• Business and Finance
• Family
• Computers and Internet
• Auto and Trucks
• Education
• Health
• Hobbies
• Home Improvement
• Legal
• Marketing

• Home
• Arthur's Articles Home
• Browse Categories
• Browse Authors
• Submit an Article
• Search for Articles

Home » Computers And Internet Articles » Create A Great Computer Work Station In A Small Space

Create a Great Computer Work Station in a Small Space

Don't have a separate room you can designate as a home office? You can create a comfortable and functional computer work station in remarkably little space. A corner of your living room or bedroom, even a spare closet, can provide plenty of room.

First measure out the amount of space you can allocate for your work station. Then, start to plan. You need a surface for your computer monitor or laptop, and room underneath for your hard drive. If you have a printer and/or a scanner, this also needs a work surface, ideally with storage space underneath for printer paper and other supplies. You may also want space for an additional external backup hard drive. Measure all your equipment and furnishings and play with a floor plan.

If you can find a ready-made work station that fits into your space, great. If not, make one. A 24- to 30-inch core door thrown over a couple of two-drawer filing cabinets makes a handy desk, but takes up quite a bit of room, and it may or may not be comfortable for you depending on your height when seated. An alternative would be to check home improvement stores like Home Depot for components like counter tops, shelving, and legs that can be assembled in a number of configurations. (Check the kitchen section of the store!) Assembling a desk with an L- or U-shape allows you to spread out your work. If you want an L-shape, make sure the extra arm is to the right of the monitor if you're right-handed, to the left if you're a leftie.

You'll need shelving to store CDs, computer manuals and other reference books, computer accessories and supplies, project files, and inboxes. Magazine holders make great containers for computer manuals and other documentation, and can be filed on a shelf along with reference books. Use bookcases as boundaries for your office and as additional storage space. The tops of the bookcases can also provide additional work space in a pinch, or display space for personal items to give the area a homey touch.

If you have a closet you can spare, remove the doors and replace them with louvered doors that can be folded out of the way while you're working. Install a work surface spanning the length of the closet, and then build shelves above it. You can also create storage space beneath the counter, but leave an area open to slide in a comfortable office chair.

If you have a CPU for a monitor, make sure the depth of the closet will accommodate the CPU; or consider upgrading to one of the newer, compact flat screen monitors. Or use a laptop -you'll have room to spare. You might also consider building or buying a rolling cart for your printer that can be stored in the closet when not used, and pulled out while you're working. Also consider a pull out work surface or a folding table which can be tucked into the closet when not in use. Additional storage space can be built along the sides of the closet.

You'll need both electrical outlets and a phone jack (or cable outlet if you use Roadrunner) in or near your work space. If you can install them, great; otherwise you'll need to run extension lines in from elsewhere. Make every attempt to provide easy access to all outlets and jacks; having a surge suppressor with several plugs attached to the back of the closet right above the work surface should make life much easier for you. If you have to run extension cords over a high traffic area, run them through protective conduit that allows you to put them underneath carpet without causing accidents. Don't run unprotected cords underneath carpeting; a worn cable can create a fire hazard, and people can trip over the bump!

If you've managed to renovate a spare closet, all you need to do is close the doors to hide your office space. If it's in a corner of the bedroom or living room, think about setting up an ornamental folding screen to block off your view of the office; remove it when you're using the office, or leave it up for some privacy.

Take a few moments during the planning phase to think about the look of the work space. Your choice of materials, colors, and design accessories go a long way to creating an attractive area that's an enjoyable, comfortable place to work.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

The Advantages Of Reverse Mortgages

In recent years property values have soared, while investment returns have been modest. This has created a situation where a lot of seniors are finding themselves in the position of being house rich and cash poor. These cash strapped seniors are looking for ways to increase their retirement income while continuing to live in their homes. These retirees find that their options are limited, and in most cases require them to risk their home. Enter the reverse mortgage, which can provide many advantages over these other less desirable options.

No Payments With Reverse Mortgages

The biggest advantage of a reverse mortgages is not having to make payments as long as you continue living in your home. In fact, this is the number one reason that seniors choose to borrow reverse mortgages. Almost 80% of reverse mortgage borrowers use a reverse mortgage to pay off their current loans in order to eliminate their house payments. Let's say you owe $50,000 on your first mortgage and borrow $80,000 with a reverse mortgage. This would pay off and eliminate the payment on the first mortgage and provide you with $30,000 to use as you please.

Live in Your Home as Long as You Like

The second advantage of reverse mortgages is the ability to live in your house as long as you like. The great thing about this is the amount you owe on the reverse mortgage can never be more than the house is worth. Let's say you live to 115 and have selected to recieve a $300 a month payments for life from the reverse mortgage. The amount received from the reverse mortgage payments could be substantially higher than the value of your home, yet the amount owed will still only be the value of the home. In this situation, FHA insurance will cover the difference.

Reverse Mortgage Withdrawal Options

Another advantage of reverse mortgages is the different withdrawal options that a you are able to choose. These options include lump sum distributions, line of credit, monthly payments, or any combination of these three. So if you were eligible to borrow $100,000 on a reverse mortgage you could select to receive $30,000 up front to cover current expenses, and hold the rest as a line of credit that you can use whenever you need it. This flexibility of reverse mortgages can significantly improve you financial independence during retirement.

Tax-Free Nature of Reverse Mortgages

Another advantage of reverse mortgage is the tax-free nature of the loan proceeds. The American Bar Association guide to reverse mortgages advises that generally the IRS does not consider loan advances to be income. This means that all the money from the proceeds of the reverse mortgage end up in your pocket.

With these features, reverse mortgage are definitely an option to consider if you are looking for ways to supplement your current income. As with any financial decision, you should seek the advice of a trained professional, a reverse mortgage counselor, to evaluate and determine if a reverse mortgage is right for your situation.