Going outside to work

In my personal opinion, one of the hardest points of working out of your home is being able to separate my me/wife responsibilities with work responsibilities. Without having to walk to the bus or get in your car, I have a harder time transitioning mentally into a “I need to make money now” mode from oh the Today Show is on, or my dishes are still dirty from last night.

Separating house from home
One of my favorite read-for-me magazines, Sunset Magazine ran an article by Debra Prinzing, writer of Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways. She shed some light on the working outside, working from home trend. I love the pictures that are highlighted in the article, which are taken out of her book; they give a visual representation of what a real person, not just an architect with extra cash, can do with their humble back yard shed.

After reading her article my husband and I began house hunting, and like the closet concept, suddenly every shed was looking inviting to me. I said something about a particular shed to my husband once and he thought I was crazy- he said , “you will get scared being out here”- which is probably true.

Office Sheds- a real estate trend
Office sheds are not just a Prinzing isolated idea. NY Times writer, WM Ferguson suggests that the “small footprint, [sheds] can often be installed without permits and may not increase taxes. The perks come along with the idea that the price of houses are going down and the number of people now working from home is going up, making the need for economical extra space point towards backyard office sheds. The only real cons I can think of are shrinking the size of your backyard that is used for pleasure (baseball with the kids, play sets, slip and slides, bbqs, etc.), an increase in your insurance payments, a possible nuisance for neighbors, and an added sense of isolation.

Purchase a pre-fab office outside
Modern-Shed, is one company among many that I have found who manufactures pre-fab office sheds. The picture on the left is one of my favorites in their portfolio. Their pricing begins at $7,440 and goes to $18,200- a small price to pay when considering how much a contractor would cost to add on to your house.

Does the pre-fab route make you nervous- Or do you have a shed already on the property that is worth renovating?
Go the route of Prinzing and hire a carpenter to help you insulate, install windows, and doors, and make your shed your own. Either way, this is a work from home productivity tool that is exciting and if you have the means available to try it out go for it!