By Chris Robertson  

Time management is a major problem for everyone, with billions of dollars lost each year as everyone struggles to keep up with work tasks, office clutter, emails, meetings, and general overload. Freelancers and home-based entrepreneurs are no exception to this modern syndrome. However, a thoughtful makeover using modern furniture to streamline the office can dramatically boost productivity.

Exciting electronic developments to aid time management usually easily lead people to overlook something just as fundamental and important for overall productivity, namely, the use of office space. While major corporations may hire specialists to plan their spaces, the person working at home is more likely to end up with something far from optimal and end up paying for it with lost hours.

A fresh look at office furniture and its arrangement in a home office can provide surprising opportunities for making the most of the work time. While most people are accustomed to simply making do with whatever is on hand for their workspace, investing time and funds up front to match one's work style to the physical environment will reap payoffs that continue for years. Today there are many options to create a sleek, attractive and functional workspace using modern furniture.

Internationally acclaimed organizational guru Julie Morgenstern, author of Organizing from the Inside Out, offers tested advice for creating the timesaving office. Two of the major factors to consider in selecting office furniture for maximum effect involve what furniture to chose and then where to place it, as she explains it.

Great Home Office Design Options

In furnishing an office, especially a home office, it is tempting to buy the fewest pieces possible and make do with whatever else is on hand. That assumption should be challenged. If you are working from home, you need the infrastructure that serves you best. Remember that your office is your production space, so don't shortchange yourself here if you want to run a profitable enterprise! The outdated desk or the garage sale ensemble is not going to serve your needs.

As Morgenstern observes, much of the clutter that eats up productivity and lowers morale is due to the simple fact that there is no place to store the papers, books, files, accessories, etc., that are present in offices. It is imperative to buy adequate desks, books, filing cabinets, and credenzas to store things in an organized fashion, instead of piling them all over. As she puts it, give everything a home! Fortunately, with today's great designs, you can add the work and storage spaces you need while creating an inviting and functional space. A little shopping around in real and internet furniture stores will lead you to numerous options for desks, files, bookcases, including gorgeous Italian and European contemporary furniture designs that will make anyone want to sit down and get to work!

Locate Furniture Strategically

As Morgenstern notes, most people fail to put the furniture where it actually is needed. Instead of putting a credenza or the bookcase by your desk, put your file cabinets there so that you will not be tempted to let files pile up on your desk. Beautiful contemporary desks are available with built in file drawers and with mobile file units on casters that can do this task in style. When you have the drawer at your fingertips, you can grab the file when a customer calls, or slip that finished report in its place. Later, you can find it when you need it! For greatest efficiency, Morgenstern suggest a U-shaped desk for most functionality, by the way.

While there are more design elements that you can leverage in your office to boost your productivity, just these two simple steps of incorporating attractive, modern furniture into a useful arrangement will provide you a beautiful, functional place to enjoy your work and get more done!

 Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Modern Furniture.

By Christine Rice

With home-based businesses and work-from-home options of "telecommuting" on the rise, many home offices have become havens for mounds of paperwork and misplaced clutter. The piles and disorganization can make digging out seem overwhelming to most.

It's no surprise this area seems more out of control than others. Many home offices have to pull double duty. Your desk by day might be the family's dining area in the evening. Your master bedroom may serve as your main business hub by day. Add children to the equation and you can bet there will be a "toy room" intermingled, whether it was intended, or not. These scenarios can make for a very stressful, disorganized work environment and a likely place for clutter to emerge.

Some simple steps can make a home based office run more efficiently:

- Arrange your office area into "zones". Have a specific task in mind for each section; mailing, filing, computer work, reference, etc. This helpsdetermine a clear home for everything and develops good habits of returning items to their proper place.

- Keep up with paperwork on a regular basis. Even if you have to schedule time with yourself to do this, make sure you're diligent. Keep a "to be filed" tray, but keep it small so that you can't pile more than you can file away in 10 minutes time. This will force you to work on paperwork more frequently and for shorter periods of time, so you don't get bogged down with the task.

- If your office area is multipurpose, look for "trans-formable" storage solutions. By choosing a rolling file cart or a stylish cabinet that can conceal files and supplies or using a desk that closes up, you can easily transition the space for after hours.

The bottom line is, when you're more organized, you are more efficient. Taking the time to organize and develop systems for your office area is not a waste of time. You are investing in your business by increasing your own productivity, and that's not a bad thing!

 Christine Rice is a professional organizer, author and speaker, but she'll be the first to admit she wasn't always a very organized person. The story of her own personal journey to organization is included in the inspiring pages of her latest book, A Life Less Cluttered: Expert Secrets to Your Own Organizing Epiphany. Christine's own experiences with disorganization and chaos have helped countless others reach their own "organizational enlightenment" by offering hope that you, too, can become better organized, even if you weren't born with it. She offers step-by-step methods for incorporating the characteristics of organized people into your daily life. Christine's contact information and products can be found through her website at http://www.organizeittoday.com

By Barbara Hemphill 

While writers are experts as organizing words, I've discovered that organizing one of the major tools of their trade - a home office - is often an enigma! One of the major myths of organizing is that it will stifle creativity. But how creative - or profitable? - can it be to spend time looking for what you need, or rewriting something you could have "tweaked" from a previous project - but couldn't find it?

In my experience, that old saying "A place for everything in its place" is only half right. After 20 years of organizing home offices -including my own - I am confident that "everything in it's place" all the time would stifle most writers' creativity. The stress comes, however, when you'd like to clean up the place, because company's coming, or you're just tired of looking at a mess, but you don't know how - at least not so you can find it again! Creativity is often a messy process - but being able to recover from the mess when you choose to do so - is the mark of a professional.

Consider these tips to help you get started:

1. Develop clear understandings and guidelines with others in the household to minimize misunderstandings about your home office. If you work at home in order to be able to care for children while you work, consider organizing a part of your office to be their "office."

2. Choose a location for your office that you like to be. Select furniture and lighting to suit your individual preferences. If possible, create an L-shape for your desk area with filing space within reach. Consider ergonomic design to protect yourself from fatigue or even injury. Used office furniture stores can offer great bargains.

3. Clutter is postponed decisions. Apply the FAT system to every piece of paper that comes into your office: File, Act, or Toss.

4. Set up your desk so you can process mail quickly. Most people need at least three large containers within easy reach of their desk: o In - for mail you haven't yet looked at o Out - for items that need to go someplace else o File - for items that need to be filed outside the reach of your desk Minimize unnecessary clutter by eliminating containers that are not designed for a specific purpose, such as paper clips, pens and pencils, expenses to submit, etc.

5. Put wastebasket or recycling containers wherever possible - for example, under your desk, near the filing cabinet, or next to the fax machine. Create a location for used paper which can be used for "scratch" purposes.

6. Create "Action Files" for projects you are currently working on, or things you need to do, such as pay bills, submit expense statements, update your database, etc.

7. Create "Reference Files " for completed projects, or for information that might be useful for future projects. Keep a File Index - a list of the names of your files so you won't create a file for "automobile" when you already have one for "car." (Check out www.thepapertiger.com for Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger - which automatically cross-references and indexes your paper files, and guarantees you can find anything in your office in five seconds or less!)

8. Develop a "Just in Time Reading System." Instead of piling up journals and magazines, scan the table of contents for articles related to your expertise. Tear them out or photocopy and file them by subject so you can find them when you actually need to use them.

9. If you need more filing space, create "Archives" in a less accessible or off-site location for files you are legally required to keep, or for files you rarely use. Keep a list of those files at your desk for easy reference.

10. Feeling short of space? Look up! Make good use of wall space for bookshelves or cabinets for resources such as books, audio and videotapes, notebooks, magazines, and office supplies.

Remember, creative minds always have more to do than the physical body can carry out. Few writers I know are short on ideas - and frequently the more paper they have, the less they use. Continually ask yourself "What's the worst possible thing that would happen if I didn't have this?" If you can live with your answer, toss - or recycle it - and write happily ever after!

 © Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

By Michael Kamau      

Working from home has quite a number of advantages. It means that you can save on fuel, set your own time to wake up, take a nap on those hot and long afternoons and even work in your undies if you so fancy!

But even with so many advantages, poor working space will be detrimental to your business in the long run, hence the need for efficient working space.

A spare bedroom or a large walk-in closet would be an ideal location for an office due to the limited number of visitors it receives. Other areas of the house with possibilities for office space are the attic and the basement.

When considering the location it is important that you consider a number of things including privacy and client accessibility to the office. You should also take in to consideration that you will be spending a significant amount of time in your office; therefore pick a location that will help you become creative.

One important thing to remember is that a business anywhere needs a communication channel and so fixing a landline is quite important to establish a professional communication channel with clients. This is important so that potential clients can contact the management in confidence for enquiries and even follow ups. Additionally communication accessories like faxes are an integral part in communicating with stakeholders.

Furthermore most businesses today use the internet to ensure efficiency and even promote the business, so space to accommodate your PC, printer, scanner and modem is essential.

And to give your home office that professional look, place some basic office furniture for good organization and meetings with clients. You can get comfortable and great ergonomic furniture in most furniture shops today at very affordable prices.

Lastly will you be holding important business meetings in your home office? Will meetings be a key feature in your business? These are important questions that you should ask yourself in setting up your office.

If so, such meetings should be done in a professional and organized manner, so a boardroom would feature in your plans. It would be a good idea to include such a design when coming up with your home office.

However some people may prefer to have meetings informally over meals or cocktails. Though hospitable it may not be the best mode of meeting with new clients with whom you have not created any rapport.

So there you have it, your home office done and ready for business. So what are you waiting for? Set up that home office now and let your dream fly!

By Janet Baker     

Whether you are using your home office to keep track of the family's finances or running a small business from home, you need to keep track of your papers and other items in a manner that makes sense, or you will never be able to find things when you need them. Bills may not get paid on time, incurring late charges and other penalties simply because they were buried under other items. There are a number of systems that you can use to make your home office that much more efficient but there are a number of drawbacks to consider with them.

Systems that Require Scanners or Labelers

Some document management systems require that all your paper files be scanned and then formatted to a disk drive for "filing." There are often many things that cannot be scanned and there are issues with the scanner itself. If you don't have a scanner, this type filing system would suggest that you buy one. What would happen if your computer system crashes. This document management system may not be ideal if you have scanned everything and you do not have paper documents for back up?

With a scanning document management system, labeling everything does not always work either, especially since it does nothing to get everything organized. Sure, you know that those are all the home bills sitting there in the nicely labeled file folder, but they get moved from place to place because they have no real designated spot and they end up buried once again.

A Hybrid, Better Solution

There is a filing system for offices with a hybrid of traditional filing and computer search ingenuity that has the ability to help you streamline your filing system and find your items without having to run out and buy expensive equipment. You don't scan your items so you can use the same filing system software to organize books and other items that you would not be able to scan. Your hanging files are set up in advance with index numbered labels that you print from the software. These file numbers never change, but the information that is stored in them can. After item names and keywords relating to the items being indexed are entered into the software's database, and your files are in, the information is now searchable. All you need to do is access your computer and search the database to find exactly what you are looking for in a manner of seconds.

Your home office is now organized like a miniature databank, like your own personal version of the World Wide Web. All of your paper files are right there to be accessed by a quick search. The filing software will generate a search result, showing you exactly which hanging file folder the requested information is in and where to access it. There is no searching through several different files to find an item because of differing thought processes of filing from day to day.     

Janet Baker invites you to get organized once and for all. Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System is a very powerful, yet simple indexing system that works just like a search engine for anything you can put a number onto! To find out more, go to http://www.thepapertiger.com.

By Les Foster    

To start with, consider where you usually work. If the answer is that your home office usually consists of slouching on the couch with your laptop, it's time to consider changing your work location. Whether you simply start sitting at your kitchen table and working or you decide to work from a desk, sitting up properly can prevent carpal tunnel as well as cure your aching back, knees, and neck. Even better, consider investing in a high quality office chair. The options on the market are often very affordable, although you can choose from luxury office chairs with features such as leather, massage features, or heat to make them more comfortable. If you work from home, remember that you often spend hours sitting at your computer or desk, so investing in a high quality office chair is a smart idea.

Another item that will contribute to the comfort of your office is your keyboard and mouse. Most people use the keyboard and mouse that came with their desktop computer, or simply the items that are part of their laptop. If you spend a significant amount of time typing or using the mouse, this can lead to soreness in your hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, and upper back. However, there are a number of ergonomically designed items available that will prevent many of these problems. Look for a keyboard that fits your hands, regardless of whether it is described as "ergonomic". You want one that is comfortable for you, and sized to fit your hands. The same rule applies to your mouse. Remember that there are a variety of styles available, ranging from track balls to touch pads as well as traditional mice that are larger or smaller to better fit your hands.

One other thing to consider is your work surface itself. For those who work with a laptop, you may want to invest in a cooling mat. This can keep your lap cool (if you are working from your lap) as well as ensuring that your laptop does not overheat, causing damage to internal components. Laptop users may also consider investing in a lap desk, which can make using the laptop more comfortable if a desk is not an option. For those who use a PC, consider how your equipment is set up- never place your tower on the floor, as this can lead to damage to the system. Also, ensure that your typing platform is at a comfortable height, this can prevent neck and shoulder strain.

Working in an office where you feel comfortable can make it easier for you to put in the hours you need to in order to make yourself successful. You will also find that you are happier and feel better at the end of the day when you have the right equipment. Your home office is the reason you will be successful, so investing in the right products and equipment is a smart way to spend money.    

Les Foster writes articles about how people can manage home-based businesses successfully just as he does. You can read more articles from him about working from home by visiting his resourceful website: http://greathomeofficeideas.com

By Tom Turner   

The world we live in is changing everyday. It seems that nothing is the same, and they call it progress. Today, more and more people are working out of their homes. With the use of a home office air purifier people who work from their homes, are breathing easy. Today's technology, computers, and the internet, makes working from home more appealing. Most people who work from their home have an office in which they work out of. They have to be disciplined in order to work out of their homes and many have regular working schedules established. This article will discuss why the use of a home office air purifier can help someone who has an office in their home, breathe cleaner, fresher air, so they can be more creative and prosperous.

We all like to think of our homes as a refuge. A safe place to be. Did you know that the air we breathe in our homes is usually more contaminated than the air outside? More colds are caught in our homes than anywhere else. Your office is a small space in your home that can really benefit from a home office air purifier. It's because of the smaller contained area that the air in our homes can be unhealthy. Germs and bacteria can thrive in a closed environment. A home office air purifier is made to purifier the air in smaller areas, and kill germs and bacteria that can cause colds and flu.

The use of a computer in your office will attract dust and dust mites. The electrostatic coming off your computer can attract dust to settle on your desk, and the computer itself. That is why often times offices are so dusty. You can dust one day to find that you need to dust again the next day. The use of a home office air purifier will draw the dust particles to the unit and cause the dust to cling to its filtering system. A home office air purifier is small in size so it won't take up much space. It is portable, so it can plug in to any outlet, and they are usually very efficient, so they don't cost much to operate.

If you use a home office air purifier, the air you breathe in, will be cleaner and fresher and you will stay healthier. Fresh, clean, oxygen makes you think clearer, so the use of a home office air purifier will not only help you stay healthier, it can help you possibly be more creative, stay on task, and become more prosperous.    

For more information on Air Cleaners and Purifiers for your home or business try visiting http://air-cleaners-and-purifiers.com, a website that specializes in providing helpful tips, advice and Air Cleaners and Purifiers resources to include Home Office Air Purifier and more.

By Robert W Boyd

Having had a home office myself for over 35 years, I have had considerable experience setting up home offices in the seven different homes that I have lived in during that time. My offices have ranged from a small corner of a bedroom, to a 250 sq. ft. office where I now work. Additionally, during that time I have read a number of articles about setting up and organizing a home office, and indeed I have written several articles on the subject myself. The following is a concise summary, in outline form, of the various factors that I have learned are important when considering setting up and organizing a home office.

LOCATION:

I. Sufficient Space for:

a. Work Station (Desk & Chair)

1. Comfort - Ergonomically correct chair & workstation suitable to you

2. Function - consider predominant activity

b. Storage

1. Shelving Units: for books, 3 ring binders, etc.

2. Storage Cabinets: for envelopes, ink/toner, paper, discs, other supplies

c. Filing

1. Legal size or standard?

2. Two drawers or four? Be sure to plan for future needs

II. Sufficient Capacity for:

a. Electrical Outlets

b. Telephone lines

1. Business line (separate from home line for professionalism)

a. Speaker Phone

b. Mute Button

2. Fax Line

c. Cable

1. TV

2. Internet

3. VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)

d. Inexpensive plastic cord hiding conduits will avoid overwhelming "cord clutter."

III. Draw a Floor Plan

a. After measuring, draw a floor plan to scale.

b. Determine size of furniture & equipment before buying. Will it fit?

FURNITURE

I. Desk Function

a. Consider primary work - computer, writing, reading?

b. Do you need files in drawers?

c. Do you need a Rolodex or other form of easy access to phone/address information

d. Carefully consider functional location of phone.

e. How will you organize daily used supplies (pens, paper clips, etc.) to avoid clutter?

II. Chair

a. Comfort more important than price

b. Requires large plastic chair mat over carpet

III. Filing Cabinets

a. Consider function and application

b. Set up system immediately with tabs (much easier up front)

c. Plan for future needs (tendency is to underestimate)

IV. Storage Cabinets

a. Built in or portable?

b. Locate advantageously

c. Plan for future needs (businesses accumulate things just like people)

EQUIPMENT

I. Computer

a. Consider current and future needs

1. Buying "loaded" software with computer much cheaper than adding later

2. Be sure computer is capable of scaling up along with your business

3. Shop for best price in internet connection

4. Be sure you have internet security (firewall/anti-virus) and sufficient backup

5. Consider online meeting, online telephone, online postage, online faxing, etc.

6. Be sure to have handy supply of disks or storage devices

b. Buy service contract unless you are a "computer geek" yourself

c. Besides software specific to your business, you will need an accounting package

1. Be sure it fits your type of business

2. Discuss with your CPA prior to deciding on which package to buy

d. Protect against power problems with surge protector and battery backup

II. Printer/Copier/Scanner

a. Consider current and future needs

b. Combined printer/copier/scanner OK for minimal operation, not for volume

c. Black & White or color? Which meets your needs?

d. High Speed? What do you realistically need? Significantly impacts price!

e. Buy inks and toner from discounters online. Major savings!

III. FAX

a. Do you really need a separate fax? Consider faxing from computer.

b. Consider volume and speed. Both impact price considerably!

c. Buy fax cartridges from discounters online. Major savings!

IV. Shredder

a. For shredding all sensitive documents

b. Important addition to waste basket for eliminating clutter

AMBIENCE

I. Lighting

a. Overhead - is current overhead lighting appropriate?

b. Consider "task lighting" at your work station or desk

II. Decor

a. Decorate suitable to your style, but be professional, it helps productivity

b. Redo walls if they have nonprofessional appearance (child's wallpaper for example)

c. Carpet is best for comfort, sound absorption and warmth

d. A "vanity wall" is fine, but consider who will be looking at it...don't overdo

e. If clients visit, be sure their accommodations are comfortable

OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

I. Licenses/Authorizations

a. Do you need a business license to operate from your home in your township?

b. Does your neighborhood have any covenants regarding home businesses?

II. Tax advantages: Talk to your CPA about the specific tax deductions for a home office or go to http://www.irs.gov/publications/p529/ix01.html for info direct from the IRS.

III. Discuss your new office with your insurance agent to be sure that you are properly covered.

Remember that your office light has an off switch. Your family likes to spend time with you too.

Bob Boyd invites you to visit HOME OFFICE ( http://www.urhomeoffice.blogspot.com ) which is a source for information regarding establishing and maintaining a home office. In addition to articles it offers sources for just about anything you might need for a home office or a home based business.

By Alyssa Davis

Today's homes have more electrical equipment than ever before. Televisions, DVD players, gaming consoles, television recorders and so much more are now an integral part of today's media rooms. Home offices are no better. Before long, computer cables and office equipment electrical cords get completely out of hand. Instead of living with the clutter create by all of those cords. Check out the ideas below to get started.

Organizing in the Media Room

The media room's needs are different from those of the home office, because all the equipment tends to be centered in one location. Almost all of the equipment gets connected to the television, which requires all components to be centrally located. Most homeowners have a television stand or hutch where all of the equipment is contained. The trick to keeping electric cords organized is to label everything. Wrap a piece of masking tape around the cord near the plug and label what it is attached to.

Next, try to divide up the equipment depending on where it is located. Cords that belong to items on the left should all be together, while cords for items on the right should also stay on their side. If possible, try to avoid bringing wires across the space as that causes visual clutter and can also be potentially dangerous should the cord be pulled too tight. Use a plastic zip tie to hold the cords together. You can use a few zip ties along the length of the cords to keep them organized as they travel to the power strip. It is a good idea to have multiple power strips that can be shut off manually to save power. Depending on how many pieces of equipment are on each side, try to separate the power strips by side. Organizing the electric cords in the media room is relatively easy to do, but it does take patience to untangle and label them. Keep in mind that a well organized cord system will make your life much easier should you need to repair or replace equipment.

Organizing the Home Office

Home offices have their own unique needs. Most often, home offices have specific pieces of equipment that need to be plugged in, such as printers, computers, faxes and copiers. Each of these items brings with it a significant power supply cord and electric needs. It is a good idea to separate the items and have a maximum of two large pieces of equipment per power strip. This helps prevent the power strip from overheating and helps to prevent the equipment from power surges. Take the time to label cords so that you know which piece goes with which machine. Computers can be especially challenging, because they have multiple cords for monitors, speakers, keyboards and more. Tie wires together that can be tied and try to keep them as organized as possible. If you can invest in a wireless keyboard or mouse, you will save yourself the headache of dealing with more wires.    

Alyssa Davis is a staff writer and decorating specialist with Metal-Wall-Art.com and she offers stylish suggestions for decorating with kitchen metal art and sailboats wall sculptures.

By Ara Pekel     

The idea of green computing turns some people off because they think it is hard to do. There are many notions that some people have about green computing, like throwing away their old computers and replacing them with newer and more energy-efficient models.

When you think of green computing in such terms, then it does sound difficult to do. It is actually very easy and very simple, and you can start with your very own home office. Here are six simple tips that you can follow to make your home office a sustainable, eco-friendly one.

1. Optimize your computer. When you optimize your computer, you clean the clutter out of the system and make the system more compact so your computer can run faster, thus saving you energy. Software necessary for optimizing your computer can be downloaded for free.

2. Turn your computer off. Do you let your computer go idle or leave it on when you sleep? Turn it off and unplug it. Your computer will consume less power and generate less heat this way.

3. Download energy efficiency software. Awareness plays a big role in the success of your efforts towards green computing. You can be more aware of just how much energy you consume and save by downloading software that can track it for you.

4. Use a laptop. If you have a laptop, make it a point to use it more often than your desktop. On the average, desktop computers use about 150 watts of power every time they are used. Compare that to the mere 25 watts that laptops consume.

5. Recycle your paper. Home offices consume paper just as much as regular offices do. Are you in the habit of throwing away sheets of paper that you have already used? If the other side is still blank, you can still reuse it as scratch paper. Or you can let your paper pile up and then take it to your local recycling center.

6. Go paperless. Do you really, really need to get that document printed? Printouts are clunky. If it is not necessary for you to make printouts of that document, then do not do it. Just convert it to a PDF file or burn it on a CD or send the document through email.    

Ara Pekel invites you to visit http://www.recovermypc.com.

RecoverMyPc will give you the Secure Data Recovery that you need. Use our free Online Picture Recovery Tool, Free Software, Software Coupons, and Great Articles to read.