For a home office, the items you mentioned specifically
would not necessarily be an expense.
If the snacks are for your husband, then that is a personal
expense, not a business expense. Meals
are allowed to be included when travelling away from the tax home for business
purposes. Travel to a client’s location
within the same general metropolitan area does not count for that
deduction. Snacks provided to customers
or clients would be a business deduction.
For the cleaning products, if they are reserved to be used
exclusively in the office only, then it is a business deduction. If the same products are used in other areas
of the home, then it is not.
When you are thinking about what kinds of expenses can be
claimed for your home office, be sure that the item has an ordinary and
necessary business use. Just because it
can be used in the office, it does not mean that it can be a deduction. If something could also easily be used for
personal purposes (such that it would have mixed use, both business and
personal), then think twice before including it as a business expense.
