Is Time For You To Ditch The Home Office?
I’ve been battling some very dark thoughts lately.
Nah, I haven’t been hatching a diabolical plot involving international espionage nor am I thinking of embarking on a crime spree (I’ll let our free spending politicians do that), rather I’ve been giving serious thought to ditching my home office. Yes, after nearly seven years of working from home in either a poorly heated and damp basement (when we lived in NJ) to the spare bedroom in our NC home, I’m thinking the time to move up and out is at hand.
Giving The Kids Some Room
You won't get me to wear a tie or suit on a daily basis, but having the opportunity to kick back and throw my feet up on someone else's desk has a certain primal appeal to it.
Of course, an important part of that reason is needing to give my office to one of our boys so that he can be free of his brother, but that isn’t the only reason – I crave solitude, especially when I am writing and am finding it increasingly difficult to do that at home.
You see, it isn’t just the family (and our cats) who are hanging around but there are neighbors, sales people even daytime visits from Jehovah’s Witnesses who are intruding on my peace. Just like the good ‘ole days when people were actually home during the day I’ve learned that this phenomenon is very much alive and kicking – people can be found at home during traditional working hours at least where I live.
Look, Madge, He Must Be Out Of Work
Some of this is my fault because I’ve been known to either take a nice long walk during the middle of the day or bring out the lawn mower or leaf blower to do some yard work. By all appearances I’m either retired or unemployed, so I must have time on my hand, right? Yikes, no.
I started to check out the local real estate theme late last year, visiting Craigslist about once a day to see what was posted. Commercial rent prices in the Raleigh area vary widely with the prime locations downtime or in nicely landscaped office parks charging a mint while some smaller, out of the way offices are going for a song.
One of the best arrangements I’ve seen so far are those professional office suites where the lessee would like to sublet a room to one working professional (that’s me!) at a price that is $300 or less per month. Yes, and some of these locations are quite nice with central heat/air, internet connection and all utilities included. With a private room I can sequester myself deep in the bowels of an office, coming out from time to time to have human contact which I don’t get working at home.
Yes, the occasional phone conversation is nice and social media allows me to stay connected, but that only goes so far – who the heck are you people on Facebook, StumbleUpon, Twitter, Digg et al anyway? Hmmm? 
The Garage Looks Nice
But don’t count on me leaving home just yet – just when I think about making the move, a client halves my work citing the economy or some other project comes to an end. When that happens, I have to quickly redouble my effort to make up for loss income which means if I have another monthly bill to pay, then things become a little bit tighter.
Gee, you think that unused garage space could be converted to an office instead?
See Also — Launching Your Own Business? Consider These Steps First!
Tags: freelance, home office, lease, lessee, office, rent, sublet, work
Humor | Matthew C. Keegan, 7 Jul 09
By tonya jones, July 7, 2009 @ 5:24 am
i agree with your opinion about home office.its always better to gain money from the way where you are experiencing comfort and you are doing the same thing good..all the best
.-= tonya jones´s last blog ..Pomegranate Fruit: About Pomegranates =-.
By LarryJackson, July 7, 2009 @ 5:37 am
I can see where you are coming from, needing and wanting solitude to be able to write your articles. I write a lot of my blog posts early in the morning from my work computer. It nice and quite and no one bothers me as I write. I also write some of them very early on weekend mornings, before anyone else has gotten out of bed at our home.
As for needing human contact during the day, that could be debatable for me.
I deal with the public all day long, so I find it very soothing, just to be able to be away from people (that does not include my family) and the phones.
.-= LarryJackson´s last blog ..Sarah Palin resigns =-.
By Matt Keegan, July 7, 2009 @ 5:40 am
@Tonya — I’m comfortable at home, so that isn’t the issue, but sometimes I think I need more face to face contact with my fellow human beings.
@Larry — I guess I should be careful for what I wish for! Yes, there is a side to humanity I prefer to avoid, but then that’s what life is all about — meeting up with our fellow man and showing God’s compassion to them. Sure beats knocking them on the side of the head!
.-= Matt Keegan´s last blog ..Plan Today For Fall Travel =-.
By LarryJackson, July 7, 2009 @ 6:02 am
I have surely met some of them that I would like to knock on the side of the head, but you are right. Can’t be doing that.
.-= LarryJackson´s last blog ..Sarah Palin resigns =-.
By Zegarki na reke, July 7, 2009 @ 6:19 am
When i started working online, I didn’t even have an office – I just got up, brushed my teeth and got to work. But after a while I noticed I was slacking, to put it simply. Now that I’m renting an office, in 6 hours of work I manage to do as much as I was doing at home in 10. Plus I get to get out more
Of course I don’t have kids yet, so this is an important factor.
Another thing is, when you go to your office you work from point A to point B and then you’re finished for the day. While working at home, i have found out there is no such thing as free time, there is always something to work on ..
.-= Zegarki na reke´s last blog ..Zegarki =-.
By Matthew C. Keegan, July 7, 2009 @ 6:22 am
@Zegarki — Well said! I’m thinking that if my office isn’t in my home, I won’t be tempted to run back in to work on some “loose end” that can get tied up at another time. I like the convenience of working from home, but I sure could use the extra space.
By Laura Spencer, July 7, 2009 @ 11:57 am
I choose to stay (and work) from home. But, I now have a door that I can close, which helps immensely.
By Matthew C. Keegan, July 7, 2009 @ 11:59 am
Laura, I cannot imagine working without a door to my office! But, you got to do what you got to do and I’m sure you’re all the more productive now for it.
By Jake, July 7, 2009 @ 6:41 pm
I just really have problems concentrating when any type of noise is present. Right now, I’m finding the best time to work is during the evening hours after everyone else is off to bed. I’m thinking an underground bunker would suit me better.
.-= Jake´s last blog ..How To Save Money on Electric Bills – Heating & Cooling =-.
By Gaurav Mahashabde, July 8, 2009 @ 1:03 am
Its always better to gain money from the way where you are experiencing comfort and you are doing the same thing good.
By Brett K, July 8, 2009 @ 4:15 am
i agree to you for having the office at home because it gives you the perfect comfort & provides you the quality time for both the work & for the children & other members of the family!i am doing this kind of procedure since last 2 yrs. & i am very comfortable with it!
By Amy Rich, July 8, 2009 @ 2:40 pm
I totally understand when you say you crave for solitude to write something that is conjuring up in your mind.But a corner in the house where no one disturbs you is a dream specially when you have kids at home.But setting up an office at garage is not a bad idea at all infact i think its the best idea. You can be home for all the works like mowing your lawn and blowing away leaves can be done at the same time you will have your solitude, just furnishing a little will get going .imagine the money u were going to pay as rent , you can spend little more and have your own office.Voila! you wont have any recurring expenses in form of rent. A one time investment!
By Richard Hampton, July 8, 2009 @ 8:52 pm
Having a home office has its own ups and down. I agree be careful on what you wish for, we can’t have the best of both worlds. In my opinion, go with your unused garage space, and just keep a work schedule where no one would be allowed to bother you.
By ingilizce dersi, July 10, 2009 @ 4:43 am
I just really have problems concentrating when any type of noise is present. Right now, I’m finding the best time to work is during the evening hours after everyone else is off to bed. I’m thinking an underground bunker would suit me better.
By Jessica, July 12, 2009 @ 7:14 pm
Having your office at home is a very good idea since you will be close
with your family, and its a place which will give you the comfort that an actual office can’t give.
By Hakan Selvi, July 13, 2009 @ 6:10 am
I don’t think it is good to keep office at home. Work place should be a cool and calm one and many people distracted if it is at home. This post is quite good and seem to have come out of your experience.
.-= Hakan Selvi´s last blog ..Business Opportunities in Canada =-.
By Mechanic Mark, July 15, 2009 @ 7:50 pm
Yes I have built a fortress of solitude in my home that super man would be jealous of. If a dog barks or a lawn mower fires up I put on my noise canceling headphones that I use at the gun Range. I must have silence to write. Matt by the way I am a cat owner that was born and raised in Cherry Hill NJ. Were in Jersey did you live? I relocated to Florida recently.
.-= Mechanic Mark´s last blog ..Automotive diagnostics =-.
By Vaillant Poznan, July 16, 2009 @ 4:04 am
Tell me about it – everytime I work from home I always hear from my friend “you’re sitting at home you could do something useful with your time”. I mean come on, I’m working all that time – what’s the difference if I do it from home or from the office.
By Matthew C. Keegan, July 16, 2009 @ 6:20 am
Vaillant — Everyone has an opinion and that means that not everyone is right in what they say. I am far more productive working at home than I would be if I were to commute a half hour each way to my job. I can start early, end late and take breaks on my schedule. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ll be ditching the home office anytime soon!
By Matthew C. Keegan, July 16, 2009 @ 6:21 am
Mark, I was born and raised in Ridgewood (Bergen County) and lived in North Haledon (Passaic County) before relocating to North Carolina in 2004. Just came back from a visit to NJ — we won’t be moving back there again!