Design November 3, 2009, 1:51PM EST

A Home Office That Does the Job

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The home office of BusinessWeek's Jay Greene

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Its small footprint meant more space on my desk where I could take notes and spread out files. I also traveled a fair amount to report my book, and the impossibly thin MacBook Air felt like next-to-nothing in my briefcase.

Backing Up Data

I also knew I needed to system to back up my computer data—all of the reporting and writing I was doing. There are several ways to do this. The cheapest is to simply buy a high-capacity flash drive, a pack-of-gum sized gadget that slides into the USB port. You can find a 32 gigabyte version for less than $75. But it means that you need to manually back up your work. And you'll want to do that regularly. There are also external hard drives, many of which come with software to automatically back up data.

I opted for Hewlett-Packard's (HPQ) $580 MediaSmart Server, mostly because it was designed to easily back up data from the two other Windows PCs in my house, used by my wife and my kids. I still needed to back up the MacBook Air on my own. In hindsight, the MediaSmart Server wasn't a good choice. The software isn't the least bit intuitive. I do a fair amount of backing up my Windows PCs manually. And I often forget to copy the files from my MacBook Air for weeks at a time. I probably would have been better off with Apple's Time Capsule, which automatically backs up data from a Mac and doubles as a Wi-Fi base station.

Some folks will need to think about connecting to the Web, and making sure that all the computers have access to that connection. That wasn't a problem for me since I already had good Internet access and a wireless router. Depending on your needs, you might want to look into upgrading an older Wi-Fi base station that uses early technology, such as a standard called 802.11b or 802.11g. The newest routers use 802.11n, which, when paired with a laptop running the same technology, can mean faster connection speeds.

There's plenty of mundane technology to consider, too. Most folks will want a phone for their work. Generally, it's easy to add a second land line. But you might consider using a mobile phone instead. I bought an iPhone, which works well with my MacBook Air. In addition to taking calls anywhere, it also means I can send and receive e-mail when I'm out of the office.

Wireless Printer

I also wanted a printer and a fax machine, and there are plenty of quality choices that combine those two technologies, often with a scanner. I picked up a HP all-in-one printer for about $200 that connects wirelessly to my home office network. That way, all the computers in the house can print on it. And for the handful of times I need to use a fax, it's there.

Of course, your acreage may vary. I have a neighbor who is an engineer who also works from home. He needs more space in his office for a drafting table. Graphic designers may need more high-powered computers with big monitors. Work styles differ, too. Some people work best using Post-it notes or whiteboards that I have no use for. Others may have space for conference tables to spread out files for their particular projects.

As for me, now that my leave is over, I'm continuing to work from home. The cost savings, both for me and BusinessWeek, is significant. And the luxury of being able to greet my kids when they come home from school and eat dinner with my family every night is something I don't want to give up.

Click here to view a slide show of home office products that combine form and function.

Greene is BusinessWeek's Seattle bureau chief.