Creating a Professional Space to Meet Clients at Home

There are many benefits to working from home, but meeting clients face-to-face can be tricky. You might worry about creating a professional space or having clients walk through your house to get to your home office. You might also worry about clients seeing the chaos of your busy home life and how to create privacy if you have a young family. Here’s a look at some tips to help you.

Create Space in Your Office

Home offices aren’t always as spacious as we’d like them to be, meaning they get cluttered and barely have room for more than a desk and office chair. If possible, keep things tidy with clever storage, and try to create a peaceful corner with a sofa or a coffee table and chairs where you can sit and chat.

Use a Quiet Corner of Your Home

If your office is too small to add extra furniture, or you don’t have an office, think about adding a meeting space in other areas of your home. The dining table or large kitchen table can be ideal, but even a corner of your lounge could work.

Keep Privacy in Mind

You won’t want your meetings disturbed by other family members, so think about where they spend more time and avoid these spaces. It’s also a good idea to arrange meetings away from family mealtimes or when other household members can be out.

Make Sure You’ve Got Plenty of Seating

Whether you are meeting in your office or another room in your house, make sure you’ve got enough seating for clients. Adding bar stools can be ideal if you are meeting informally in the kitchen, and more comfortable chairs in your office are essential for longer meetings.

Add an Easy Access Workspace

As well as seating, you might need a large table to share files and ideas. Again, the dining table is ideal, but occasional coffee tables, which can be pulled out when required, are helpful if you are short on space.

Invest in a Good Coffee Machine

A good cup of coffee can significantly affect how well a business meeting goes. Offering your clients a drink breaks the ice and sets the tone for the meeting. If you plan to stay in the office and don’t want them to see the rest of your house, make sure you’ve got everything you need in there to make them a drink.

Get Outdoors

In good weather, the garden can make a great setting for meetings. A neat and tidy garden table on a well-presented deck gives you the seating, space, and atmosphere you need.

Consider Alternatives

If your home is too cluttered, you don’t have an office, and you don’t want to invite clients in, consider alternative meeting settings. Options include libraries, coffee shops, restaurants, co-working spaces, hotel meeting rooms, and even your clients’ homes.

Working from home can make client meetings more challenging. Still, with some clever additions and a little organization, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy professional and informal meetings.