, printer, special pens for signing etc.)

Once you have organized your desk space using the above steps, it is time to establish some rules to maintain it that way.

Some rules to follow to ensure that the desk remains clean and organized are as follows:

No eating at your desk! Absolutely no food should be eaten at the home office desk. Your workspace is sacred, and you should not allow it to be violated by the pesky food wrappers, banana peels and crumbs. If you do not follow this rule, you will soon find out that you have a shabby looking desk. So to keep your desk neater, longer – adopt the habit of not eating at your desk.

No dumping stuff in your drawers! Drawers should have only the items they are supposed to have. If there is a new item which you have not planned for, assign a space immediately and keep in in that space. We tend to stuff items that we are unsure of into drawers and forget about them. It remains hidden and out of view but soon it becomes chaotic and frustrating when we actually need to find something in the drawers.

Do not get up without replacing items! Do not get up from your chair without ensuring that everything is back in its place…regardless of how pressed for time you maybe. We may think we will replace them later but believe me when I say that if you don’t do it now it will never get done.

Keep the desk space distraction free: Do not keep things that are unrelated to the work on your desk. When your desk is clutter free and has only relevant work-related items you will find that work gets done faster. Do not keep your girlfriend’s pictures, memorabilia or pet pictures here. There are many other places in your house where you can keep these. This space is for only work-related stuff and it is better to keep the desk space work focused.

Some products that can help you get organized- Cord baskets and plastic ties- The cords of the laptops, power banks and chargers etc. are quite irritating and tend to be always in the way when you have important things to get done. A good way is to get a cord basket as well as a few plastic ties. You can use the plastic ties to bundle up the cords and then place them in a cord basket which can be placed under the desk or on the side. You may need to attach some hooks under your desk or on the sides to fix the cord baskets but once setup, it will ensure that the pesky cords are out of the way. If there is an outlet hub it can also be placed in it so that the entire cord clutter can be hidden away.

Drawer organizer – As mentioned the 4th step of organizing, you can get a few drawer organizers from Amazon or any office stationery store. These drawer organizers are handy mechanisms to organize your drawer spaces as they tend to be the first to get cluttered.

A monitor stand- if you are using a desktop it would be useful to get a monitor stand. Usually these are made of glass or plastic. It allows you to elevate the screen and also provides space under the monitor to keep things that need to be accessed quickly. It is also great for your posture, your eyes and your neck. The monitor stand also allows you a space underneath to tuck away your keyboard and mouse when not in use, giving a clean look to your desk.

Penholders- A pen holder is an absolute necessary to keep your pens and pencils in one place. Do not go for a cheap ones, instead go for something big enough to hold your all your pens, pencils and markers without toppling over. You could also invest in attachable pen holders which can be attached to the monitor thereby keeping the desk clear and ensuring that the items on it are accessible.

Get on the cloud- The new trend towards paperless office is something we can also adopt for our Home office. Reduce the use of paper as it can pile up easily and create clutter. Maybe you can have important documents scanned and uploaded onto your Google Drive, Dropbox or any other such service. You can then move the documents filed in folders and organize them on shelves away from your desk.

(**Note- I find papers are the greatest culprits for most of the mess on our desks. You need to have a way to immediately file any individual paper that comes across your desk. This habit alone will ensure that your desk is mostly clean. While it may be difficult to go completely paperless now you can always organize the papers properly using folders. Go onto Amazon and buy yourself a few folders for handling this menace)

How to Set Up a Home Office in a Bedroom?

Being able to work from home – in your pajamas with your coffee in-hand at your own pace – is a dream come true for most people. If being able to make money in an environment that is comfortable and familiar sounds heavenly to you, then you may be asking yourself right now, ‘how do I go about setting up a home office in my bedroom?’

How do I setup a home office in a bedroom? A bedroom-office combo is a convenient way to work from home in the comfort of your own surroundings. Creating a dedicated work space in a bedroom requires some planning and strategic furniture placement, to make the area conducive to productivity while still feeling like home.

Now, that you know it is possible to create an at-home office in your bedroom, let’s take a closer look at this in more detail below. We will discuss how to properly set-up a bedroom-office and the best ways to do it on a budget. So, if you’re ready to learn more about creating the perfect bedroom-office, then let’s get started!

How Do I Setup a Home Office in a Bedroom?

Setting up a bedroom office at home is easier than you may think, it just requires a little know-how and some creativity. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Use an Outward Facing Desk

Placing your desk near a wall facing a window is a good idea. By keeping your back toward the bed, you’re less likely to be distracted by thoughts of sleep. A trestle table works well as a desk in bedroom, but it doesn’t provide the same storage capability as a standard desk. If most of your work is kept online rather than in folders, a trestle table is all you need!

Choose the Right Chair

Selecting a good desk chair is important, not only for esthetic reasons but for your comfort and overall health as well. Be sure to choose one that is ergonomic in design to properly support your lower back. The brackets on the chair should be adjustable and conform to the shape of your spine, your feet should rest flat on the floor comfortably and the arm rests should match the height of the desk.

Separate the Space

Be sure to separate the room into two areas, one for work and the other for sleep. If you have ample space, place the desk as far away from the bed as possible. Use a curtain or screen to divide the space and when you are not working (or getting ready to crawl into bed), close the curtain to signify the end of the day.

Use Multipurpose Furniture

If space is limited, multi-functional furniture is the ideal choice for a home-office. For example, your bedside table can double as a desk or you can purchase a space-saving model that can be rolled away (or broken down) and placed in a closet when not in use. This is a great way to mark the end of the workday while preventing the ‘office’ from visually impacting the rest of the bedroom.

Unify the Decor

Although the goal is to separate the office from the bedroom, the overall space should still flow together. The idea is to maintain aesthetic unity between the two areas. Choosing a desk, chair and artwork that compliment (rather than clash) with the rest room is the key to keeping the space inspiring (rather than distracting).

Ensure Ample Storage

If paperwork is unavoidable, be sure to have enough storage space in the room. A shelf placed neatly against the wall and next to the desk will help keep files in order so they are easy to locate. Avoid using file boxes as they can make a bedroom look cluttered and messy. A clean, tidy and organized environment is much more conducive to productivity.

Invest in a Murphy Bed

Murphy Beds are a great addition to any bedroom office. They work well in small spaces and are multifunctional. Putting the bed into the wall makes the space feel more like an office rather than a combined space. Storing it away will also help you avoid using your laptop on the bed instead of at the desk, where you should be working.

Use Proper Lighting

Trying to work in a poorly-lit space is difficult. Fluorescent lighting, commonly found in corporate offices, is cold, dark and hard on the eyes. If you have a window in your bedroom, put the desk near or in front of it, as natural light is not only good for productivity but boosts morale as well. If you don’t have a window, opt for warm, bright overhead lights or desk lamps that won’t cast a glare over your computer.

How Do I Setup a Bedroom Home Office on a Budget?

Setting up a working space at home can be done without breaking the bank! Here are 8 ways to create an efficient home office in your bedroom while one a budget:

Be Creative

Instead of renovating the bedroom to make space for a home office, simply separate the area using a folding shoji screen. These are tri-fold dividers that come in a variety of styles and colors, from classic window-pane designs to the more modern prints.

Purchase Supplies from Chain Stores

Paper, pens, filing cabinets, bulletin boards, even décor and wall art can be bought for a fraction of the price at chain or discount stores. Online retailers are also great places to purchase everything you need for your home office, with the added convenience of home delivery, often for free!

Check Out Thrift Stores and Flea Markets

If you need furniture for your bedroom office, why not visit a thrift store or flea market for used pieces, such as desks and computer chairs. Chances of finding antique décor items (that are both stylish and affordable) are good at second-hand retailers. These pieces will make your work space feel sophisticated yet comfortable.

Decorate Yourself

Save money by decorating your bedroom office yourself, instead of paying someone else to do it for you. This gives you more freedom to be creative, allowing your personal sense of style to shine through. Make the space feel warm and welcoming by hanging by family photos, framed inspirational quotes or even your kids’ artwork.

Go Green

Look at purchasing smaller computers or lap tops that save energy (and money). Electrical outlets, phone chargers, automatic turn-off lighting and recycled paper are just a few examples of ways to ‘go green’ with your bedroom office. You will be not only cut costs but also help the environment.

Use What You Have

Chances are, you already have some supplies at home that you can use for your bedroom office. Rummage through the basement or attic and look for lamps that could double as task-lighting on your desk. Who knows, you may even stumble upon some unused school supplies, such as notebook, loose-leaf paper, pens, marker, etc. that you will ultimately need as well.

Avoid Land Lines

Having a land line added to your bedroom office can be costly, and unnecessary, if you already have cellular coverage. Use your cell phone for all work correspondence. As well, purchase a printer with scanning capabilities instead of investing in a fax machine.

Trade or Barter with Your Neighbors

Posting ads on Craigslist or putting up bulletins in your local community centers can help you find office supplies (at reasonable prices) in your area. Check out garage sales to see if you can buy or trade items with your neighbors. While you’re at it, take the time to plug your business and perhaps gain some new clients or professional contacts.

Just as a side note, since we’re talking about setting up a bedroom office on a budget, there are tax write-offs available for people who work from home. It’s definitely something to look into, as it could save you money each year, which can then go toward expanding your business.

Your Home office cyber defense

It is necessary to ensure that your home office is cyber-secure as confidential information of yourself and your clients can get into the hands of criminals. Your home office is prone to be targeted by hackers and online fraudsters as they usually perceive home office networks as easy targets. Unlike a company where they have an IT department to handle cyber security, here it is all up to you. Setting up your home cyber defense can seem to be a daunting task. But if you know the basics of cyber defense, you can easily set up strong and smart cyber defense mechanisms.

How to setup a proper Home Office cyber defense? The key aspects to focus on are preventing unsafe practices, ensuring proper data protection, ensuring network safety and putting in place adequate device protection.

This article will help you understand the basics of how to protect your home office and make it cyber secure, so read below for the steps we use and encourage you to use as well.

Some of the cyber-threats that you may face are as follows:

Credential theft. You may have been aware of the term ‘phishing’. In the past few years it has turned out to be a real menace. It is a way to steal people’s identities and important information to commit fraud as well as financial theft. One way this is done is through a DNS changer attack The DNS changer is a script that changes the DNS of your computer and it changed to the server that a hacker controls… Usually normal phishing attack affects the settings on your router which makes all the gadgets attached to the router vulnerable to attack. The hacker steals the credentials and tries it on banking accounts or other services. One way the risk is high is when you have the same password for all services online.
Ransomware. Ransomware is where the hacker captures your data and encrypts it. You will be given access only by paying a ransom. This is highly prevalent crime and thousands of businesses are affected by it every month.
Tech support scams. Here you may get a message or a pop up say that your system has a problem and to call a number. They usually ask for remote access through team viewer or any such remote access software and then take control of your computer.
Breach entry point. If you are working remotely most of the time then you may be putting your company at risk. You may be using your company credentials from multiple locations to login to the company network. Using different systems and accessing the company from various points will leave it vulnerable to external attacks

Let us look at some common ways in which your home office becomes vulnerable to attacks:

Unsafe practices
- Online practices make your home office very vulnerable. This includes clicking on unknown links, giving personal information online, using same passwords and lack of caution in logging off of services and accounts while using public networks.
- Using default passwords is among all these the greatest insecure practice. Also, if you use the same password for everything then hackers can easily access all the services.
- Another problem is not updating the OS regularly. If you are like me, you will usually ignore the OS update messages and leave it for later. It never gets updated and leaves the system open to attackers.
- Not backing up data is another bad practice. In case your system is hacked will your data be accessible elsewhere? Having multiple and frequent backups is a great practice that home office workers can start.
- Not changing the router password frequently will make the router vulnerable to attack.
- Another issue is the lack of a proper security software that will ward off most the threats and make networks difficult to penetrate.
Compromised Networks
- If you network passwords and admin logins are not changed frequently the router and network will be compromised
- If you have remote management enabled that means that your can manage the router from outside and this in turn will also leave it accessible for other people outside your home network. Access to your router remotely will compromise all data any devices associated with the home network.
- If you have open ports it will allow connections to be made inside of your subnet to outside access. This can also be a way inside your network.
- Your having out-of-date firmware can be a threat, as they contain the latest patches and security fixes. This will prevent hackers who can hack the software that have known vulnerabilities. Updating on time will ensure you have the latest software with the fixes which addresses these previous vulnerabilities, blocking out potential threats.
Through your devices
- Here again the default account passwords are a problems and have to be changed frequently
- It is important to limit the ways to access your devices, as more entry points there are the more vulnerable the device is to external attack.
- Firmware of the device need to be updated frequently so that the known vulnerabilities of the older

So now what can you do to ensure proper protection for your home office?

Here are a few things you can do:

Protect your router

If your router does not have a password set please set one immediately! Even though it may seem to be more convenient to have no password, the router is left open to access to anyone who wishes to do so
The second step is to change the admin password at least every 4 months. This will ensure that access is renewed and any breaches can be automatically plugged
The next step is to update the firmware of the router regularly whenever the update prompt shows up. This will ensure that old vulnerabilities are no longer relevant for hackers to exploit
Remove remote access from the router

Protect your computer

Keep your OS updated automatically as it will happen regularly and need not be dependent on your memory
Install a good anti-virus so that you have adequate threat protection
Turn off Wi Fi Sharing so that your credentials are not shared with anyone

Hack-Proof your smart devices

ALL your smart devices need to have admin passwords changed frequently
Try no to connect the smart devices to other devices so that you can move it to the guest network so that if compromised the entire network is not compromised
Update the devices whenever the latest fix is suggested by the company

Protect your data

Do regular back up
Have backups in multiple places for ex. A cloud back-up plus manual back-up.
Automate your backups so that even if you are lazy someday, the back-up still happens on time
Check the sender ids of your emails and be cautious about phishing emails. The links that come to your email needs to be double checked before you click it. Even then the link can seemingly authentic and get information from you.
A good way to prepare yourself is to get anti phishing training to learn how to defend yourself from any cyber attack.
Do not mix work devices and personal devices as this may compromise your network (assuming your work network is less secure).
Protect your files and folders through requiring passwords to access them and encrypting devices and proper backups
Install multi factor authentication to protect the core and most important data. This means that rather than just a password you also have additional steps to log in such as a temporary code to your phone number or activation sent to your email.
Have a data breach plan- In case you have a data breach where will you access back ups ? how will you back up? How will you communicate about the breach to customers? What actions will you take to re-secure your data?

If you work from home a lot or at coffee shops or libraries or airports where you access the public wifis you need to be careful as they are often not secure. If you are using such a wifi password then send and receive information from encrypted websites which has the ‘https’ in the url.

How to protect yourself from scammers

These are the most common scams targeted at small business or home office workers as well.

Usually they tell you that something is wrong and you need to download something
Or you cannot access some software or website and you may be asked to click on the links that will show you how to access your information
You may be asked to fill up a form and then they call you to ask for remote access. They may also ask you to buy a software which actually will install a virus in your computer.
If someone calls you offering tech support or you have a pop up asking you to call a number then do not follow their instructions.
If someone asks you to pay for services with a gift card or wire transfer do not proceed: hang up!
In case you do have a technical problem call the company that made the software and have them offer you solutions.

A note about passwords: One of the best ways to defend yourself is to get a password manager so that you can have a variety of passwords and change them frequently. The password manager also generates strong passwords for you and you can save hundreds of passwords without taxing your memory. This will help you protect yourself from one of the most common security threats.

How Can I Decorate My Home Office?

Choosing how to decorate your home is easy, however, deciding how to set-up your Home Office can be challenging. Believe it or not, how you design your work space is directly linked to your frame of mind, thus affecting your overall success and productivity. Right now, you may be wondering to yourself, ‘how should I go about decorating my Home Office?’

How can I decorate my Home Office? Since our work is greatly influenced by our surroundings, it’s important to make an office space look warm and inviting, while maintaining a professional vibe. Paint colors, furniture placement and decorative items all play a role in creating a positive working environment while improving productivity.

Now that you know how well we work is greatly shaped by our environment, let’s take a closer look at this in more detail below. We will discuss how to make a Home Office look both fun and professional, what colors to choose to maximize productivity and how to decorate smaller work spaces, such as cubicles (for those who brought the concept back home…). We will also explore the concept of ‘feng shui’ and how it creates a positive working environment.

So, if you’re ready to learn more about decorating your Home Office to increase your productivity, then let’s get started!

How Can I Professionally Decorate My Home Office?

It is important to have an office that looks both professional and sophisticated. After all, we’re all adults here! Decorating a work space in a classy, yet welcoming manner, will help both staff and visitors feel comfortable and at ease in their surroundings. Some simple, yet effective, ways to do this include the following:

Keep in mind that ‘less is more’ – you don’t need a lot to look put together, keep things as neutral as possible but add a few unique touches to let your personal style shine through!
Decide on a color scheme and stick with it – purchase office supplies, such as staplers, organizers and bulletin boards in specific colors which exude professionalism, including red, navy blue and forest green
Get the furniture right – purchase ergonomic chairs for staff and stream-lined couches for visitors in chic colors, such as beige, grey and black.
Focus on the lighting – along with standard overhead lighting, add a few table lamps to add a touch of class to your work space.
Add a pop of color – artwork on the walls is a great way to inject style, for example, abstract paintings work well in offices with a neutral vibe and a clean, modern feel.
Choose the right flooring – carpet is a warm addition to any office, so is a classic wood floor with some area rugs – remember to keep the colors neutral and patterns/prints to a minimum.
Bring books that relate to your business – use a bookshelf or a coffee table to house reading material that is professional and inspirational, such as non-fiction works that focus on success in your field.

How Do I Make My Home Office Look Fun and Welcoming?

While an office should represent a high level of professionalism, it should also provide staff (if you do have them in your Home Office) and visitors with a sense of ease and comfort. A fun, relaxed working environment helps boost morale. It also breeds creativity while contributing to a higher level of productivity.

Some great ideas to make your Home Office space look fun and inviting include the following:

Encourage personal items – allow staff the opportunity to decorate their work areas with personal belongings, such as family photos, children’s artwork or a favorite painting.
Make it colorful – bright, bold shades on the walls or in the furnishings adds vibrancy and promotes positive energy to any office space.
Create a relaxing break area – provide an area to unwind and recharge with comfortable chairs, some game boards and a coffee machine. Why not go to the living room? Well: you are still working in your Home Office, so no, don’t to the living room or anywhere else and break the work momentum. A small area to decompress a bit, not drift completely and get absorbed by “Home activities and duties” and never go back to work. Also, if you do have staff, do you really want them wandering in your house during work time?
Add some greenery – interior plants (real, rather than artificial) are a healthy addition to any work area, offering visual appeal while cleaning the air of toxins.
Stock a bookshelf – Set up a space with some fun reading material to encourage creativity, alleviate stress and keep the Home Office from looking (and feeling) too serious or even boring.

How Can I Decorate My Office With No Windows?

In an ideal world, we would all have spacious offices with big, bright windows surrounding us. However, if natural light is an issue where you have set up your Home Office, there are ways to decorate that will boost your energy and improve productivity. These include the following:

Choose light paint colors – the best way to brighten a room is to choose the right colors, such as warm, soft shades of white, beige, gray, blue or even blush pink, that create the illusion of more space.
Adjust the lighting – fluorescent lights make a room look dull and dark so opt for a multitude of lamps placed throughout the area to create a warm glow, as opposed to harsh, overhead lighting.
Create the illusion of a window – if you don’t have a window, fake it, by adding large, light, airy drapes to a bare wall that go all the way to floor – this creates the sense of more space in a room.
Use mirrors throughout – a well-placed mirror can make a room appear larger and mimic a window as well, by expanding the space and creating a sense of depth – they also reflect light from lamps making the space feel warmer and brighter.
Add natural elements – plants help make any space feel bigger and brighter, however, in the absence of natural light, choose artificial varieties or ones that do well in low light such as snake plants, prayer plants, ferns or palms.

How Can I Decorate My Home Office Cubicle?

Some have set up their Home Office with cubicles. I’ve seen this only once with a friend who works with his wife in their Home Office… Decorating a cubicle can be challenging especially with a smaller space, however, there are some easy and fun to do it, as long as you follow a few simple guidelines. These include the following:

Keep it professional – your desk should be neat and organized at all times, with your keyboard, phone, pens and paper within arm’s reach.
Express yourself (but within reason) – try not to cover every square inch of space with pictures or personal items and leave the wallpaper at home!
Stay organized – keep a few storage bins or a small shelf in your work area to avoid overflow into shared spaces.
Add some color – brighten your day and lift your spirits by adding color to your work area, such as a graphic design print, a vase of flowers or some pens and paper in fun, vibrant colors.
Incorporate warm lighting – add a lamp, even if your cubicle resides under fluorescent lighting, to create warmth and improve your reading, writing and computer work.

How Can I Feng Shui my small Home Office?

Feng shui is a principle of Chinese origin and based on a system of laws that govern spatial arrangement in relation to the flow of energy. A proper ‘feng shui’ office can help you feel more inspired and productive. It can also enhance creativity and promote discipline. The 6 essential guidelines to follow include the following:

Clear away clutter – keep your Home Office, restrooms and any visiting/waiting areas neat and tidy, do not leave papers lying around and keep table tops and other surfaces clean
Use appropriate artwork and imagery – surround yourself with pictures and images that inspire you, such as beautiful flowers, soothing nature scenes or framed quotes/mottos.
Balance and harmonize the environment – elements such as wood, earth, metal, fire and water should be represented somehow in your work environment, whether in the way of pictures, décor items, a fireplace or an indoor water feature.
Choose suitable colors – shades such as soft yellow or pale gold, sandstone or earth tones, pale green or blue green are all appropriate colors that promote clarity, mental focus and productivity.
Incorporate stress relievers – add mood music, a running water fountain or an essential oil diffuser to create a sense of peace and calm while reducing stress.

What are Good Colors for an Office?

There is a direct connection between color and behavior. Certain shades can have a profound effect on productivity and creativity in the workplace. It is important to incorporate these hues into the wall colors, artwork and décor items in an office to enhance the overall mood. The 5 best include the following:

Blue – use it as a primary color in an office to improve focus and concentration
Red – great as an accent color in office areas that demand physical exertion
Yellow – use yellow to stimulate creativity, positivism and happiness among staff
Green – easy on the eyes, this color promotes a sense of peace and harmony is a work space
Grey – creates a modern, sophisticated vibe in an office

HOW TO SET UP YOUR HOME OFFICE

Your Home office cyber defense