Staying Organized In Your Home Office; A Definite Bonus

Nothing makes working from a home office more
frustrating than not being able to find anything
when you need it. While most business owners see
themselves as being busy all the time, some of
your time has to be spent in staying organized. If
not daily, at least once a week you have to set
aside time to put everything in its place.

Many people have to find the time to repeat the
same task twice, but seldom have the time to do it
right the first time. When they can’t find a file
on their hard drive, they will have to recreate
it, which will take a lot more time than the five
seconds it might have taken to put it in its
proper place to begin with. Being able to find the
staples when your stapler runs out can save a
precious few minutes you will spend going through
the desk drawers, or worse yet, going to the store
to buy more, knowing you have a new box somewhere
in your office.

The amount of office supplies you maintain in the
home office will depend on the type of business as
well as your budget. Regardless, don’t let your
desk become a storage area for your supplies. Use
an old dresser of bookcase on which to keep your
office supplies, while keeping only a small stash
on your desk or in the desk drawers. When you put
supplies in a storage area, make sure the labels
are visible for easy identification.

To keep your office running smooth, consider your
desk the focal point of the office. All of the
equipment that is frequently used needs to be
within easy reach of your desk chair. If you have
to get up every few minutes to answer the phone,
grab a fax or check the printer, you are wasting
several precious minutes everyday reaching for
things. Files that you are currently working on
should be in easy reach, whether in a file cabinet
next to your desk or in an upright file holder on
your desk or adjacent table.

Staying organized in your home office should
always be job one. The two to three minutes you
waste several times a day looking for something
that isn’t where it should have been, may just
add up to an extra game of catch with the kids
every week. Now there’s a definite bonus to
staying organized.

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