The sky's the limit for cloud-based documents and files. Remote working is on the rise. The ranks of independent entrepreneurs are growing. For many, home is a place to live and work.
Here are three elements to consider for your work-from-home space.
Pick a bright spot. Daylight inspires!
Will you be having clients drop in? Aim to choose a spot near an entrance way, apart from your intimate living spaces.
For tax purposes, this spot can be a dedicated room, or a section of a room—as long as there's a clear division between your working and living space. Other storage areas in the home, or partitioned-off space that's fully dedicated to keeping business items, is also square footage to count in the deduction.
Take pictures each year that clearly show the partitions and the business use of the space. Keep your photos with your tax documents.
Decorate mainly as you would if your work space were in a corporate building. Keep your desk, professional items, and office-appropriate décor in the space. Don't have a playpen (unless your business is daycare) or a dining table in your designated office space.
Bookcases, wall hangings, mirrors, and framed art all look good, and dampen noise from outside your work space. Succulents or crocus bulbs can make excellent office plants and uplift the mood of your work area.
Protect your health while working at home by using an adjustable (sit-stand) desk. Does that sound too industrial for the look you demand at home? Never fear. Gorgeous, adjustable desks that complement your existing furniture do exist on the market. With a little searching, you'll find yours.
Calculate your home office percentage. If your home amounts to 2,000 square feet and your office space covers 500, declare 25% as the percentage. The deduction may not exceed your year's net business profit.
For smaller home office spaces, the IRS has a simplified standard deduction. Take $5 per square foot, up to 300 square feet.
Speak with your tax pro about deducting a home business percentage from your homeowner's insurance, mortgage interest, utilities, and property taxes. Read the instructions, so you know how to plan your tax return.
For a tax deduction, your home office must serve as the core of your business affairs, or the place you do the bulk of your work. Whether you already have a home office, or are thinking of creating one, design your space so it fits the IRS tax deduction requirements—even while it uplifts your home, delights your senses, and inspires your best work.
Image by Craig Adderley from Pexels
What better way to unwind after all the stress of moving and settling into a new house than to have a housewarming party? It doesn’t matter if it’s going to be a large shindig or small party, a fancy dinner or a casual barbecue. Whatever the plan, a housewarming party is a fantastic way to show off your new home.
After the cost of moving, you might not want to spend too much on your party. The good news is you can have a housewarming party on a budget. There are no rules or guidelines as to what a housewarming should look like, so work with your space, time, and budget — just ensure you and your guests have fun. Use the tips below as a guide for throwing a housewarming party in your new home without putting a dent in your pocket.
The first thing to do is to figure out how much you want to spend. You do not have to go overboard financially to throw a great party; work with whatever amount you have available.
Choose a date and time that’s comfortable for you — financially and mentally. After the stress of moving and settling in, give yourself enough time to recover before hosting friends and family.
When there is a budget constraint, limit the number of guests you invite. Restricting guests to your closest friends, your immediate family, and your new neighbors will help you keep costs down especially when it comes to providing food and beverages for a crowd.
There are multiple free invite options available for you to use, but a simple Facebook or WhatsApp message will do. Request RSVPs from your guest so you can prepare for the number of people attending.
The purpose of your housewarming party is to show off your new home. You do not necessarily have to use other forms of decorations. If you intend to decorate anyway, buy decorations that serve you after the housewarming such as a string of festive fairy lights or tiki lamps for your patio.
Throwing a housewarming party on a budget means inviting people over to your place to have fun with what you have available. Ensure you have fun while at it. Your agent is an excellent resource for local specialty shops to find unique party décor or local foods to try.
Photo by Mabel Amber via Pixabay
You can walk into some folk’s homes and feel the chaos, while in other homes, all you see is clean. There must be a secret to keeping a house picked up without the aid of a housekeeper, right? Right! People whose homes always appear tidy have habits that keep them that way. Here are some of those habits that you can adopt in the kitchen to keep it clean.
Instead of leaving pots or chopping boards to soak, wipe them with a soapy sponge and give them a quick rinse or pop them in the dishwasher. Pans left to soak after a meal become onerous and tempt you to leave them until morning. Cleaning them right away means the food particles wash off more quickly too.
If you hate the tool, you’ll hate using it. Instead, try out a couple brooms or even microfiber dust mops to see which one you like best. Run it over the kitchen floor at the end of the day, and you’ll wake up to a clean kitchen.
Toasters, mixers, the slow cooker or Insta-pot all clutter up room on your kitchen counter and gather dust and food debris. Keep them out of sight on a pantry shelf and just pull them out when in use. They stay cleaner and ready to use, and your countertop sparkles.
Open shelving adds a beautiful dimension to a kitchen, but when the shelved items don’t naturally stack, they look messy. Hide things away in deep drawers or cupboards that don’t match or rest awkwardly. Use your shelves to display pieces you love, or that stack artfully.
Wipe the refrigerator doors daily to keep fingerprints at bay, and while you’re at it, take a moment to get the shelves too. Then, ditto with the microwave. Keeping fingerprints and food spills wiped up every day helps avoid the significant cleaning days so many people dread.
Well, you can’t always stop spills, but you can stop most spatters. Keep a cover handy for the microwave so that those little “pops” don’t become big messes. If little ones consistently spill milk from a gallon jug, pour some into a smaller container for them to use.
Keeping your home picked up when you have it on the market is essential for a lower-stress selling experience. If you need other ideas about preparing your home for sale, ask your professional real estate agent.
