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How to set up a home office
 If you want to set up a home office or you're thinking of setting up as any kind of consultant or web entrepreneur you'll need a decent work space and the right equipment to help you on your way.
This is what we think you will need to get started - clicking on the links will take you to the suppliers' sites. There are plenty of others you can use of course, however, this is a reasonable selection for starters.
- Office furniture and fittings - a desk, storage cabinet and a back supportive computer chair in a place with good natural light - preferably in a spot where no one else will disturb your thoughts or paperwork. Don't forget things like wrist guards, gel mouse pads etc. to ensure that you don't suffer from nasty repetitive strain injuries (RSI) if you use the computer a lot - I speak from experience! You can find most of what you need from PC World Business with good prices here.
- Web site and professional email address - build a basic web site quickly and cheaply without the need for programming skills you can find out more at 1&1 Internet here. If you like this site and you want to know more about how this is built just click on contact us.
- A computer with as much memory as you can afford with the most up to date operating system - Windows XP or Mac compatible. If you need to go and visit clients or work on their site then get a laptop - as light as possible with a good quality carrying case. If you do a lot of writing, however, using a laptop keyboard can cause RSI and back/neck problems so get a plug-in mouse and make sure you work at the right height. Shop around and see what you like before you buy because it's a very important investment. You can get great deals at Laptops Direct here.
- Mac or Microsoft? Some people are definitely Mac fans rather than Microsoft fans. Either will do the job though and that's what's really important after all. I would love a stylish i-book but I'm very happy with my gorgeous new Sony Vaio! I also recently bought a very inexpensive external hard drive to back up all my files and I use a portable flash drive to download the odd file I might need if I'm using a computer at a clients office or for doing presentations. PC World Business have a good selection and a 'collect from store' service - to find out more click here.
- Software - just get what you actually need. MS Office, Adobe reader, a firewall to protect your system, anti-virus and malware software etc. Don't forget to empty your recycle bin and run basic maintenance like a disc defrag via your control panel (it's like tidying up your cupboards!) and run virus scans regularly so as to keep your computer running quickly and efficiently.
- Printers - get a decent one. I have just bought an all-in-one high resolution colour printer, scanner, copier and fax from Lexmark that I'm very pleased with. There are some great all in one deals now at PC World here.
- Broadband - you really must use broadband if you are going to use the internet and work from home. It is relatively inexpensive now and essential for speedy work on the net. BT, Tiscali, Wanadoo and AOL all have packages of varying speed and price. Check with your BT exchange first, however, to see what your line quality is. There is no point in paying for a high speed link of your line won't support it.
- A telephone with an answering machine (and a polite & friendly recorded message) and a basic mobile phone so customers can reach you wherever you are is also a must.
- Basic stationery and office supplies - order on-line and have it delivered directly to your home address to avoid lugging heavy boxes around. Click on the link to set up an account at
- Business cards - buy as good quality as you can afford if you need business cards but you can get great free or very cheap offers at Vistaprint here.
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