Home Sweet Home Office

2008-08-31 21:59:55 A home office is just that - a home office. Most everything in it is meant to stay at home. Computer, printer, DSL or Cable modem, router and files are pretty difficult to carry with you. Or are they?

A computer is of course the easiest home office gadget to take with you across town or on an extended trip. If there is no need to connect to the internet a computer is totally portable. Catching up on paperwork is a breeze no matter where the location.

Connecting to the internet is possible away from home. A Hot Spot (some free - some not) is a home away from home for a computer on the go. No need for a router or a modem. All you need is the ability to connect to a wireless WiFi connection.

This post is being published to my blog via my USB broadband card from AT&T. I consider that this makes my laptop ultra portable. I decided to buy this card after a week and a half long ice storm knocked me off the internet. I could not publish anything for what seemed an eternity. Since before I started writing I dreamed of being able to work from wherever I happened to be. I don’t travel all that much but I love being able to whenever I want.

Files are the easiest to carry. Unless I need a file an inch thick I don’t need the paper at all. PDF files are sufficient for most any information that I need to keep track of. Flash drives can deliver on any other need I have for files or backup. 

My portable wireless printer rounds out my home office away from home. It works with WiFi or Bluetooth. It may seem strange that I would need a printer while on a trip. Paying bills and printing photos are necessary at times so it is necessary to have the right equipment.

Tomorrow I will return to my home office. I will unpack my power cords along with my suitcases. I’ll put away my USB broadband card and will connect back up with my wireless router. I will finish up any paperwork left to do. Until the next time I leave home I will be at home in my home office.

  2008-08-30 22:02:29Very seldom does a home office have enough electrical outlets. If I could build my dream office I swear that I would have one or two placed every foot on each wall. Until then I guess my 8 outlet serge protectors will have to do.

Electrical surges are death to electronic devices. Even the smallest fluctuation in power can cause your computer to never boot up again. You seldom know when a surge is happening unless it is strong enough to dim the lights and by then it could be too late.

I prefer a surge protector that also provides battery power backup. I use an APC battery backup in my home office. It has 8 outlets - 4 that are battery backup as well as surge protection and the other 4 are surge protection only. I paid approximately $120 and I can get up to 30 minutes of battery backup power.

My computer and its monitor are plugged into 2 of the battery backup outlets so that I have enough time to shut down the computer without loosing data. Some APC UPS (uninterrupted power supply) battery backup surge protectors are sold with software that will automatically perform a shut down in case of an outage.

Power strips are not the same as a UPS. They are better than nothing at all but they typically do not have the ability to protect more than a couple electronic devices. An investment in a UPS is an investment in your electronics future.

A home office should not be considered a luxury. A home office of some type is a necessity. Running a home includes processing paperwork, paying bills and calendar scheduling for all members of the family.

Although a home office does not have to be large it does need to be out of the way of busy family activities. A kitchen table does not qualify.

· If paperwork stays the family does not
· Piles of paper get moved and lost
· Spills happen
· Privacy is non-existent

If an entire room cannot be designated as a home office a closet can be. In fact my first home office was in an ordinary small closet. It was great because the closet doors could shut away my mess and I did not need to worry that anyone would snoop.

It was amazing - I already owned a library table/desk that perfectly fit the dimensions of the closet. There was one drawer that held my pens, markers and paper clips with lots of room left over. I almost forgot to tell you that I expanded the closet door to the full width of the closet. Louvered doors fit perfectly and replaced the boring hollow core door that was there.

I purchased a piece of heavy glass for the desktop. That expanded the use of the desktop because I could display photos and important lists underneath the glass. It also gave me a very smooth work surface. (You will notice that I like glass desks).

Shelves were installed above my desk. Not only did the shelves provide a lot of storage it provided a great place to mount a desk light. Battery powered lights are wonderful for this type of application.

My desk chair became extra seating for the living room. (I always like furniture that has multiple uses).

I used this closet home office for over a year. Later on space from my living room was confiscated for a real home office.

  2008-08-28 20:43:15An organized home office allows for a functional work flow. Items needing immediate action should be at our fingertips while items that are seldom used should be stored out of the way. Files, printers and even staplers are critical to completing tasks so place them near your workspace. Lighting is important and should be used to your advantage.

Now that the papers have been sorted and filed away there should be much more flat space clear of clutter. That is a good thing, so do not go out of your way to find something to fill the empty space.

The physical size of your home office will determine what type of furniture can be used. Consider that you will need space for electronics such as printers, computers and keyboards. Of course you know that you need a keyboard but do you realize that they take up a considerable desktop space? The depth of the desktop will make a huge difference.

• Desk
• Desk chair
• Second chair for visitors
• Credenza
• Shelves
• Lamps

Depending on the type of work you do a desk can be large or small. Someone that works strictly on their computer will need much less desktop space than someone that needs to spread their work out in front of them. A small desk can be combined with a credenza or similar small table or chest to provide extra work space.

A comfortable and supportive desk chair is a must. Hours of sitting and leaning forward can be awful for your back. My desk chair has arms but will still snug up to my desk. My back is supported. My desk chair’s height adjusts so my arms are at a correct angle. My desk chair is on wheels so I can adjust where I sit according to what I am working on at the time. Is my desk chair pretty - well no but it is functional.

I do not have many visitors in my home office but I keep an extra chair handy just in case. It is a small plastic chair that shares space in my living room and in my home office. It is light weight and easy to move so it works well in either space.

I do not have a credenza but I see where they would be very handy. Most people set a printer on top and supplies inside. I buy printer paper by the box so a credenza would be handy as storage for it.

Shelves come in every shape and size. I bought heavy duty (restaurant) style shelves for my home office. My big screen TV sits on one shelf and supplies and file boxes share space on other shelves. If floor space is small it helps to take storage up the walls. Metal boxes and baskets hold a lot of my “stuff” and looks good doing it.

I do not use many lamps because of the space they use and the bright glare they put off. A ceiling fan close to my desk does double duty to keep me cool and to provide light. If I were to buy a lamp it would be a small LED task light.

My home office is small but I do a lot of work there. My supplies are close at hand and everything is on wheels so my home office adjusts to my needs. I use a closet as storage for electronics, photos and files that are seldom accessed and a near by shelf holds my printer and other supplies. I’d love to hear about your home office.

2008-08-27 21:02:01

A successful filing system depends on a good naming system. I suggest using the same naming system for both physical files and computer files. Files should be easy to search and should not be redundant.

Most home offices have some sort of filing system set up. That is not a problem until that filing system becomes outdated and over stuffed. Instead of starting new piles of paper that no longer fit into the file drawer it is better to take corrective steps.

Discard papers that are not necessary (check with your accountant to see what you should keep if you have questions)

• Sort the most recent papers into a Desk/File Sorter
• Take action on any paper that requires it. Pay bills, make phone calls and balance statements.

This will not be a popular thing to say but now it is time to clean out those files that no longer function. You will be surprised to see how much garbage resides in over stuffed folders. Often papers from multiple years have been mixed together. I have already told you what to do with multiple years. Sort them.

There will always be papers that you have to keep. That is OK and they do not need to be a problem. The good news is that papers that are over a year old seldom need any action. Simply box them up, label the box and store them away (in an accessible place). I prefer storing them in the home either in a closet or a covered shelf in the garage.

It is a good idea to work from a file index. A file index is simply a piece of paper that lists all files that are in a particular drawer or box. The file names then need to be transferred to the new file folders.

Once the file folders are set up it is time to fill them. This is an easy step since you have already sorted the papers. Actually a little more sorting is necessary. Work with one section at a time and file either to the front or to the back of the file folders.

Organizing files and setting up a filing system has been a big job. Look at what you’ve accomplished. The work you’ve done will not have to done again as long as you keep up with the new papers. That should be motivation enough.

Come back tomorrow and I will move onto another step for organizing your home office. Any questions or comments are welcome.  Thank you for stopping by.

2008-08-26 20:20:36 File names are as important to the home office as they are to any corporate office. Why save the papers if later you are unable to put your hands on them within minutes? I am not here to tell you that your system is wrong. I am saying that you may find my system easy and efficient.

Filing all of those papers that you have been sorting for the last couple of days is upon us. Regardless of what you have in place right now I want to talk about what is now in the Desk/File Sorters. You may need to do some shopping before going much further so I will take this time to discuss the actual naming of files.

I mentioned before that I scan much of the paper that passes through my home office. Personally I do not like a lot of paper. Sure, there is some that I have to keep such as insurance policies, birth certificates and Real Estate documents. Once these documents are scanned they are filed in paper files. Paper such as common receipts and bank statements can be scanned and then shredded.

Speaking of shredding, this is something that I have not mentioned. Shred anything and everything that could possibly give an identity thief your personal information.

I name my computer files and my paper files exactly the same way. My #1 concern is the ease of finding a paper once it is filed. Repeat files drive me crazy! What is a repeat file? An example: One file is named vehicle and another is named car or auto.

I start a file name as the category. Next comes the actual name of the file. Sometimes I add a date but not always. Computer folders are named this same way. Computer files are easily searched and a file index serves the same purpose for a file drawer.

TIP: If you plan to store files away at the end of the year and set up new folders for the upcoming year add the dates for easier identification later.

File categories could include:

• Utilities
• Insurance
• Medical
• Credit Cards

Extended names:

• Utilities - Home
• Insurance - Vehicle
• Medical - James
• Credit Cards - CapitalOne

Dates:

• Utilities - Home 2008
• Insurance - Vehicle 2008-2009
• Medical - James 2008
• Credit Cards - CapitalOne 2008

Computer files can be even more specific (will be filed inside computer folders):

• Utilities - Home - Gas 01-08
• Insurance - Vehicle - Ford 2008 or Insurance - Vehicle - Ford 06-08
• Medical - James 2008
• Credit Cards - CapitalOne 10-08

TIP: As you name your computer files remember that if the names are the same at the beginning and change at the end they will display one after another and are easier to identify at a glance.

• Utilities - Gas - 01-08
• Utilities - Gas - 02-08
• Insurance - Vehicle - Ford 2007
• Insurance - Vehicle - Ford 2008

I also include dollar amounts at the end of some computer files:

• Utilities - Gas - 01-08 $150.56

My system for naming files is a down to earth - common sense and easy to search method. It takes some thought in the beginning but after that it is very simple. Bottom line - the file name is the most important element to a filing system

  2008-08-25 19:54:48Organizing the paper in your home office is essential. Paper clutter increases lost time, lost energy and lost opportunities. The urge to leave can out power the urge to stay. Who wants to work among piles of paper that represent chaos?

My last couple posts speak about sorting papers. Papers that are already filed into a system that works can be ignored for now. I am speaking specifically about uncontrolled piles of paper. Yes, even those that you already know what is in them.

I cannot tell you how many clients (I am a professional organizer) have told me that they know exactly what papers were in which pile. I can tell you that almost 100% of the time they were mistaken. I continually heard “I’ve been looking for that” when I finally convinced them to sort the piles. Small business people usually found lost checks and some were behind on their billing due to lost invoices and lost orders. Individuals usually found unpaid bills that had already accrued late fees and interest. 

So far I have explained that papers should first be sorted by year. Then each year (starting with the most recent) needs to be sorted into a Desk/File Sorter. Have you decided whether to sort by number versus letter? Remember that I told you that it depends on what type of paper or receipt you are working with at the time. Also, keep it simple because you may need to find something quick. This is a work in progress and life goes on during the process.

TIP: Do not spend a lot of time trying to decide what papers to keep and what to do with them. Just sort them into the Desk/File Sorter. Decisions can stop progress. Just sort for now - I will help you make decisions later.

Once you have the papers filed into the Desk/File Sorter you have the choice to leave them there for now or to include them into your existing filing system. I suggest that you leave them there for now. I have three Sorters in service right now in my home office.

A filing system gets unruly quickly. The folders fill up fast and before you know it the drawer will not close. Can you guess what our next lessons are going to be? You got it. Naming files is the key to keeping a filing system healthy. Sometimes just starting over is easier than re-working a filing system.

I will tell you my opinion and you can decide whether you agree with me. Since the next steps towards home office organization are huge ones I will get into it in my next post. Keep working and get caught up on unfinished projects. There is plenty of work ahead.

  2008-08-24 17:23:41Hope that all of you are following along with the home office organizing steps that I’ve been writing about. So far I have talked about gathering and sorting, organizing and containerizing and paper separation.

In my last post I mentioned that you should have at least one and possible more of my favorite organizing tool the “Desk/File Sorter. I like all three styles - the number 1 through 31, the letters A-Z and the combination of numbers 1 through 31 and January through December. If there are multiple years that you need to sort you should either have multiple sets or else work on only one year at a time. If you choose to only have one set of Desk/File Sorters for multiple years (I suggest you do not) work on the newest papers first.

Now are you ready to get back to work? You know what we have to do to move forward. We have to get those stacks of papers sorted so that we can see what we have. I hate to harp on any one subject but this is an important one. Do you have multiple years involved? If so listen up.

For anyone with paper piles that span multiple years the first thing to do is sort the papers by year. Once you get the years sorted then you can move ahead with the rest of us.

I suggest that you decide how you want to file the papers once they are sorted. Credit card receipts are a good example. Sorting credit card receipts can be looked at in a couple of different ways. I pay my credit cards online. I also pay them several times a month. So sorting credit card receipts according to the date works well. If I only pay once a month I do not mind having the receipts sorted by merchant. When I download the spreadsheet from my monthly statement it is easy to find the correct receipt in the order that they are listed.  You can see that much of this is a personal choice.

If you plan to file your papers (no matter what they are) then the A through Z works well. You have the opportunity to decide what is important to keep and what is not. I scan my paperwork into my computer and this set up makes it easy to name my computer files.

Banking information works well in the number 1 through 31 and January through December Desk/File Sorter. Keep your daily banking receipts such as deposit slips and ATM receipts in the 1 through 31 sections and keep your Monthly Statement in the January through December. Like you I do much of my banking online but I still print my statement in order to balance it. Also like some of you I am not always able to keep up on all of my bookwork. If I fall behind everything is in place to quickly catch up.

This will be a long process for some if you but it is worth every minute. You should never have to re-sort and file what you have already accomplished.

2008-08-23 21:09:21

Organizing a home office is easy. Time and thought goes a long way and does not cost a dime. Simply moving things around without a purpose just leaves you with a space that does not function. You can no longer find anything. You spend more time hunting than working.

For the last couple of days I have been giving tips to successfully organize your home office. So far we have sorted, organized and containerized. Sounds easy because it is. If you have not gotten started yet that is OK. Sometimes organizing is put off because you are not sure where to begin. Read my previous posts under the category “organize” and you will know where and how to start.

So far you have sorted items such as writing utensils, empty file folders, notepads and other small office supplies and gadgets. You have determined the size and kind of containers you want to use. You labeled the containers. You were careful to choose containers that would fit into cubbies, on shelves and in cabinets that are already in the home office. Later I will discuss storage solution options.

At this point you should already feel better with your surroundings. But, I bet those piles of paper still bug you. This is today’s homework. We are working with all papers that are on surfaces and on the floor. We are not ready to reorganize the filing system yet so leave your files alone for now.

I use an office supply item called a Desk File Sorter. I love these things! I have one that is A through Z, one that is number 1 through 31 and one that has a combination of number 1 through 31 and January through December. You will not need these yet but you will as we move forward.

Tip: Mine were ordered from Office Depot.com because all that I could find in their store was the A through Z. If you have multiple years that need to be sorted you should have a Desk File Sorter or two for each year.

You will have different types of paper piles.

• Papers that simply need to be filed away.
• Papers that need action. Bills to pay, phone calls to make, etc.
• Papers that need to be grouped. I keep a file for special papers needed to file my taxes. For example, all 1099s and any tax letters
• Credit card receipts and bank statements

This step may scare you - but it is necessary. Gather all papers together and then start sorting them out into the different piles described above. As with the other items in the home office I suggest labeled boxes for this purpose. I know-I know that you know what are in your piles and you like it that way. Please humor me here. Visual people love piles so that they can see what they have. What happens though when someone else moves the piles or if that pile is knocked onto the floor?

This step towards your organized home office space may take a while. That is OK. The benefit will be obvious and you will probably find an unpaid bill or something that really needs immediate attention. I’ve lost money before because I forgot to deposit a rebate check that was buried in a pile of old mail. It was VOID after and the 90 days allowed to cash it. ARG!

2008-08-22 19:55:19 

Your home office deserves your attention and you will not regret getting it organized. If you read yesterday’s post you found several steps to get you started. How did you do with your sorting homework today? If you finished that’s great – if you didn’t it is not too late.

As a refresher you need to gather together cardboard boxes of different sizes. I say cardboard boxes because I do not want you to spend any money yet.  Label the boxes with categories (see yesterday’s post). Gather items from all around the room including drawers, flat surfaces and the floor to sort into the boxes. Separate out unwanted or unused items for storage, donation or trash. Simple. Now we move on.

• Go through each box one more time. Be sure that you want or need everything there.
• Go through the room one more time. Be sure nothing was missed.

At this point you begin to see how much of each item you have and the number and size of the items (sorted by category). Determine whether you plan to buy items ahead. For example you may buy extra printer ink cartridges. This insures that you don’t run out of space if you buy any items in bulk.

I think that this is one of the most fun steps of getting your home office organized.  It is time to find permanent containers for the different categories.

• The best containers allow you to see what’s inside. If not, be sure that there is a good way to label it. Baskets are fine but again – you have to label it.
• The container should not be too large or too small for the category. If you can find matching containers for several categories (same size or different sizes) you will like the look.
• If you already have shelving be sure to measure the cubbies or shelves and buy the best containers that fit.
• If you intend to buy shelves or cabinets take those measurements into consideration.

These are your next steps to take towards organizing your home office. Please, if you do not find containers that you really like save your money and buy the least expensive containers that fit the bill. You can always buy another one later – and believe me – you will use the cheap ones somewhere else.

Are you following along with the hopes of getting your home office organized? I’d love to hear from you. Share you enthusiasm with all of us!