by Todd Pheifer

Created on: January 31, 2008   Last Updated: January 30, 2009

The incredibly shrinking office

The world continues to shrink (literally, as well as figuratively) and we are increasingly finding ways to "cram" our lives into compact spaces. The home office is a good example of this and people are finding creative ways to get large productivity out of small spaces. Whether your home office is a walk-in closet or a small utility closet, you can fit the essentials of a small business into each space with a little planning. Items such as a computer, a few files, a telephone, and some paperwork does not require a large work space.

Start with the furniture

For the walk-in closet, you have more options in terms of furniture, but you still need to keep greed to a minimum. Places like IKEA and other office supply stores have many options in terms of compact desks or carts that can support computers, printers, and fax machines. In addition, compact shelving can be a great asset to a small space. Shelving can either be built from scratch with simple lumber or you may consider some prefabricated shelving and/or cabinet units from places like Home Depot, Lowes, or other home-improvement store.

Lessen the technological load

For the smaller closet, you can still be productive with a minimum of space. Some closets can function much like the computer cabinet, which are increasingly popular in some homes. In this case, you would need to explore laptop or very small desktop computer options as opposed to traditional desktop computers.

Peripherals

Additionally, you can save space by subscribing to a fax service that sends faxes to your email rather than to a fax machine. This will save the space of another device and leave more room for paperwork or supplies. A small closet may require a bit of wiring for electronics, but it may be worth the cost in order to save space. Granted, you have to select a closet that is out of the flow of household traffic in order to stay out of people's way.

Lose the paper

Another way to save space is to minimize the paper accumulation in the office. With today's technology and digital file transferring, most files can be scanned and stored as files on the computer, rather than in a drawer. That way, people may be able to completely do away with a file cabinet. This can free up an immense amount of space and make the home office space in a closet a genuine reality.

Make it fit

Regardless of what closet you use, a home office space can easily fit in a compact storage area. By planning out equipment, furniture, and supplies, you can utilize an existing space without having to take over another room in the house.

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