There’s No Place Like Your Home Office

By: Team Stash
Published: Sep 10, 2020
•  Updated: Jun 09, 2026

In this article:

1. Find a location that works best for you
2. Get set up and find your office vibe
3. Take advantage of tax deductions and employer perks
4. Make your space inviting

Landing that corner office with a view is now within reach since the COVID-19 global pandemic has forced an unprecedented number of people to begin working from home.

Less than four percent of the U.S. workforce worked from home, pre-pandemic, at least half of the time or more, according to research and consulting firm Global Workplace Analytics. They predict that the pandemic will lead to more people taking advantage of that opportunity after life returns to normal, up to 25 to 30 percent.

Remote work allows employees the comfort and flexibility of working the way they feel most productive. More than 80 percent of U.S. office workers surveyed said they want to continue working from home part of the time when the pandemic is over.

Find a location that works best for you

Pick the space that is the most comfortable to you and that you can envision being the most productive.

“I have a really cool spot in the corner of my kitchen where there’s two huge windows and I have a desk that is pushed up in front of that corner,” said Jennifer Dienst, a Charleston-based writer and the owner of a travel advising business. She has worked from home for 10 years.

“It’s one of the reasons why I bought the house,” she said. “Having a space to work where I have this beautiful view and all this natural light is really important.”

Sarah Ratliff, a Puerto Rico-based freelance writer and the owner of a content marketing agency, settled on a corner of her bedroom, taking advantage of a dividing wall.

Get set up and find your office vibe

Working from home on a regular basis means you will need more than a laptop and a free seat on the couch. It doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars to set up, but it has to be functional and comfortable.

Sometimes spending more money up front will save money later on.

“One way to reduce costs a lot was to get a really good chair. So that has been my saving grace. It’s the most comfortable chair I’ve ever had, said Ratliff, who spent more than $400 on an ergonomic desk chair from Office Depot.  “It was so worth it. It fits perfectly in relation to the desk and the monitor and the height where my hands would be.”

Ergonomics should be a priority, not an afterthought, when it comes to setting up a home office. According to Oregon Occupational Safety and Health, good ergonomics leads to more productivity, less missed work and less pain from muscle and joint strain.

If you are working for an employer, it’s likely you will be given a work laptop or at least a steep subsidy. If you are working from home as a contract employee, getting a good, reliable computer is absolutely critical to your productivity.

Other must haves:

A printer. “Even if you don’t print things that often, if you work from home you will print more things than you realize,” Dienst said. (Many can be purchased for $100 to $200.)

Software. “I’ve had to spend money on things I never would have thought of before,” said Ratliff, who pays a few hundred dollars each month for software such as Hootsuite for social media management, Trello for assignment and management organization, and Xero and Freshbooks for bookkeeping.

Furniture. Ratliff uses a credenza to stay organized, while Dienst just spent about $150 on a new filing cabinet from Wayfair.

Take advantage of tax deductions and employer perks

The upfront costs of creating and maintaining a home office may seem daunting, but the good news is that you may be able to deduct almost everything on your taxes if you are self-employed.1

Make your space inviting

One great perk of working from a home office is that you can make the space your own. For Dienst that means putting up several plants in her office space for what she calls a “greenhouse effect.”

Dienst also invested in an espresso maker for $210 so she can keep the creative juices flowing and installed Roman shades on her windows to keep the bright South Carolina sun at bay.

Wherever you set up your home office, make sure it is a space where you feel productive, comfortable and ready to work.