After 2020, the need for a home office has never been more evident. As the global health crisis continues, more people are working from home and are likely to for the foreseeable future. Whether your day job falls into that category or not, a home office is vital for running a successful side hustle too. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the reasons you want to set up a home office and some ideas about the type of equipment you’ll need.
Do I Really Need a Home Office?
Yes.
If you’re an employee, you have to recognize that employers may expect people to be flexible and work remotely. A home office has become a big part of that equation. A dedicated, distraction-free space is an asset to not just you but your employer.
If you’re an entrepreneur or an investor, then you might dream of the so-called “laptop lifestyle” and running your empire from your cell phone. Yes, the ability to work on the go is important, but the reality is that you’re not always going to be on the go. Most of the time, you’re going to be at your residence. Home is where the bulk of the work will get done that allows you to have a jet-setting lifestyle eventually.
There are tax advantages to having a home office if you’re a business owner or freelancer, full-time or part-time. It doesn’t matter whether you own your residence or rent, so long as you follow IRS rules.
Requirements to Claim the Home Office Deduction
According to the IRS, you must meet two requirements to claim a home office deduction:
- The home office must have regular and exclusive use.
- The home office must be the principal place of your business.
Calling your kitchen table your home office doesn’t cut it. You need a dedicated space that is exclusive to your business. Ideally, this is a second bedroom or another area in your house that you can commit to business work. If you’re unsure whether you’re meeting IRS requirements, then be sure to consult a certified accountant.
What Should I Get for My Home Office?
Let’s discuss some of the things you’ll want to buy for your home office. You may already have some of these items, but remember that we should be keeping business equipment dedicated to doing business.
Likewise, business equipment counts as a business deduction; therefore, we should be buying the right equipment for the job. For me, my t-shirt business is graphics intensive, so I didn’t skimp on a business computer. When I first started, I worked with what I had, but my old laptop was painfully slow, and it affected the speed at which I could pump out designs. I reinvested my revenue into better equipment, and that has helped me work more efficiently. Don’t be afraid to invest in your business.
Without further ado, let’s get into the list:
Computer
What type of home office computer should I buy? The answer to that depends significantly on the kind of business that you have. If you’re running a business with any online presence, that probably means you’re doing a lot on the computer, and speed would help. Even running a dog-walking business probably means you’re making promotional flyers and using social media. Video content is more important than ever, so you might want to use high-end video editing software that requires decent computing power. When considering what computer to get, you’ll want to think about these factors:
- Processor
- RAM
- Graphics Card
- Display Ports
More is better in all these categories. I include display ports because having multiple monitors is a huge time saver in any business. You don’t need to have four monitors like you’re a day trader, but having at least two will make you incredibly more efficient.
There is another question you have to consider. Should I have a desktop or laptop for my home office? In most cases, if you don’t have a definite need for a laptop, you are better off with a desktop computer. Desktop computers generally have more computing power at a lower cost and have a longer service life. Laptops tend to become outdated quickly. The battery eventually becomes unserviceable to a point where you end up using it as a stationary computer anyways when it no longer holds a charge.
To help in your search, I will give you some different options that you can find right now on Amazon.
Ssrotho Gaming Desktop Tower Computer (16GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB SSD + 1TB HDD)
A low-end gaming computer might not be very exciting for gamers, but it is an excellent option for home offices. You might want to think about a gaming computer because these typically have a dedicated graphics card combined with lots of RAM and processor power. Since we’re buying this for business and not games, we can take advantage of computers from last season’s models that have fallen out of favor with gamers. This one from Ssrotho sports a ton of computing power, enough ports to run up to four monitors, and comes preloaded with Windows 10 Professional Business. This is probably the best option right now for a business computer under $1000.
HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Tower Computer Desktop PC (renewed)
If you’re looking for a business computer under $500, then consider a refurbished offering. Amazon guarantees these to work and look like they are brand new. In this example, you still get a dedicated graphics card enabling you to run two monitors and have the speed advantage of not solely relying on RAM. Windows 10 Pro comes included in the install.
If you are deadset on having a laptop, then your best bet is an Apple MacBook Air. These things are pretty unbeatable as far as laptops go. Personally, I use a desktop PC for most of my business activities, but I also have an old MacBook Air from 2013 that I use when I’m on the road. Eight years later, the laptop still runs excellent. This 2020 Apple MacBook Air laptop includes a display port so you can hook up a second monitor when you’re at home. If you want to go mobile, then disconnect that and be on your way.
Multifunction Printer
Every home office should have a multifunction printer. Multifunction means that, at a minimum, you can print and scan from the device. The biggest thing to consider with these is the price of ink. Likewise, to keep your printer working well, make sure you set a reminder on your phone to print a color document every week. If you don’t use the printer often enough, then the ink can become dried out. This can usually be fixed by running the “clean print head” function in the maintenance menu, but it’s better to avoid the problem altogether.
The printer I’ve used for years and love is the Epson ET-4550. Probably the best feature is its EcoTank print well, where you use liquid ink instead of print cartridges. I’ve found this to be way more economical than other printers I’ve owned in the past.
The Epson ET-4550 is an older model, and it appears people on Amazon are charging exorbitant amounts for the remaining units they have. For that reason, I will give you some examples of newer printers similar to the Epson ET-4550.
Epson EcoTank ET-3760 Wireless Color All-In-One Printer
Epson EcoTank ET-2720 Wireless Color All-In-One Printer
Desk and Chair
There are two ways to go when it comes to a desk and chair. You can go the traditional route with something comfortable, or you can go with a standing desk. This comes down to personal preference.
If you want a chair, then again, I’d encourage you to take a page from the gaming community. After all, they are very experienced in sitting on their butts for significant amounts of time.
Gaming chairs typically have ergonomic elements such as lumbar support and headrests that you might find helpful for long hours working at the computer.
If you want to give the standing desk a try, consider converting a regular desk into a standing one with something like the SIMBR Standing Desk Converter. Using a converter allows you to choose whether you want to sit or stand at any given time.
If you want something unconventional for your home office, a colleague of mine is a big fan of the balance ball chair. The fitness-minded among you might like the idea of working your core while working on your business.
Other Stuff You’ll Need for Your Home Office
A filing cabinet
If space is limited, I’d suggest looking for taller options like a four-drawer cabinet that takes up less square footage.
Adequate lighting
This is important for avoiding eye strain. Likewise, you might want to look into blue-light-blocking glasses that keep the computer/cell phone screen lights from disrupting your sleep patterns.
Webcam
If you plan on making YouTube videos, getting on Zoom calls, or anything else that requires a camera, then check out the Logitech C920S. This is a popular webcam among content creators.
Microphone
If podcasting or creating audiobooks is in your future, you might want to invest in a good microphone setup. Even video content creators can benefit from this because even YouTubers need decent sound quality. For advice on this area, I’d suggest going with this famous business podcasters advice:
Audiotechnica ATR-2100 USB Microphone: https://amzn.to/3Amd1JG
Samson Q2U USB Microphone: https://amzn.to/3ArhuuJ
Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone: https://amzn.to/3fO2Upd
Conclusion
If you are serious about business, then a home office is a practical necessity in 2021 and beyond. Having a dedicated space where you can be creative and focused can do wonders for your productivity. Make this space your sacred place. Avoid clutter, distractions, and anything else that steals your attention—set boundaries between work time and personal time. Doing these things will help you stay on task in building your empire.
Legal Disclaimer: We are not accountants or lawyers. Please consult with an authority in these areas on any legal or accounting decisions you may make pertaining to a home office.
Affiliate Disclaimer: We support JPCASHFLOW largely through affiliate income and links we share in our article may result in a commission.
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