I’m back with some quick info about small office electronics, decorations, and supplies.
Hope these help if you are setting up a home office or are reorganizing an existing office!
Electronics
Get everything off your desk that does not need to be there, such as printers, chargers, and modems. Taming cords and cables under control will create clean lines and minimize safety risks. Drill a hole in your desk for wires if you don’t already have one. Conceal cables and wires or bundle wires together to cut down on cord clutter. Use a surge protector for all important electronic equipment.
Decorations
A successful workspace should have a personal spirit about it, a direct reflection of its occupant. Remind yourself of your personal past accomplishments. Doctors and dentists have awards and certificates on their walls – why shouldn’t you? Daily inspiration is very important to all of us. Decorate with photos that motivate or place an inspirational quote on your monitor. If you have won awards during past employment, put them in your home office to remind you of your successes. Your office should reflect who you are.
Office supplies
This one is simple … keep them to a minimum and keep them organized to reduce clutter.
Let me know what works for you!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Home Office Tips
Long overdue … I wanted to share with you some basic tips for a well-designed home office. Many of those working from home fail to design a proper place of work, relying on bits and pieces of furniture found around the house, creating unpleasant and poorly functioning offices. Not everyone has the luxury of an extra room to devote to their home office. Consider wasted or unutilized space in your house – a small amount of space under the stairs might offer enough room for a desk and sideboard. Create a compact workspace where everything you need could be in reach. Make sure you can get to your filing cabinet quickly. Below are considerations for your desk, chair and office lighting:
Desk: Oversize your desk if possible. Industry experts say 4 by 8 feet is perfect, but 3 by 5 will certainly work. If you can’t spread out, go up – make use of vertical space for filing, reference materials, etc. Your work surface should be 28 inches high, and the keyboard height should be adjustable, between 23 and 27 inches.
Chair: Invest in the best chair you can afford. It should offer lumbar support to reduce lower back strain, a “waterfall” seat with a rounded front edge to prevent restricted circulation and nerve compression, and adjustable seat and back height. If you have room in your home office, a comfortable easy chair can provide a change of scenery when you are opening mail or reviewing draft documents.
Lighting: An office that is well-lighted reduces fatigue and eyestrain. If possible, a combination of natural and artificial lighting is optimal. Adjustable task lamps can be found in all shapes and sizes at very reasonable prices.
More soon about small office electronics, decorations, and supplies.
Desk: Oversize your desk if possible. Industry experts say 4 by 8 feet is perfect, but 3 by 5 will certainly work. If you can’t spread out, go up – make use of vertical space for filing, reference materials, etc. Your work surface should be 28 inches high, and the keyboard height should be adjustable, between 23 and 27 inches.
Chair: Invest in the best chair you can afford. It should offer lumbar support to reduce lower back strain, a “waterfall” seat with a rounded front edge to prevent restricted circulation and nerve compression, and adjustable seat and back height. If you have room in your home office, a comfortable easy chair can provide a change of scenery when you are opening mail or reviewing draft documents.
Lighting: An office that is well-lighted reduces fatigue and eyestrain. If possible, a combination of natural and artificial lighting is optimal. Adjustable task lamps can be found in all shapes and sizes at very reasonable prices.
More soon about small office electronics, decorations, and supplies.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Welcome and Summer Organizing Tip
Since this is my first post, I thought I would introduce myself and share with you a bit about who I am … then share my latest summer organizing tip … so if you are in a hurry for a tip, jump to the end of this post!
You can see from my web site that my business was founded to help others create order, efficiency and balance in their lives by improving arrangements and teaching the basic principles of organization. Obtaining a Masters Degree in Library Science provided me, early in my adult life, with a solid foundation in principles and practices of organization. I’ve recently finished a book called This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All, by Marilyn Johnson, that focuses on the importance of librarians in the cyber age. While the focus is on the contribution of librarians to the formation and organization of the internet, many of the principles apply to my work as an organizer. A quote from the book: “The librarian is the organizer, the animating spirit behind it, and the navigator. Her job is to create order out of the confusion of the past, even as she enables us to blast into the future.” I trust that is what I do for my clients.
In Asheville, North Carolina, where I live with my family, we have the most incredible farmer’s markets. It is my Saturday morning treat to hit several of them, loading up with fresh berries, peaches, and various vegetables. The farmers present and sell their fare in plastic and straw baskets of different sizes and shapes. I have saved many of them, and have given them new life as drawer and cabinet organizers for my family and clients. They are perfect for desk drawer organizing as well as kitchen and bathroom catchalls for like items. It is important for me to reduce, reuse and recycle … and this is just one way to keep things out of the landfill and protect our environment … one step at a time.
You can see from my web site that my business was founded to help others create order, efficiency and balance in their lives by improving arrangements and teaching the basic principles of organization. Obtaining a Masters Degree in Library Science provided me, early in my adult life, with a solid foundation in principles and practices of organization. I’ve recently finished a book called This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All, by Marilyn Johnson, that focuses on the importance of librarians in the cyber age. While the focus is on the contribution of librarians to the formation and organization of the internet, many of the principles apply to my work as an organizer. A quote from the book: “The librarian is the organizer, the animating spirit behind it, and the navigator. Her job is to create order out of the confusion of the past, even as she enables us to blast into the future.” I trust that is what I do for my clients.
In Asheville, North Carolina, where I live with my family, we have the most incredible farmer’s markets. It is my Saturday morning treat to hit several of them, loading up with fresh berries, peaches, and various vegetables. The farmers present and sell their fare in plastic and straw baskets of different sizes and shapes. I have saved many of them, and have given them new life as drawer and cabinet organizers for my family and clients. They are perfect for desk drawer organizing as well as kitchen and bathroom catchalls for like items. It is important for me to reduce, reuse and recycle … and this is just one way to keep things out of the landfill and protect our environment … one step at a time.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Welcome to the Better World Organizing Forum
Welcome to our new blog. Check back often for news and tips from Better World.
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