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"There are numerous reasons to run a business out of your home, with cost savings and an easy commute being the top two. However, there may come a time when the business outgrows the home. Common signs are when boxes of inventory overtake the dining room or you need to invite employees or customers to meet in your living room. \nSee also: 7 Design Tips for a More Productive Office\nSome people can work successfully from home for years, while others outgrow their home office faster than expected. Here are some of the warning signs that you\u2019re ready to move beyond the home office. \n1. Your home office affects customers or clients.\nThese days, many people \u2014 whether they work for a Fortune 100 company or are self-employed \u2014 work from home at least part of the time. While home offices are commonplace, you still need to keep up a level of professionalism to the outside.\nIf a dog barking, baby crying or roommate\u2019s music interrupts a big call, it might be time to relocate. You need an environment that lets you give clients 100% of your attention when needed. \n2. You can\u2019t separate work and home.\nGetting office space outside of the home might be necessary if you find yourself struggling to separate your personal life from your work. For example, do you procrastinate on a big project by doing the dishes or watching TV? Do you find yourself unable to unplug at night? \nSometimes having a physical separation between work and home can help inform your mind when it\u2019s time to focus or relax. \n3. Your house looks more like an office.\nCan you walk through your living room without tripping over boxes? Can you eat at your kitchen table without needing to move piles of paper first?\nMany people start out working in a spare room, then \"work stuff\u201D inevitably migrates to the garage, basement, living room and bedroom. This is particularly true if you\u2019re dealing with any kind of supplies or inventory in the business. If work is invading your home, then it\u2019s time to get more space.  \n4. You need to meet with customers and vendors.\nDo you ever ask customers or vendors to meet you at your home? Holding meetings on your living room couch or at your kitchen table not only reflects poorly on your business, but also impacts your family or roommates.\nYou should also consider that increased traffic through your front door can be a red flag for some home associations, and could also affect your homeowners or renters insurance. \n5. You've brought on employees.\nMany businesses move out of the home once they hire employees who need some kind of workspace.Not every employee is going to want to work in your home, use your personal bathroom or listen to your family discussions.\nIf your employees can\u2019t work out of their own homes, then it's only fair that you set up a more conventional office environment so they have the space and resources to do their job. In addition, many homeowners' policies won\u2019t cover liability for your employees. \n6. You want to be more visible.\nNot every business will benefit from a local presence, but some will. Having a physical office with street signage gives your brand local visibility 24 hours a day. \nSee also: 7 Ways to Sneak Exercise Into the Self-Employed Lifestyle\nAlternatively, working out of a shared office, executive suite or incubator environment will automatically expand your network of potential customers, partners, and vendors. \n7. You're stagnating at home.\nMaybe you feel you've reached a plateau with your business \u2014 it's difficult to get motivated or find inspiration for new ideas. Or maybe you feel like your original home office no longer reflects how your business has grown over the years.\nIn these cases, you may want to shake things up with a new physical space, and get inspired by joining a community of fellow startups, small businesses and professionals. \nTaking the Plunge\nOnce you've decided it's time to move out of your home office, you don\u2019t necessarily need to purchase commercial space or sign a longterm lease. \nConsider your needs. If inventory and excess boxes are the main issues, maybe you\u2019d benefit from storage space. If you\u2019re looking for a quiet place to concentrate a few times a week for big projects, then you should consider a shared office or executive office center where you can rent space on a part-time or even as-needed basis. There are also co-working and incubator environments for those who\u2019d benefit from the energy and support of a community. \nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.\nImage: iStockphoto, gemenacom"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2014/01/15/home-office-outgrown/>