Work from Home Starter Kit

Working from home is awesome and I often compare it to winning the lottery. But two years ago when I started my work at home job I was overwhelmed by all of the things that were new to me.

I wasn’t sure what I really needed.

I didn’t know what questions to ask.

Today I want to remove that feeling overwhelm for you with this budget friendly simplified Work from Home Starter Kit made up of the five best work from home must have tools. 

You get the advantage of all my lessons learned!

Work from Home Starter Kit

I’m going to assume you have internet, a laptop and printer.  If you don’t then you definitely want to prioritize those!  A simple printer/scanner combo is all you should need for most work at home jobs – unless you need to do a lot of printing.

1. Website Domain

If you plan to start your own full time business or side hustle then you are going to need a business name.

And if you have a business name then you are going to want to buy the website domain to go with it – even if you don’t plan to have a website right now.

The good news for you is that I tried out a bunch of different website domain companies (the place you buy your website’s name) and discovered that Namecheep is by far the best!  They make everything easy and extremely affordable.

Besides ease of use and great customer service, Namecheep’s price includes the cost using NameCheep’s contact information on the public WHOIS database of website owners.

This is a BIG deal!

I had no idea when I bought my first domain that my name and cell phone number were going to be publicly published if I didn’t buy an expensive privacy add on.

I felt like the domain company was scamming me so I didn’t buy it. Unfortunately, because of that I still get daily scam calls.

Namecheep doesn’t do that to you – they give you that privacy for free AND still keep their prices super competitive.

Their dashboard is easy to use and they have easy ingratiation with GSuite, Shopify, Wix and tons of WP hosting companies.

I’ve also used their online chat a couple times. They have always been helpful and understanding of my lack of IT skills.

When you are ready to buy your website name use NameCheap. Bookmark their website now so you can find it when you need it!

2. Web Based Phone Number

After getting burned buying my first website domain name I got smart. I signed up for a FREE Google Voice phone number for my business. You can’t get anymore budget friendly then that!

The BEST part about Google Voice is that you don’t need to buy a second phone cell phone to have a business cell phone and voicemail. Your Google Voice calls ring Right on your iphone or android phone.

There are tons of different web based phone service providers with lots of different features. But personally I love the simplicity of the free Google Voice app and its easy integration to my business Gsuite gmail email account.

Besides this blog, I also have an online apparel shop. Customers call me on my Google Voice number to ask questions about my products with out me having to give them my personal cell number.

And did I mention its FREE.

3. Graphic Design and Social Media Templates

One of the best budget friendly tools I pay for my businesses is the web based design program Canva Pro.  Canva is a free graphic design program that is super user friendly.

I am not good with graphics so I love that Canva has free templates for EVERYTHING.

You can design your logo, business cards, letterhead, presentation deck, flyers, post cards, annual reports and social media graphics all in Canva and all for free.

I use Canva so much that I went ahead and upgraded to Canva Pro which is priced very low for all the upgrades they give you.

Give the free trial of Canva Pro or the free version of Canva a try today.  The yearly Canva Pro subscription is less then $10.00 a month and is worth way more then that!

4. Business Email

Another great thing about buying your business’s domain name with Namecheep is that you can easily set up a GSuite business email account using the easy to follow tutorials on their website and built in integrations.

I’m not tech savvy at all and I was able to do it myself.

Having a Yourname@yourbusinessname.com email address shows the world your are running a real business.

Not to mention you get all the functionality of GSuite’s programs and a TON of space on Google Drive.

When I started using GSuite I’d only known Outlook. A few days after making the switch I didn’t missed Outlook at all.

No matter where you get your website name, at only $6 a month GSuite is another one of the best investments I’ve made for my business.

5. Productivity Tool

When I first started to work from home I kept hearing about productivity tools. I couldn’t figure out what everyone was talking about.

What are productivity tools? 

Basically, productivity tools are apps or computer based programs that perform functions you would normally do on paper.  But the productivity tool helps you complete the project more organized and often faster.

Still trying to figure it out? So was I.

And then I tried Trello!

Trello is another budget friendly FREE web based tool that organizes all of your projects, ideas and to-do lists in one place.

A lot of people describe Trello as sticky notes on steroids. Its kind of like GoogleKeep but way better.

Trello has boards with cards that you can move around. You can even include checklists, photos or documents on the cards.

I use Trello for keeping up with my quarterly goals and action tasks.

Each quarter I upload my goals and action tasks from my Simplified Quarterly Goal Planning Worksheet to a Trello Board. That way I have my action task checklist with me where ever I am.

(Grab the exact Quarterly Goal Planning Worksheet I use for FREE here!)

On the days that I find myself starting at my computer not sure what to do next I open Trello and look at my Goal Board.  I’m able to immediately see the projects I’m working on and get back on track.

One of my favorite boards in Trello is my Brain Dump Board.  I add random ideas to Trello using the app on my phone from anywhere (even on a walk or on the treadmill!.)

Then when I’m back at my laptop, or waiting for my daughter’s dance class to end, I move the idea cards to the boards they fit best with. Or I just leave them on my brainstorm board until I’m ready for them.

No more sticky notes or random notebooks of ideas to get lost.

Trello also has a paid option.  But unless you are sharing your boards with a number of people or integrating it with a lot of other programs, I haven’t found a reason to upgrade to the paid version.

Conclusion

The Work from Home Starter Kit contains the 5 MUST have digital tools to get your work from home life running and organized today.

And the best part is they are all budget friendly!

1. Website Domain
2. Web Based Business Phone Number
3. Graphic Design & Social Media Templates
4. Business Email
5. Productivity Tool

Don’t waste time recreating the wheel. You don’t have to try to figure it out on your own like I did.

Sign up for these five must have work from home tools today so you can focus on generating income for your family!

Additional Post You Might Like:

What To Do When You Are Sick and Work at Home

Books Every Girl Boss Should Read

The Secret to Fueling Your Business Growth

5 Hacks Every Exhausted Work At Home Mom Needs!