First of all, "home-business" does not necessarily mean "small" business in terms of revenue. There are many home businesses which are multi-million dollar corporations. I know, because I run one from my home. IMC, Inc. is an import/export company, which I own 100% and run from my home. It grosses over one million dollars in sales per year! Sure, I have a separate warehouse, but the business is RUN from my home!

Operating two companies from home is not always easy, but the benefits easily outweigh the negative aspects. I have learned to work effectively from home and want to share some things that I feel will enable you to get the most out of your home-based business or office.

First of all, you must create a totally separate room or area to be used exclusively for business. If you do not have a basement, garage or spare room, partition an area in one of the other rooms. Designate this as your "office", and treat it as such. Do not use it for anything but work! And, even more importantly, do not go in there unless you are going to "work". Why? Because if you treat the office area as a separate entity you will be more productive. Make sure that your family members know it is an "office" and as such is off limits to them! The more separate you can make your office area, the better off you will be and the more professional a business you can run.

There are some things that I feel are absolutely necessary to outfit a home office. First of all is space. As I mentioned, do the best you can with what is available. A spare room, garage, attic, or basement is best. But, if this is not feasible a partitioned area of a room will do.

Depending on your business, you should have a separate phone line installed. This will make it easier for customers to reach you and will project a more professional image. A fax machine is certainly a must for some businesses. For example, my import/export company could not function without one. You do not need a separate phone line for your fax. I just use a telephone sharing device which automatically routes calls to a phone, fax or modem. These are readily available and eliminate the need to have a dedicated fax line. Of course, if you receive a high volume of phone calls or faxes you will need a couple of phone lines. You might even want to lease a multi-line phone system from the telephone company.

Next, a personal computer is a must. It is difficult to run any sort of successful business without a computer. Invest in the best one that you can afford. Computer prices are dropping every day and it is possible to get a very powerful system for under $1,500. If you cannot afford a new one look for a used one or lease one. You will also need a printer capable of printing legible correspondence. If you want to create your own brochures, ads, or high quality correspondence you will need a laser printer.

As far as furniture is concerned, make sure you have a desk that is large enough to handle your needs, and a file cabinet or two for your files. Most importantly, get a good, comfortable chair. Yes, this can be your most important office tool! Get the best chair you can afford. Many back and neck problems and fatigue are caused by a cheaply made chair.

Finally, if feasible purchase or lease an office copier. This is not absolutely necessary as there are numerous copy places in every community. If you are going to do a lot of copying you should invest in your own copier to save time and money. One that will handle everyday copying is fine. Any larger jobs can still be done at your local print or copy shop.

Be sure to set up a regular working schedule. All of us entrepreneurs know we work at all hours of the day and night. Still, just like if you had to go to a regular job, set up some "business hours". If you are going to have hours from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, then stick to that schedule! Go into your office from 9 to 5, every day, just as if you were going to a regular place of employment.

Take normal breaks, including lunch, but it is important that you establish a regular habit of being "in the office" on a set schedule every day. Of course there will be times you must leave the office to make sales calls, run errands or for other reasons. When you are out make sure that there is an answering machine or service to answer any incoming calls, and that you return the calls as soon as you return.

Be certain that your family and friends are aware of your regular "business" hours. Ask them to respect that time, just as if you were at work. They should not expect you to be "free" all the time just because you are at home. Most of all, make sure that you yourself respect those office hours! Of course there will be times when you might want to play golf, take some time to yourself or just relax. After all, that is one of the benefits of working from home, but you must realize that time is money! Judge your leisure time accordingly! If you take too much leisure time you will not be successful - no matter what type of home business you have!

When you get up in the morning, act as if you are going to work!
Shower, and get dressed as if you are going to a place of employment. Many people actually wear a tie or business suit to make them feel more professional. You do not have to go to this extreme, but you should not work in ragged shorts and a tank top either. If you dress like you are going to work you will feel more like working! Also, if you ever have customers or vendors visit you at your ''office'' you want to appear as professional as possible.

In conclusion, outfit your office as best you can within your budget. Treat it as a business, and work regular hours. Your business or office may be at home but it is still an ''office''! Treat it like a professionally run place of business!