I live in an 864 sq ft one bedroom apartment with my husband and our two furry kids (cats). Space is obviously not something we have a lot of so I needed to create an area where I felt inspired and could do my best work.

Here’s what I have in my office corner:

1. desk

2. ibook G4 laptop (yes it’s old but I can’t afford the new macbook pro I want)

3. a large desktop monthly calendar where I always right the due dates of my projects on and highlight so they can’t be overlooked.

4. file folders. I like to keep these handy, as I usually designate one file per project that way I can keep all of the details together.

5. Expanding folder. This works great to store the file folders and at the end of the year, band it up, clearly label is as “2007 Freelance Work” and file it away. It makes it simple to have everything in one place.

6. Reference books. I’ll admit I have a shelf of books: dictionary, thesaurus, grammar reference, description word finder book, punctuation reference book, and various citation manuals. Oh and don’t forget the “bible” – The MS Office for MAC Users handbook.

7. Lots of notepads are essential. I am forever writing down ideas that catch me off guard, or trying to clarify a project via the telephone so being able to capture as much information as possible is very important.

8. Business cards. I like to have them handy in case I run in to someone who may become a potential client. Also, they can be included with query letters, if they are being sent snail mail.

9. calculator is an often overlooked tool. I use it all the time to determine rates for projects. It’s good to have around.

So what does your home office look like? What are some things that you absolutely must have in order to function? Feel free to share pictures!