Making Your Home into Your Office

Making Your Home into Your OfficeMaking Your Home into Your OfficeI was fortunate enough to be one of them.When the process began, I had visions of four-digit expenditures (to be paid by the newspaper or the designers) on major renovations to turn this crowded and sometimes gloomy 1217 space into a livable and workable environment.It turns out, it only took $326 and a designer with some good ideas.Here are a few small things you can do to turn any home area into a workspace that is comfortable and inspiring- and where you can pull off professional meetings. Tips come from Hilary Unger, who applied them to my Manhattan apartmentOrganizeMake it feel not too cluttered Pair like with like - pencils in pencil holders, baskets for paper, katechese pad next to phone, she says. Order and neatness go a long way toward creating a work environment that is pleasing to the eye.SeparateIf youre working at your dining room table and you have to fold it up every night to use it for eating, you lose productivity, says Unger. Think about getting a separate desk, or at least a separate area.Like ItLook at your priorities What items do you want to keep? What items do you need to keep? What are your goals and what is bothering you about the space? Unger suggests an evaluation of your work area to find what you like and dont like will help you focus on what you need to rework.(Hilary Unger is owner of Perianth Design and Buy My Eye. Buy My Eye is a slimmed-down service that involves a consultation followed by a detailed analysis and shopping list with options.)Posted by Laura Rich, RecessionWire.comAt the End of Your Robe Finding Your Identity in CrisisRecession Briefing 3.13Love in the Time of Layoff Learning from the Ladies