Being able to work from home is something that really fits in well with my life, especially with my recent Fibromyalgia diagnosis. Working from my home is a blessing, and I am lucky I am in a position to do so. It has been over 3 years since I started earning money from my blog and taking it seriously as an income source for myself and Olivia. One day, I would love to give up my part-time day job and go full-time.

However, due to my work nature, I need some essentials at home to help me do what I need to do daily. I have had to invest money and time to find a setup and the correct equipment to work well and efficiently. Working as a blogger, freelance writer, and virtual assistant means I must get online and do my work anytime or whenever I have the time. Some days, I find myself taking my laptop to work to write posts or schedule social media on my lunch if I am having a busy week or a flare-up, meaning I need to take naps to help me do what I need to do each day.

But what exactly is it that you need to be able to work from home? 

Reliable Internet Connection.

It goes without saying that I probably spend most of my days online. Whether it is writing posts for myself or others, scrolling social media for posts to schedule to clients’ pages or looking for content to share. You can usually find me with a laptop on my knee or a phone in my hand.

I use a lot of data, and over the years, my internet connection at home has struggled to keep up and keep me as connected as I need to be. Not a big deal for most people. However, you need something fast and reliable when you also factor in a teenager with a Netflix binge-watching problem. Around 18 months ago, I made the switch to using fibre broadband. It was the best decision for me to keep myself connected. Fibre broadband allows me to use the internet with faster connection speeds and fewer issues than you would get with a standard broadband connection.

However, that isn’t always possible for every household, and where you live will dictate the quality of your internet connection. I am lucky I live right by our local communication box, so my speeds are faster than advised. But if this isn’t the case for you, then you might need to search for the best rural internet options to allow you the best speeds in your area.

Practical Laptop.

By practical, I mean one that can handle the number of pages I have open at any one time. Despite being a bargain, my previous laptop had a slow processor, which meant that if I had more than two pages open at once, I would be subject to frequent freezing and inability to work quickly. I had to invest in a laptop that could handle everything I needed it too, whilst sticking to a moderate budget.

My current laptop is an Acer Swift, and 18 months in. It works just well as the day I bought it! If you are looking for a good reliable laptop to help you keep up with the demand of working from home, then make sure you do your research first and make sure you buy one with the best processor you get in your price range.

Camera.

I’m not the best with technology. Most people will tell you this. However, it was becoming obvious my current method of taking pictures on my phone wasn’t cutting it when upgrading my photography skills.

I needed to buy a new camera. However, the one I wanted comes with a hefty price tag that I couldn’t quite afford. I decided it was better for me to upgrade my phone and essentially buy a camera that makes phone calls. This worked out the best option for me as I also needed to upgrade my phone too. I now use the Huawei P30 Pro to take my images, and I am absolutely in love with it! I definitely made the right choice.

Equipment.

I also use a few other essentials to help me do what I do as I work from home.

• Tripod
• Photography Backdrop
• Diary
• Stationery
• Wall Planner
• Photography Props
• A Printer
• Notebooks for ideas
• Various social media schedulers and applications.
• Coffee
• Chocolate

If you are looking to start a blog as a viable way to earn money and work from home, then you can check out my other posts on different ways I work and how other bloggers manage their time and workload to be able to work around family life and strive towards a work-life balance that works for them.