When it comes to freelancing, there are many things a person can do to help promote a successful career. Keeping up with contacts, creating a regular routine, and making it a priority to set up in-person meetings all help, but there are also certain products that can help. Besides a stellar computer and reliable phone service, here are a few of the other items you might want to consider if you’re really serious about your freelance work.

Great Products Every Freelancer Should Have

Printer/Scanner Combo

Why you need it: A successful freelance career often comes with a lot of paperwork, including contracts and tax documents. As such, you’ll make your life a whole lot easier if you invest in a good printer/scanner combo that allows you to print your contracts, sign them, and scan them back to your computer to send them off.

A scanner also allows you to make digital copies of any receipts you might want to keep for tax write-off purposes. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get a good printer/scanner combination, either. For example, the Canon MX492 Wireless printer is relatively cheap and includes a scanner, has a small size so it can fit in even the tiniest of offices, and can print wirelessly from a compatible iPhone or iPad.

Invoice Tracker

Why you need it: As a small business owner, it will be integral that you keep track of your invoicing. Keeping track of all your ingoing and outgoing invoices means that you’ll know how long to expect between payments, and you’ll be able to follow up with clients with all the pertinent information when you haven’t been paid. Although a simple Excel doc can work just fine, a fancier invoicing system might be easier or nicer to use.

At the end of the day, whatever is more likely to get you to actually document the information is the best system to use. If you are interested in a more professional system to track your invoices, there are plenty of online resources available. For example, Wave is a free service that customizes invoices, sends recurring bills, and provides payment reminders, among other things.

Productivity Monitor

Why you need it: If you find it hard to concentrate when you work from home as a freelancer, you’re not alone. Avoiding all of the many distractions is something a lot of remote workers deal with, and while there’s not a lot you can do about barking dogs or delivery men, you can download a product on your computer that will help you monitor—or completely block—online distractions like social media.

Freedom, for example, allows you to block social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more on your Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS devices. 

Comfortable Chair

Why you need it: It might seem petty to include a chair on a list of great products every freelancer should have, but really, comfort is key when it comes to working from home. A comfortable and supportive chair will keep you from dealing with unwanted aches and pains and it’ll make you more likely look forward to getting to your desk and starting the day. An office chair will of course be a very personal thing, and there are so many options to pick from, but for less than $100 you can find a professional, comfortable option—like the AmazonBasics High-Back Executive Chair—that provides a padded seat and back for comfort and support and that looks sophisticated in any office setting.

Just because you’re a freelancer who works from home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest in the products and tools that streamline your business or makes your life easier (or more comfortable).

For more office inspiration, check out this piece with 17 must-have items for your home office, or this one for the 10 most useful home office apps.

Photo Credit: bigstockphoto.com

Tags: being a freelancer, freelance