| Working from home is a dream for many consumers | | | | If you have pictures or figures on your desk, you can |
| today. The flexibility, control, and lower costs involved | | | | purchase "floating" shelves and install them above the |
| often means a greater amount of productivity in a | | | | desk. You can place your personal items on the |
| smaller time frame. One of the challenges for the | | | | shelves as opposed to your desk. |
| home worker is simple office organization. | | | | Receipts are needed for tax purposes and their |
| When a home business is disorganized or cluttered it | | | | collection can seem daunting. A year's worth of |
| can make working sheer torture. Misplaced paperwork, | | | | receipts may take up a fair amount of space that |
| products, or missing receipts can quickly cause | | | | could be used for other things. Consider purchasing a |
| frustration. Many home business owners have even | | | | messenger bag at your local discount store if you |
| hired relatively needless employees because they | | | | collect your receipts. These can be suspended from a |
| didn't consider the efficiency they can regain just by a | | | | closet rod by a sturdy hanger and you can slip |
| deliberate arrangement of office space and assigned | | | | receipts into this. A messenger bag is the perfect size |
| places for their supplies. Organization not only makes | | | | for plain brown mailing envelopes. These are used to |
| your job easier, it can save you much time, money, | | | | separate them by month or by deduction. If you don't |
| and effort. | | | | have spare closet space, consider slipping the bag |
| Look at the overall picture when you start to organize | | | | beneath your desk or even under your bed. |
| your office space. How is your furniture placed? Is | | | | You will need an adequate wastebasket for your |
| there adequate room for movement? If it is a smaller | | | | office. Many advertised for typical home offices are |
| space, could it do with less furniture? How are your | | | | good for occasional use, but if you are working at |
| supplies currently placed? Is the trash can within reach | | | | home, you will need a receptacle that is large enough |
| of the desk? Is the telephone placed where the | | | | for daily use. A compact shredder can also help |
| computer can be accessed if needed? | | | | reduce the size of your waste and some people |
| If you are manufacturing a product, are the items | | | | recycle the shredded paper in the preparation for their |
| needed for assembly placed for easy access? For | | | | own mulch. |
| example, if you are making beaded jewelry and | | | | Recycling unneeded paper, plastic, and glass is another |
| accessories, are all items needed placed near one | | | | good way to responsibly dispose of your office trash |
| another? Do you have lidded containers to separate | | | | and is easier than you imagine. Separate containers for |
| and manage your beads? Are all necessary tools in | | | | waste can be stored under your desk or in a closet. |
| one carrier? | | | | This allows you more time in your work area and less |
| When you are organizing your office space, you | | | | time traveling to other parts of the home. It will also |
| should go digital as much as possible. Digital documents | | | | reduce the amount of waste in your garbage can. |
| are just as professional and can be transmitted more | | | | Filing cabinets can be tedious to have in a small office. |
| efficiently than print documents. Digitized documents | | | | Before you invest in these cabinets, be certain you |
| are easily stored on compact discs, DVDs, or portable | | | | need them. Is it mandatory for your organization or are |
| flash drives. Routine paperwork can be stored in | | | | you just looking for storage space? If storage is more |
| template form and only printed out as you need it. | | | | your need than what a filing cabinet may offer, |
| Customer files can be digitized and stored with the | | | | consider installing a large bookshelf. |
| help of a scanner. You can store original paperwork in | | | | Plastic organizing containers can be purchased in a |
| an airtight plastic container in your closet or even your | | | | variety of colors and sizes and most will fit on a wide |
| garage. A good spreadsheet program will assist you in | | | | bookshelf. Instead of having a standard cabinet that |
| creating order forms, records, and any inventory | | | | may have four drawers, a tall bookshelf may have six |
| management you may need. | | | | levels of shelves where you can place multiple |
| Instead of using a traditional planner that you must | | | | organizers. If you use a large bookshelf, please ensure |
| correct with liquid paper and pen, consider a desktop | | | | that is securely fastened to the wall to prevent tipping |
| calendar on your computer. Entries and important | | | | over. |
| events can simply be deleted or reentered. Many | | | | Organizing your home office is an exercise well worth |
| programs will offer auditory and visual alerts for | | | | the effort and time involved. Having a well arranged |
| important events. Even removing a simple desk blotter | | | | space will help you fulfill your duties faster and make |
| can free up space for desktop organizers or create | | | | the overall work easier. |
| more room for your keyboard and mouse. | | | | |