Top 8 MUST HAVE Items for your Home Office as an Online Business Owner
A little while ago, I shared on my social media pages the important documents you need physical and electronic copies of and then, later on, shared some affordable items that can be purchased to store those documents.
I received great feedback from my followers on this information I shared and it made me realize that administrative duties can be hard to accomplish if a person doesn't have an administrative background or is unsure of what stationery items they need for their own office, especially those with online businesses.
Today, we'll focus on the Top 8 MUST HAVE items for your home office that will be most beneficial to you and your online business. These will be very simple and affordable items, I will be sure to put links to where you can purchase them from. So let's get into it!
The first item you'll need is a printer. This is even if you don't use paper much in your business, you can still save money by having your own printer in case you ever need to use it when signing a contract or printing documents from a client. The all-in-one (fax, copy, print, scan) printers are nice to have, but knowing whether or not to purchase one depends on what you need for your business. I personally have an all-in-one scanner because I like to scan my documents like receipts, invoices, contracts, etc., to my computer and I use the copier a lot as well. If you only use your printer for printing contracts or forms you can definitely go with a plain printer, you will still save money. Click here to view the all-in-one printer I have at home. Click here to view a simple, affordable printer. You can also purchase paper from just about anywhere that sells it, but here's the paper I've been using for my printer.
These printers can also be connected to your mobile device or email so that you can print on the go, not just in your home office which is extremely helpful.
The second item you'll need in your home office is a computer. This is probably one of the most important items to have as an Online or e-commerce business owner. It is an investment and you will need one that will work for a good amount of time for you in the long run versus for the time being.
As a prior Microsoft Consultant, I am a little picky when it comes to computers based on their processors, but the processors depend on what you'll be using your computer for. If you're using your computer for just checking emails, creating spreadsheets in Excel, and creating documents in Word, then a computer with an i3 processor is the best option for you. If you're someone like me who has likes to multi-task with multiple tabs open in your window, and you spend a lot of time making spreadsheets, documents, running programs like Adobe, etc., then you want a computer with an i5 processor. Computers with i7 and i9 processors are for heavy-duty activities such as gaming, video, and audio editing. Though you can find computers with processors that work just as well as these types of processors, in my experience, computers with these processors have been the only types that have lasted longer than any other computer I've had with a different processor.
You can choose computers with any of these processors from Mac or Microsoft, it is your preference on whom you'd like to use. I like Microsoft computers because they work well with their programs such as Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and their Windows Operating System is pretty astounding. I like Apple computers because of how sleek everything is, how all of their devices synch so easily (iPad, iPhone, Mac) and, how long they last, it takes them a long time to crash, and to me they are timeless. Here's where you can find the laptop I purchased for my business and here's where you can find a Mac with the same processor type as my computer.
If you’re still having trouble deciding what computer you want or need for your business, I recommend checking out the CNET website to compare computers and determine which would be best for you, especially if the two options I gave aren't within your budget.
The choice of a desktop or laptop is up to you and your lifestyle. For me, I wanted to be able to take my work with me on the go, so I purchased a laptop. If you're someone who only likes to work at your office or at a desk, I recommend a desktop, it is all up to you. Just keep those processors in mind when choosing. Here's a desktop I looked at last week with one of the processors I mentioned above, and it's at a decent price!
Lastly, I do NOT recommend an iPad, tablet, or anything similar to these as a replacement for a computer when running an online business. This is because certain applications or programs cannot be run on these types of devices. Some of them will only have a mobile version or mobile view of these applications or programs, which will impact your work or experience when using them. They are okay to take with you on the go and use for a short period of time but do not rely on them for day-to-day use in your online business.
The third item you need in your home office is something that I mentioned on my social media pages, but I wanted to place it here as well. It is a filing cabinet or legal/letter tote, along with hanging files and manila folders to go inside. This is where you'll store your physical documents such as business certificates, signed contracts, invoices, taxes, etc. I recommend that you put your client files towards the front of the cabinet or tote, your contracts in the middle, and then your other important biz documents in the back. Placing these folders in alphabetical order also makes it super easy for you to find your documents quickly.
You can purchase your filing cabinet here. If you can't afford a filing cabinet right now, the totes are a great alternative, just make sure it's the tote that you can put hanging folders in. You can purchase one here.
Below you can also find the links to the other items I mentioned:
The remaining items you'll need for your home office are all stationary and can be purchased at your local dollar store, but I have included the Amazon links as well in case you want to purchase everything from there or use them as an example to find the items if you decide to purchase them from a store.
The fourth item you should have in your home office is a stapler and staples for it. This always comes in handy when we least expect it, it's definitely worth having on hand at all times. You'll use this stapler for the paperwork you file in your filing cabinet/tote so that documents with more than one page won't get lost.
You don't have to purchase an expensive stapler, you can get a mini stapler or a normal size stapler, either one will do the job. You can also click here for a decently priced stapler on Amazon. It already comes with 1000 staples, but in case you need to purchase more staples, click here.
The fifth item(s) you'll need is paper clips. Paperclips are great to have for papers you'd like to keep together, without having to staple them. An example for having these would be if you're obtaining a clients signature or sending them copies of something in the mail, you don't want to staple them because you or the client may need to scan the document and paper clips take out the extra step of having to remove the stapler before scanning. It is proper business etiquette. Click here to purchase paperclips from Amazon.
The sixth item you’ll need is a stapler remover. This is what you'll use in case someone staples papers and sends them to you and you have to scan them. It is also good to have in case you accidentally staple something or need to re-staple something. Click here to purchase it on Amazon.
The seventh item you'll need is envelopes. Envelopes come in handy when it's time to send out letters, checks, invoices, or receipts, and they are multi-purpose. You can place your purchase receipts, money, coupons, etc. in them without things getting lost. Here are some envelopes you can find on Amazon.
The eighth and final item(s) you'll need for your home office is stamps. Stamps are always good to have in case there is a need for you to mail something out immediately or in general. I encourage you to buy at least one book of forever stamps so that even if you don't use them as often, they will never expire and you’ll have them when the time comes. It is best to purchase stamps from your local post office, but you can also purchase them on the USPS website by clicking here.
So, there you have it. Everything you must have in your home office as a business owner with an Online Business or E-Commerce store.
There are two things I didn't mention here that I want to touch briefly on so that you're not wondering about them later on down the line, and they are a desk, and a scanner.
When I first started my online-based business, I didn't have an office, let alone a desk. So, what I did instead, was I'd do my work at my dining room table and then, later on, purchased a dinner tray so that I could sit at my couch and do work while my son played on the floor next to me. These are things you can use until you make enough money to purchase a desk of your own. It doesn't have to be right away, you can take your time getting it, and that way you'll be able to pick a desk that you actually want.
As for the scanner, if you cannot purchase an all-in-one printer that includes a scanner at this time, I recommend for you to download the Adobe Scanner, and the Adobe Fill and Sign mobile apps so that you can scan your documents on the go and fill, complete, and sign PDF documents right from the palm of your hands.
Use this list as a guide to purchasing what you need for your home office as an online business owner. If you already have these items in your home office, great job, pat yourself on the back! If you haven't gotten these items, purchase what you can within your budget and save for the other items, no need to rush, take your time, pace yourself, and do what you can, Remember, life is not a race, it's a marathon.
Happy shopping!
