Tips To Organize Your Home Office

By BB Lee(C)2003

You search your desk frantically for an important file. An email you printed only moments earlier is lost under stacks of overflowing files. The telephone is ringing, but you can't reach it because you are at your fax machine retrieving papers across the room. You finally answer the telephone and search wildly around your desk for a notebook and pencil. You find nothing, zip, nada! So, what's the problem? You finally realize that if you want your home office to run smoothly you must take immediate steps to organize it.

Whether your business is full-time or part-time. Even if you are starting small or on a grand scale, you will certainly run into problems if you avoid pre-planning and organizing your office interface to run in an efficient manner. This is a no-brainer! You must organize your space so that all essential office items are within arms reach. This will lead to a smoother, more productive, work day. And make it easier to find needed items at a moments notice. It's surprising, the number of serious home office workers who do not understand this important fact. Are you ready to get organized? Let's get started!

The desk

Get rid of clutter. Go through that stack of paper piled high on your desk. Make this a habit at the start of the work day. Be brutal. If you don't need it, toss it in the wastebasket. Now search those desk drawers. Why are you keeping old broken pens, yellowed scotch tape, receipts from purchases made ten years ago or clips from a magazine you read last summer. Either file the important stuff or toss it now! Also, purchase desk drawer organizers at your local office supply store. These handy items have compartments to neatly organize your extra essentials.

Your computer and keyboard should be the main focus of your desk. Place a container with pens, pencils within arms reach. Stack note pads nearby. Purchase desk top vertical or horizontal organizers to stack important papers and keep them neat and orderly.

Books/essentials

Stack reference books on a bookshelf on your desk, above your desk, or one adjacent to desk.

Storage Disk

Store important CD's or floppies in a holder on your desk.

Peripherals

Place your fax, printer, scanner adjacent to your desk. So you will only need to move a few inches to access them.

Telephones

Your telephone should be close enough for you to answer without leaving your desk chair. Believe me, running back and forth to answer or make calls can be very time consuming and tiring.

File Cabinets

If possible, place the files adjacent to the desk or in a way to suit your workspace and give you easy access. Keep personal items off your desk. This includes your favorite magazines, a favorite crossword puzzle, personal letters. And this certainly isn't the place to leave your favorite hand held video game. All these items will cause too many distractions.

Use the above tips as a starting point to get your office organized efficiently and improve work production.

BB Lee is Editor Publisher Of SmallBizBits Home Business Newsletter. Visit at: http://www.angelfire.com/zine/smallbiz mailto:smallbiz@angelfire.com