Field Guide to Home Offices
(Updated June 2007)
There are many things to purchase before setting up a home office, such as computers, office equipment, extra phone lines, Internet access and furniture. However, other aspects of a working at home are also important: what home office items are tax-deductible and dealing with family interruptions in your home office, for instance. This page will point you in the right direction to discover if a home office is right for you. Also, you'll find information about managing telecommuters below. (K. Janisch, Information Specialist)
Home Office Basics 
Home Office on a Budget, (REALTOR® Magazine, Mar. 1, 2007).
Home Office Lockdown, (Computerworld, Feb. 26, 2007). Q
Home Offices Are A Necessity For Working Americans., (Realty Times, Jan 19, 2006).
How Setting Up a Home Office Works, (howstuffworks.com, 2006).
9 Tips for Separating Your Home From Your Business?, (Yahoo Small Business, 2006.)
Home Office Planner, (www.bhg.com, 2005).
Home Offices Gain Popularity but Lose Some Size, (Charolotte Business Journal, Aug. 26, 2005).
Seven Rules in Setting Up Your Home Office, (www.powerhomebiz.com, 2004).
A Few Words with Roger Lipera and Timothy J. Ryan, (Business Review, Oct. 8, 2004).
Correct space, work-surface management make for productive home office, (Business Review, Oct. 8, 2004).
Home Offices Need Not Be Pretty, Just Functional, (Realty Times, Aug.12, 2004).
'Shed Boy Is on Line One': Some Tales From the Growing World of Home Offices, (Wall Street Journal, June 17, 2004). Q
Thinking of creating a home office?, (California Real Estate, Mar. 2004).
Home Office Productivity Depends on Organization, (Columbus Business First, Aug. 23, 2002).
Keys to Home Office Success, (Realty Times, Feb. 1, 2001).
Three Home Offices Designed to Suit, (REALTOR® Magazine, Feb. 1, 2001).
Don't miss this conception: working at home is hard work, (Realty Times, June 26, 1998).
Telecommuting
Out of Sight, Out of Mind, (Sales and Marketing Management, Apr. 2007). Q
More Companies Have Telecommuting Policies and More Telework Is Expected, (HR Focus, Feb. 2007). Q
The Easiest Commute of All, (BusinessWeek, Dec. 12, 2005). Q
Telecommuting Tips: Managing Your Work, (Utah - Office of the Governor, 2004).
Managers Find Ways to Bridge Distance with Sales Forces, (Business First Louisville, Mar. 10, 2003).
Ten tips for Effective Telecommuting, (The American Salesman, Oct. 2002). Q
Telecommuting Requires Firms Connect with Policies, (Columbus Business First, Mar. 29, 2002).
Making Telecommuting Work, (Workforce, Oct. 2001). Q
How to Tolerate, er, Adjust to Work-at-Home Salespeople, (REALTOR® Magazine, Aug. 1998).
Insurance, Tax & Safety Issues
Home and Office Tax Tips for Deductions and Credits, (Wisconsin Real Estate Magazine Online, Feb. 13, 2007).
Publication 587 (2006), Business Use of Your Home, (Internal Revenue Service).
Insuring Your Office and Equipment, (CCH Business Owner's Toolkit, 2004).
Qualifying for the Home Office Deduction, (Realty Times, Jan. 17, 2003).
Deducting Home Office Expenses, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, n.d.).
Hidden Hazards of Your Home Office, (Wall Street Journal, June 2, 2000). Q
Ergonomics 101: Keeping Your Home Office Healthy, (Realty Times, July 22, 1999).
Furniture, Equipment & Design
New Kid on the Block? Assess Your Tech Needs, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, Mar. 1, 2007).
BUYER'S GUIDE: Printers, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, Jan. 1, 2007).
Designers' Portfolio: Home Offices, (www.hgtv.com, 2007).
Home Ergonomics, (CA Magazine, Dec. 2004). Q
Organizing Your Home Office: Finding the Right Furniture, (www.score.org, Oct. 2004).
What to Look For in a Display, (REALTOR® MagazineOnline, May 2004).
The Comforts of the Office, (REALTOR® Magazine, Feb. 2002).
Space Planning Tips for Home Offices, (REALTOR® Magazine Online Exclusives, Feb. 2001).
Home Office Solutions, (www.thisoldhouse.com).
Books & Other Resources
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
The resources below are available for loan through Information Central. Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10. Call Information Central at 800.874.6500 for assistance.
Set up your home office in a weekend, by Faithe Wempen, (Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 2000). HD 2753 W47
Organizing your home office for success, by Lisa Kanarek, (Dallas, TX: Blakely Press, 1998). HD 2753 K13
The Home office solution, by Alice Bredin, (New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1998). HD 2753 B74h
Home offices: your guide to planning and furnishing, (Better Homes and Gardens, 1997). NA 6230 H75
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