5 Ways to Make Your Home Office Safe

Don't forget about safety when you work naked.

Don't forget about safety when you work naked.

If you have kids, you probably remember the baby-proofing stage when you had to install cabinet latches, toilet locks and baby gates. I realized it was time to remove the locks when my younger son showed his babysitter how to use them.

Taking the time to make your house safe for your kids is important, but who’s keeping your office safe for you? All it takes is one fall to break a leg and you’re out of commission for weeks. (Although you can milk it and get your family to do tasks and errands for you that normally they wouldn’t.) Either way, an injury is still inconvenient. There are a few steps you can take to safety-proof your home office. [Read more...]

Home office on a budget

You don’t have to spend a fortune to take up residence in a well-designed, functional home office. Buy what works–and more importantly–buy what fits the way you work. You don’t have to sacrifice style and design to achieve function. The two can work hand in hand.

Create a compact, yet not-too-confined work area with your desk, credenza, file cabinet, supplies and information within reach. Then you won’t waste time jumping from area to area to grab what you need.

Several years ago, when I worked with the winner of the “Most Disorganized Home Office” contest, we turned her enormous attic home office into a cozy, workable space. The end result was a home office set up in the back part of the attic, near windows, and the rest of the space left open.

Limit the number of accessories–especially on your desk. Keep in mind that design magazines “stage” their photos. They add more accessories than normal, place furniture in awkward places because it photographs better, and–in some cases–create a room that no one could comfortably live in.

Your home office should be comfortable, yet functional, stylish yet not overstuffed with excess accessories. The rule of thumb is that less is more. Buy what you need for your office, but make sure you can find what you need when you need it.

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