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ans Serif">Today as I leapt out of bed to face the day's challenges, I was instantly reminded of the how my life had drastically changed to incorporate running a business from home. My corporate image has slowly faded to now cater for socks and cardys! Suits, stockings and jackets looking way out of place in these relaxed surroundings. Then there's the feet, what do you actually wear on your feet when meeting with clients at your kitchen table?   I'm a bare feet girl in the house, so adjusting to wearing outdoor shoes inside is a huge pardigm shift! Sleek slippers, open toed slip ons, holeless socks or go for broke and

ans Serif">My office space is seperate from the rest of the house - seperate phone line, fax line and space. The space albeit snug has large floor to ceiling windows looking directly out on the back garden. Oh how I love the natural light - not available in my previous jobs. However, my snug space is often invaded at night as the teenage children race in there to make their 'secret' phone calls or to chat to their mates over the internet. No amount of nagging has actually resulted in me clocking into my office on a work day morning to find my desk free of cups, plates and graffitti-like doodle on the office pad.

ans Serif">With a sigh, this routine heralds the beginning of another work day as the space is wiped clean. I move to the front door - the entrance way for my clients - my opportunity to set the tone for my business-like image - now littered with gumboots, jandles, school shoes, work shoes - these are gathered and flung into the appropriate bedrooms. There in itself lies another challenge - I have never been one to make children tidy their rooms unless things are actaully starting to crawl out of their own accord but now that I have clients that may need to use the ablutions - what do I do about the rooms? Shutting the door is the obvious one but it gets so dark down there!

ans Serif">Now let me tell you, the loo and bathroom cannot, I say cannot, no matter how rushed you are, be sorted until ALL family members are out of there. This has had to be an unlearned habit. No more cleaning as I go, this has to be the last minute, frantic dash with cleaning products to bring some sort of recpectability and appropriate odour to this area.

ans Serif">Then there's the kitchen - open plan is good but now that I am a home business owner I feel doors are better. I consult at my kitchen table - relaxed, I know, but the preparation time into making this area presentable is highly stressful. You do not want to interrupt me at this stage. This is a 10-min-before-the-client-arrives job. Kettle filled and switched on, dishes washed (no dishwasher for this girl), benches scoured, left-overs removed, floors swept and vases filled.

ans Serif">Gee, I love being a home business owner but there are days, oh boy there are days, when I cry out bring back the office, the cleaners, the flat whites and the secretary - anytime!