Whether you run a business from your home, occasionally telecommute to your job, or use a home office to oversee the intricacies of keeping your household running smoothly, you need a workspace that's comfortable, functional, and efficient. But all too often, home offices get short shrift, becoming half a counter in the corner of a kitchen, say, or a tiny, cluttered table in the bedroom.

It's time to give your home workspace the respect it deserves, and, in the process, to give yourself a pleasant spot to work. Here's how to create a home office that fits your space and your lifestyle.

Choose a Space
Before setting up your workspace, decide where it belongs. The ideal is a spot that's away from the most highly trafficked areas of your home--especially if you'll be using the space for work that's not related to running the household. This might a corner in a less-used room like a living room or guest bedroom or an otherwise unused nook (such as the space under a staircase or a spacious hall closet). If at all possible, avoid having your office space in your bedroom, as it's harder to turn away from work when it's staring you in the face as you try to relax. Bedroom the only available spot? Use room dividers to wall off your desk, or opt for an armoire so you can close up your workspace entirely.

Furnish the Space
Though you don't need to spend a fortune on home office furniture, if you'll be doing more than paying bills there, it's well worth investing in a few functional, comfortable pieces for the space. At the very least, you'll want a desk with enough surface space to allow you to do the work you need to do and enough drawer space to store essential supplies (see below). A comfortable chair and good lighting can go a long way toward making your home office much more pleasant to be in. And in almost all cases, a sturdy, well constructed filing cabinet--whether it's a petite 2-drawer pedestal or a hefty lateral cabinet--can help prevent paper pile-ups and MIA files.

Decide What Belongs
No matter what type of work you'll be doing at your desk, there are only certain things that need to be there in the course of an average week. Much of what often gets stored on, in, or around home office desks--such as extra office supplies, archived files, and reference books--could safely go elsewhere. When setting up (or revising) your home workspace, edit ruthlessly: anything you don't use regularly should be stored somewhere other than your desk.

Stock the Space
On the flip side, just as having too much stuff in your workspace will make it less efficient, so will not having the things you actually do need. If you're constantly having to get up and go elsewhere in the house for a working pen, a roll of tape, or printer paper, say, you're wasting time (and possibly breaking your concentration in the process). I recommend stocking each workspace in the home--yours, your spouse or partner's, and your kids'--with its own supplies so that what you need is available to you at all times.

Set Some Office Rules
Finally, whether you run your own company from home, occasionally telecommute, or use your workspace primarily to run your household, it's well worth establishing a few basic home office rules. Set some office hours for yourself so you don't find work creeping into evenings and weekends. Let the other people in your household know if there are times during the day when you can't be disturbed, just as you would by closing your door in an away-from-home office and turning off your phone. Finally, don't let your workspace become a gathering spot for things that aren't related to the tasks you do there, such as laundry, home repair projects, DVDs, and non-work books.

Your home workspace doesn't need to be elaborate or expensive. Put these tips to use to create a simple, comfortable, and efficient spot for getting things done.