Planning Your Office Space

Love The Space You Are In

Your office, whether you lease space or work from home should be one you are proud of.

Because you don't have to work for anyone, you may choose the furniture you want and where you want it. The only restriction is your budget.

Usually when you lease office space, the space is empty, with only the carpet and the existing paint on the walls. If you lease certain space, you may be able to work the cost of design and construction into your lease.

If not, you are responsible for the design of the empty space and construction as required. It is advisable to hire an interior designer at this point. If you do not wish to do this, come up with the plan yourself.

In either case, make sure you check with your landlord before putting up walls and bringing certain equipment into the space. You may also have to check with them before hiring any contractors.

Visually break up your space according to your needs. Do you need more than one office? How much space do you need for your equipment? Do you require a kitchen for your employees? Where will the reception desk or counter for customers be? Will you require extra outlets, plumbing, servers, etc.?

What type of furniture do you need? What about filing cabinets, supply cabinets, computers, printers, fax machines/scanners, copiers, laminating machines, etc.?

If you are in the retail business, what equipment do you need? Where will you put the equipment? Can you put a wall up to mask the shop area?

Working from Home

If you are providing a service which you can do from your desk and computer, then a room in your house is probably all you require. However, if you create products or ship items to your customers, you will require an extra area in your house (perhaps your basement) to set up a workspace or shipping counter. As well, you will require adequate shelving to house your wares. Check our "Business Set-Up" section under "Getting Started" for additional information.