The home office has slowly become the foundation of the modern day household. We pay the bills, organize recipe files and photo albums and develop calendars and schedules on our computers, and some of us make a living from here. With so many different activities happening here, it's easy to see how it can easily become the most disorganized and unkempt area of the home. A clean organized desk and home office can save time, stress and even money if we work from home. So if you're feeling overwhelmed by your messy desk and disorganized office, take a good hard look and see what's overwhelming your order the most.
Mail is probably the biggest contributing factor to our messy desktops. Get in the habit of dealing with your mail on a daily basis. Toss what you can, place those things that need to be shredded into a shredding bin and shred them once per week, and file the rest away properly. This might also be the time to update your filing system and make folders for current years or months.
Another culprit of office clutter is computer storage media such as CDs, DVDs and floppy disks. Take the time to ensure each is properly labeled and placed in a protective file or case. Categorize and alphabetize them for easy access.
If you have an office area that is commonly used by all family members, it can easily become cluttered with glasses, coffee cups, food wrappers and dirty dishes. Since computer equipment can easily be damaged should something spill on it, it's probably wise to impose a rule forbidding eating and drinking while using the computer. This would help to eliminate some of the clutter as well. If you are working in your home office for several hours a day and you have the space, you should try to have a separate area, away from your computer and work space, where you can set your food and beverage without fear of spilling on electronic equipment.
When using a bulletin board, make sure you keep it current. Any items that are not current should be filed or thrown away. Your calendar should always be set at the current month so you can check all your scheduled activities or appointments at a glance.
Office supplies have a way of easily cluttering up our workspace as well. Take the extra time to clean out and organize desk drawers if necessary and make sure all office supplies have a home other than the top of your desk.
By thinking, planning and using discipline, your home office can become a productive, efficient and serene place to work.
Well, yes, it is. But, where in your home is your office?
Is it in your bedroom? Or perhaps a corner in the dinning room or den? Maybe it's a desk in the kitchen?
Often any of the above is the best that we can do. Meaning, there simply isn't space to have the ideal: a separate room in your house that has a door you can close, enough space for a desk and chair, and is wired for phone and Internet service.
Let's consider why the ideal is the best way to go for your home office.
First, a separate room, with a door, will give you a private place for you to run your business free from noise and distractions. Depending upon what type of business you have this could be very important.
Second, having your own phone and Internet connection will enable you to work your business when it's best for you. Too many of my clients miss out on critical work hours because someone else in the house was using the Internet or speaking on the phone.
Spend the extra money on a separate business phone and Internet connection and write it off as a business expense.
Third, avoid sharing your desk with other household members. It's important that you know where your work related items are and are able to access them when you need them. Also, when you can afford to spend money on a high quality office chair, I encourage you to do so. This will help you avoid back problems in the long run.
Now, all the above is well and good, if there is space in the house to use for a home office. But, what if there isn't? Do the best you can to incorporate as much of the above suggestions as possible.
For example, if your workspace is in the kitchen, but there is more room in the dinning room, then relocate your home office. Put up a partition, such as a nice multi-panel, decorative, room divider. Discuss your work hours with all household members. Determine when you can work with minimal noise and interruptions.
The point is, do your best to treat your business like a business so it rewards you like a business.
Both Laurie Raphael & Kimberly Anne are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.