Organizing the Home Office
Make your home office a stress free environment by "having a place for everything and putting everything in its place." Professional organizer, Dawn McCloskey of Cumming, says that the key to an organized home office is to return items to where they belong so time isn’t wasted looking all over the house later when an item is needed.
To ensure that office supplies don't sprout legs and leave the area, choose a color (pink) that tells everyone that this is yours - purchase staplers, scissors, paper clips, ruler, pens, sticky notes and anything else you can think of that you might need in that color. The other option: use a paint pen to mark your name on all your office supplies.
Here are some tips to eliminate desk top clutter:
- Use a "to do" list. Instead of having visual reminders of what needs to be done on your desk, write a notation on your "to do" list and file the paperwork until you are actively working on the project.
- Use a planner. Just received an invitation? Record the pertinent details in the planner and toss the paper invitation.
- Use a notebook or planner to record information about projects or phone calls. Stop using sticky notes and posting them all over the work area.
- Use a wireless keyboard and mouse to keep the top and back of your desk wire-free.
- Eliminate photos. One or two framed photos are nice; anything more because visual distractions.
- Use a tickler file. Whether it is bills that need to be paid or a piece of paper that needs to be acted on at a later date, use a tickler file (sorted by date) and make a habit of checking the file regularly. This keeps paper off the desk.
- Purge books and CDs. Create a reference area of books and CDs related to your business. These items don't need to be stored on the desk if they aren't used on a daily basis. Donate CDs that you've already listened to and don't intend on listening to again.
- Purge and file paper every day. Limit the number of times a paper is handled.
- Use drawer organizers to corral office supplies in one area. Excess/overstock office supplies can be stored away from the work area.
- If it takes less than two minutes to put something away now, do it.
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