Home office essentials - guide

Home office essentials

You have a home office in need of upgrading, or are thinking of setting up one, then you might want to l what bits need you attention first. This article is designed to give you an insight on what elements to look out for when buying office equipment. Should you spend more on a good office chair, or would it be better to buy a better desktop computer?

Computer

What type of computer really depends on your budget and requirements? If you look at the technical specs then you get better value from a desktop system but the added portability of a laptop in my opinion is worth it. Especially if you are sharing your work time between home.Quick spec check - the basic Dell laptop compare to the basic Apple product

Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop - £359
Intel Celeron 900(2.20GHz,)
2GB DDR3 memory
250GB hard drive


Apple MacBook-£869
2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB DDR3 memory
250GB hard drive


You are going to have to consider a few accessories too.
Back up hard drive - better safe than sorry
Monitor  - to help avoid eye strain
Wireless mouse - easier to use for long periods than a track pad on a laptop
Carrying case - protect your investment

Desk

Simple is best for office desks. Ideally you want a large flat working area. If you have a desk with lots of nook and crannies then inevitably you will lose things. If nothing else they will just collect dust. Try to avoid stow away desks as these tend to be low quality and flimsy. Instead opt for a solid wood desk. Ideally to ensure a better ergonomic working position then an L-shaped desk is best.

Chair

Comfort wise this is one of the most important elements of your home office. It really is worth spending as much as you can afford on a good quality chair. If you opt for a cheap chair without proper lumber support then you will not only find sitting in it for long periods uncomfortable, you will probably stat tot suffer from back pain. Back pain shouldn't be underestimated as it affects 80% of the population and result in your inability to work.

You should ensure your chair has the following features:
Adjustable backrest
Swivel base
Adjustable armrest
Deep cushioned seat


Lighting

When working with a monitor it is important to get the lighting right. Too much and it will reflect on your screen and cause you to strain your eyes. Ideally you want to be able to diffuse the light source, if from a window then install a blind. Artificial light should also be diffused to avoid glare. A desk lamp is ideal as it always you to control the working area lighting with ease, just experiment with its placement to avoid reflection and glare.