How To Build A Small Home Office To Run Your Small Business

Forbes

4 days ago

Is it time for you to create a small office home office, or SOHO?
Cramming yourself into the end of your living room isn't cutting it anymore. Let's be honest—it probably stopped cutting it months ago, but you've been pretending otherwise. I get it. I did the same thing. In the early days of my business, I told myself the dining room table was "flexible" and "charming." Spoiler alert: It was neither. And it was certainly not a small office home office, or SOHO.
Three months in, I was piling mounds of business papers into a laundry basket every time someone came over. My back hurt from that sad excuse for a chair (seriously, who designs dining chairs to feel like medieval torture devices?). And the background of my Zoom calls? Pure chaos: kiddie table, cartoons, cracker crumbs, and the inevitable cries.
I feel you if you're a mom with young kids and a small business. However, most small business owners—even those without wildness swirling around them—eventually hit this wall. We outgrow the makeshift setup. That's when it's time to create a real SOHO setup.
Here's the good news: Creating a SOHO doesn't mean you need a spare wing of your house or a startup-size budget. It just takes intention, a few smart decisions, and a little courage and conviction to admit your business deserves a real space.
Danny Crouch pets his dog as he sits in his basement working from home in Arlington, Virginia, on ... More May 25, 2023. The pandemic forced Americans to work from home. And now, more than three years on, employers are struggling to bring them back to the office. A third of employees in the US currently have complete freedom about where they work, compared with just 18 percent in France, according to a recent ADP study of 17 countries. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
As I mentioned, SOHO stands for small office home office. Sounds like a fancy tongue twister, but really? It's just a dedicated spot in your home where work gets done. Not your bed. Not your recliner. (Okay, guilty—I still work in my recliner sometimes.) But ideally, your small home office is a dedicated space set up for focus, client calls, and getting stuff done.
Think of it as a comfy middle ground between the couch and a co-working lease. You can still wear pajama pants, but you also look and feel legit on Zoom calls—at least from the waist up.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, freelancer, consultant, or remote worker, a small office home office gives your business room to grow. It's about signaling—to yourself and others—that your work matters. Even if your workspace used to be a junk closet.
This small office home office is for a freelancer. Notice the woden desk with shelf and books. The ... More window with blank wall for hanging artwork and inspiration. Also notice the plants and lighting, all adding to a lovely SOHO.
Here's something nobody tells you about starting a small business: Your brain needs boundaries.
When I used to work in my kids' playroom (don't judge), I never knew if I was "on the clock" or "off." I'd be deep into writing a success story when suddenly Steve from Blue's Clues would break my revery to blare: "Here's the mail, it never fails, it makes me want to wag my tail…."
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 25: (L-R) Steve Burns, Joshua Dela Cruz and Donovan Patton ride the ... More Blues Clues float 95 And Marching On! Macy's Parade® Thanksgiving Day ushers in the Holiday Season on November 25, 2021 in New York City. (Photo byfor Macy's Inc.)
Then I moved into the spare bedroom. Just walking through the door flipped a switch. My home small office didn't just give me privacy. It gave me clarity.
That setup wasn't glamorous. I started with a folding table, a cheap bookshelf, a desktop computer, and a two-line phone from Staples. I even bought one of those chunky Rolodexes, because I was sure I'd need to track so many contacts. Laughable now. But at the time? It felt revolutionary. And I felt important.
But having a home small office meant fewer distractions, clearer thinking, and more confidence. And let's be real: nothing says "serious business owner" like a Zoom background that doesn't feature Barbie and Blues Clues stuffed animals.
This SOHO looks fresh, bright, and inviting. It might need a little space for storage though, unless ... More it's off to stage right or left.
Let's talk about what actually matters in a small office space—not what the catalogs try to sell you.
Want to go the extra mile? Add visual proof of your credibility: a certificate, a sleek bookshelf, a subtle room divider with some flair. I strung lights over mine for an instant 'creative' ambiance.
Consultants, freelancers, service providers... all are perfect candidates for a small office home ... More office.
Still calling your business a "side hustle" after two years and $50K in revenue? You might need a reality check. And a small office.
Freelancers, consultants, remote employees, e-commerce sellers, service pros—basically anyone spending 20+ hours a week working at home? You need a small office home office.
Client calls deserve quiet. Orders need packing. Projects need space to breathe. Your business isn't an afterthought, and your workspace shouldn't be either.
True story: I once ran an eBay shop selling vintage ephemera—like postcards and maps—and vintage books. Postcards and maps were easy to store. But the books? And the boxes? They took over. Wish I'd planned for storage before the shipping boxes buried the loveseat.
Your small office home office should be comfortable yet professional. It should say, "This is me!" ... More without you saying a word.
Here's how to set up a small office home office without losing your mind or your money.
A functional small office home office should be decidedly you.
Your small office home office can be as creative as you are!
When thinking about organization, keep in mind that your office isn't a showroom. It's a workspace. So your organizing systems need to work for you.
I've tried them all: color-coded folders, elaborate trays, fancy software. Half of it made me feel like I was playing office instead of running one.
What's stuck: Trello, Slack, and Google Drive. Simple. Scalable. Sanity-saving.
Your small office home office done right will be a constant source of joy
Your office says something about your business. Even if you never say a word. A tidy backdrop says "professional." A mountain of laundry? Not so much. Fair or not, people judge. And that background on Zoom? It speaks.
You don't need a $5K redesign or a Pinterest-perfect nook. But you do need a dedicated space that tells the world—and yourself—this business matters. Because when your small office home office setup is built with intention, everything shifts. You work smarter. You feel more confident. And your business starts to show it. And honestly? You deserve that.