You may be thinking about setting up a home office or thinking about moving into a small office. Understanding the similarities and the difference will help you determine which of them you should set up. As your business grows you may even find that you need to expand your office, whether at home or in an office space outside of your home.

A home office is simply what it states, an office in your home. Many small business operate from their home. Most freelancers work from a home office. There are many types of home businesses and a home office is needed to stay organized. When you decide to go with a home office the first thing you must check is the zoning laws in your area. There may be ordinances concerning how your home office is set up, hours of operation, types of businesses allowed, and whether or not customers can come to your home. Check to be sure you can meet your business needs with a home office, if however you need to take a different approach a small office may meet your business criteria.

A small office is often found outside of the home. Many entrepreneurs that have small offices also have a home office. There are many reasons to set up a small office away from home. Your home may not be zoned to allow customers to come to your office. Your home may not have the space required for an office. Another reason to move your office outside of your home is that your home may be full of distractions, such as, family members, household chores, TV, or the refrigerator. Any one of these or a combination of these can make running your business difficult from home.

Small office space can be as simple as renting a conference room for customer or employee meetings. It can consist of sharing space with others or renting a space of your own. There are small business organizations that offer space for small business owners at decent rates. Determining whether to invest in a full office or a shared space will depend on the type of business you own as well as your own income limitations. Also consider your work schedule, for example, if you are only working three days a week it wouldn’t make sense to invest in a full office space when you could just rent a meeting room or some other shared space for less.

Having a productive and organized space will help ensure you are as effective as possible in your business. You can always tweak it to your workflow and personal preferences. You want it to be comfortable and efficient because as a new business owner you will be spending a lot of time in your small office and/or home office.