Setting Up an Office

Items You Will Need

• You need basic items when you are setting up an office: a desk (preferably with drawers for extra storage), chair, computer with monitor or laptop, printer, phone, Internet connectivity and a file cabinet. Optional items may include a fax and copy machines (though these now come bundled with printers as "all-in-ones"), in and out boxes for the desk.

Desk Placement

• Place your desk in the room first. Where you put the desk is key to the work environment. Identify where the Internet connection, phone cords and outlets are. This is the general area where your desk should be placed.

  When you are working, it helps to be able to look out a window, whether it is for inspiration or as a break from your tasks. So whenever possible, place the desk up against the wall where your window is located or adjacent to that wall so that the worker can easily turn to the right or left and look outside.

Desk Equipment

• Next, put your work equipment and electronics in the office. Place the computer in the center of the desk and plug in your Internet connection cords. Put the printer and phone on the right side of the desk if the user is right handed, or to the left if left-handed. If there is room, place any other computer equipment on that side as well. If not, all less-used office equipment can be placed on the left side of the computer.

File Cabinet Placement

• Finally, place your file cabinets in the office. For convenience, place the file cabinets up against the wall adjacent to your desk. The file cabinet should be directly across from where you sit in your desk chair so that you can slide to the right or to the left in your office chair and access your files.

Additional Options

• If you have additional equipment that must be placed in the office, such as a free-standing copier, place it on the opposite wall from the desk.

  If you place a television in the office, mount it on the same wall as the desk, but make sure it is placed so that the user will have to turn his body or neck to view the television. This will help with office productivity--if the television were to be above the desk, it could be too distracting.