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If you have a home office in a common area or a designated office in your home, protecting your clients (Affiliate Link)‘ files should be paramount on your to-do list. It would help if you took extra precautions to help protect your clients (Affiliate Link)‘ private information. They trust you to keep their information confidential and expect no less. To help you set up a safer office, here are my favorite ways to make your home office safer and improve security in your home.
Table of contents
- Use locks.
- Use a sturdy metal / fireproof safe for your client’s files.
- Keep your home office antivirus and spyware software up to date.
- Log out whenever you are in a client’s file or website at the end of the session.
- Buy a security system
- Have a backup procedure
- Encrypt client files with valuable information on them.
- Use a laptop lock.
- Keep the computer strictly for business use.
- Ensure your wifi is secure.
- Make sure your mobile devices are secure too!
Use locks.
You can buy a few locks to add to your home office. They are cheap, and you can purchase padlocks with several locks with one key. Lock up any cabinet with client files (Affiliate Link), checkbooks, or even pre-printed deposit slips or thumb drives. Below are some I found on Amazon.com (affiliate).
Use a sturdy metal / fireproof safe for your client’s files.
Using a fireproof safe for your business files will protect you if something happens. Some are small, some are large, some may have filing cabinets, and others may have just a cabinet to store things inside. Pick the best one that works for you. Pick the one that works best for you and your client’s files. Below are some I found on Amazon (affiliate).
Keep your home office antivirus and spyware software up to date.
Use high-quality software that you pay to keep updated yearly. Keep your setting on more secure to ensure you take the best precaution. Make sure all your apps are updated regularly. Here’s a post I wrote on the topic, which includes a free checklist: 12 Important updates to do to keep your Business Secure
Log out whenever you are in a client’s file or website at the end of the session.
When you finish your clients (Affiliate Link)‘ material, log out and close it. It not only keeps it safe, but it also keeps you focused on the next project.
Buy a security system
Having a home security system that has 24-hour monitoring for your home office and uses it when you are out of your home.
When you are not at home, using your security system will add a layer of security for your business and client files (Affiliate Link). You can deduct a portion of it from your business taxes. 
Have a backup procedure
Setting up a backup process will help you in emergencies. To be safe, have a backup of your files in at least three different areas. The original file is on your computer, the second on an external drive, and the third is given to the client. That is fine if you wish to put backup paperwork and data in the cloud. However, make sure there is another place you can access it. Feel free to check out our post about how to set up a backup process.
Encrypt client files with valuable information on them.
If you have data that you work on or reference daily/weekly/monthly, having them encrypted will protect them a bit more. I don’t recommend keeping the client’s private files on cloud servers.
If you share files on the cloud, be sure you have activated the encryption option. Each online cloud storage has its own. It should be on. But, if not, you will need to do research to find it on yours.
Use a laptop lock.
A laptop lock is a great option to keep your computer secure just in case others come to your home office when you are not there.
This may sound silly, but if people go in and out of your home often, this will give you peace of mind. You can even store the laptop in a locked drawer to keep it out of prying eyes.
Keep the computer strictly for business use.
Don’t allow others to use the computer. Have a cheap computer for the kids and other people to use. What’s great about doing this is you can log out and shut down the computer when your business is closed. It will make you feel like you have left work. Try it and see.
Ensure your wifi is secure.
Checking your home wifi is key to keeping your home office private. Is your wifi visible to others?
Check out your particular wifi and determine how to make it invisible to others. Visit your provider’s website support page to get information on how to make your wifi more secure.
Make sure your mobile devices are secure too!
And don’t forget your mobile security when you are on the go. Visit my other posts on Mobile Security Tips and Tips to Make a Strong Password.
You can also install a VPN (Virtual Private Network) on your mobile to protect your connections online. Check our iPhone or Android phone to see if you have it already. You will need to turn it on. Or, you can purchase an app like Norton.
Well, there you have it. By showing your clients (Affiliate Link) that you have protected their privacy, they will trust you and be more willing to work with you. What other safety steps do you take to make your home office safer? Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.
Looking for even more information on this topic. Here are the posts I found.
Seven Ways to Secure Your Home Office
Six Tips to Secure Your Home Office Network
Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.
Buying my own computer was the very first step I took when preparing to start my own business! Not just for privacy and security (which are super important) but to ensure that I always had access to it when I needed it!