Many people want to open businesses up that they can run from homes, but they run into the problem of not having enough space for a proper office. Retrofitting a guest room or other spare space within the house might work, but, if cramped, they might not be a good fit for those attempting to run a lucrative business in their homes.
One possible solution is to turn a garage into an office space. Obviously, this is an issue if the garage in question is needed for the cars or other vehicles owned by the people within the home. But many garages are only used for storage and have the kind of spacious square footage to accommodate all of the needs of a home business owner.
Your first step is to make sure experts like Doorcare provide you with the kind of garage door that’s inviting to prospective clients and functional for the home business owner. Now it’s time to get started on the inside.
Light It Up
If you’re going to be utilizing your garage as an office for your home business, you need the proper lighting. Think about the kinds of lamps that provide comforting, warm light that doesn’t become wearying after a long day at the office. Or, if you can afford it, maybe put in a window for natural light.
Heating and Cooling
Garages tend to be cool in the summer, so there probably wouldn’t be as much need to run an air conditioner as you would in a room within the house. A fan would probably suffice. But wintertime means that you’ll probably need to invest in a heating system, or, at the very least, space heaters near the work area.
Office Needs
There is usually ample storage space in a garage, but you’ll likely need to clear out any excess junk that’s been lying around. You then need to consider if wireless internet is accessible in the garage, or else you might need to put in a router so that you can do all the work you need to do on the computer.
Client Care
If you run the kind of business that requires you to entertain clients, you’ll need to consider the comfort level of your garage. While it might be practical to just throw a desk and a computer in this big empty space, clients might deem it somewhat unprofessional. So you might need to consider some sort of flooring beside the concrete, and perhaps make sure there’s room for a sitting area, a coffee machine, and other amenities so that anyone who wants to do business with you are at ease in this space.
These are just some of the basics to consider when transforming your garage into the perfect office for your home business. Don’t be afraid to go beyond these hints and find ways to personalize the space and make it something of which you can be proud. You’ll be spending a lot of time there, so why not turn it into something special.
