Evaluate Your House for a Home Office

As you look around your home and try to decide where to put a home office consider the following.

A spare bedroom is the most common place for an office, but it’s not the only adaptable space in the house. The formal living room and dining room in many older homes are often unused and make a great office. These rooms are close to the front door, which is an important consideration if your business brings visitors into the home. However, attics, basements, dens, sunrooms, garages, even laundry rooms are similarly convertible.

Another important question is whether you’ll be taking the home office deduction on your taxes. If so, your work area can’t be used for any other purpose; the IRS bases the deduction on square footage used “exclusively and regularly” for business activities. Consult your accountant about whether the deduction makes sense for you.

Not everyone has a spare room to devote to an office. In that case, you need to find creative ways to carve out space.

Offices can often be tucked into little-used locations, such as under stairs, in dormers, and on second-floor landings. Closets offer a good compromise because you can close the doors on your job at the end of the day. Another option is a computer armoire or if budget is a concern, set off a corner of the living room or family room with a room divider, bookcases, or a folding screen.