Just like any other room in your home, the home office can get neglected and breed clutter like rabbits. Especially the paper kind. If you bring work home from your office-office, that’s a double whammy.

These pics from a recent client project shows that you can actually kick paper and other kinds of clutter in the arse. 

Goal: Get the floor back. It was great to be able to open the door fully, and now another desk can be added to the office.

You’ll want to be careful not to yank everything out so that you don’t get overwhelmed. Instead, pick a starting point, work for a few minutes/day (read: 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes) before moving on to the next area.

Don’t forget to clear your desk and the area behind your chair. No clutter behind the chair means your can maneuver more easily.

The one room in my home that tends to get cluttered is my home office.  Actually, it’s my desk that takes the biggest hit when I’m in super busy mode.  It’s gotten a bit out of sorts lately, and in my quest to regain order, I discovered a few things in my office that I absolutely had to get rid of…along with a few that I definitely “must have.”

Well, it turns out that I have quite a few “must have” items.  To start, I’ve listed four of them below…more to follow in a later post.

Hanging File Safe

I keep all my important papers and sensitive information that clients give me (e.g., credit card numbers) in my safe.  I love that I can use hanging files to separate specific categories and easily find what I’m looking for. Buy a Hanging File Safe

NeatDesk

Paper piles and receipt mountains can quickly take over any office, including mine.  Books don’t ever seem to be the problem as they sit nicely on a shelf, but paper, well, that’s a different story. The NeatDesk is very helpful at keeping the paper monster at bay, including the business card types.  The NeatWorks software organizes the papers you scan and creates searchable pdf files. This will make your life easy, especially come tax time. Yes, it’s coming again…soon. Buy Neat Desk

Back Up Hard Drive

What office would be complete without a way to back up electronic files?  You never know when your PC or laptop will get temperamental or go on a permanent sabbatical, so having another way to access your files is critical.  The model pictured on the left is the one most similar to the one I use, though you may want to check out the Western Digital 2 TB unit and SentrySafe HD that is fire safe and waterproof. Buy a Hard Drive

Dropbox

Alright, so Dropbox isn’t an actual thing in my office, but I definitely recommend it as a great way to access and share files from any PC. I used it this year to share docs my CPA needed to prepare my taxes. The added bonus:  when you make changes to the shared files, all edits are updated for everyone (i.e., automatic sync).  What’s even better? Each time you refer Dropbox to a friend who signs up, you get extra storage space free. Sign Up for Dropbox

What can’t you live without in your office?

I used to have a clutter graveyard.  It was located in my home office.  Whenever I didn’t want to deal with something – a box, paper, mail, anything – I would shove it in my office until I could get to it.  Surprised?  You shouldn’t be – pro organizers are busy just like everyone else and and sometimes get caught up with life.  The difference between us and the average person is that we have weapons in our arsenal.  We use specific strategies to get righted again, and because we have those tools, our spaces tend not to remain cluttered for very long.

This really is the key to banishing the clutter graveyard.  Use a strategy, tip, or trick to get back on track when life throws the kitchen sink at you.  That means finding the the right set of activities that work for you, your personality, and learning style.

You should also consider:

•  Purpose of Your Space. Will your dining room function as a traditional eating space or will it double as a home office or child’s play area?  Figure out the way you want to use the room before buying furniture, containers, or gadgets. 

•  Less is More. If you want to build your graveyard, just keep adding stuff to it.  If you want a more streamlined space, keep only the things you need in that space.  You may need to see your favorite photo on the wall but do you really need 4 file cabinets?  Keep the items that you must have to function optimally and pitch the extraneous stuff.

•  Find Your Personal Best. Pick the right solutions for you and make a plan for success.  Test out a strategy you’ve read in a book or take the advice of a professional organizer.  Then, try it on for size for 3-4 weeks.  When you succeed, stretch a bit more and try top yourself.  Sounds odd, I know, but sometimes it helps to have a mini-competition with yourself.  After succeeding with 10 minutes/day on organizing and/or productive activities, try it for 15 minutes/day.  Push yourself to achieve a little more than the best you can give.

•  Kiss the Clutter Graveyard Goodbye. The last time I gave a friend or family member a goodbye kiss, they were standing right in front or me.  It’s easy to do the same with the clutter graveyard.  Take a “before” picture and post it somewhere you can see it.  Use it to remind you of your commitment to keep the dead, stagnant feeling – and look – of the graveyard as far away as possible.

On day 13 of Get Organized Month, we’re focusing on the Home Office.  Whether you’re a small business owner or a homeowner, it’s not unusual for the home office to get filled up with clutter.  Does this sound like you?

“It’s supposed to be my home office, but it’s more of a storage room.”

“I haven’t filed anything in a while and I have piles of paper everywhere.”

If you can relate to either of those two statements, it’s time to give your home office a shot in the arm.  Here are some things to consider:

•  Divide and Conquer. It’s time to draw the line in the sand.  Decide what will live in your office and what will get the boot.  Separate items by category – paper, books, office supplies, etc. and find a permanent location for those items to live.  Don’t forget – do a little bit every day and get your friends and family to help out when possible.

•  Make a Uni-purpose Room. Do only your work related tasks in this room.  Keep out clothing, shoes, toys, exercise equipment, etc.  If your children need to use your office, they can do homework or a specific “work” task.  Decide ahead of time what those activities will be and be sure they have enough supplies/materials.

•  Be a Dymo. Be a dynamo with your Dymo!  Use labels to remind you where things live.  This will encourage you to put them back where they belong and help your children to do the same, too.

•  Make a Splash. This might not be the first thing you think of when you decide to organize your office, but the room should feel good to you.  The color on the walls, the look and feel or your chair, the art on the wall – it all matters.  Add a splash of your favorite color or try hints of blue.  Did you know that people in blue rooms tend to be more productive?

Ok, now G.O.

Get Your Own Dymo

Professional Organizer, Brandie Kajino, is today’s guest blogger.  Check out her recommended tech tools  for the home office.

I have some tricks up my sleeve. If you work from home, or have a home office, you probably do, too. I have some favorite tools that keep me together and organized. Here’s my top three favorites:

Google Apps: I have been using Google Apps for over a year. One thing people ask is, ”Why Google Apps and not Gmail?” Google Apps is what’s called a “cloud technology” software as a service application. That’s a whole lotta words for a software you use online, not installed directly on your computer. Google Apps is best for business, meaning I can use it for my business email account, calendar and included software called Google Docs. Google Docs is like Microsoft Office, only you use it online like a website. You can share documents with other people, collaborate on projects and have access to your documents anywhere in the world. Love that!

The last thing I love about Apps is the Calendar and Email. Apps has the ability to sync with a PDA or smartphone, just like Outlook. The difference is having my calendar backed up (away from the inevitable PC crash) and available to me in two places. It was easy to set up, which is a big bonus in my book!

iPhone: Ok, so yes, there are lots of us who swoon over this handy little device. Let me just say this about it: The iPhone is a game changer. I’ve used a Palm Treo (and other models), Blackberries and other devices. The first thing that I loved about my iPhone was how easy it was to set up and maintain. It just WORKS. It took minutes, not a weekend (like one of the other previous devices, which shall remain nameless), to set up. It made me a believer right out of the box. There’s lots of other great things, like thousands of Apps, syncing my music library and generally just being fun to use. (I still stare at it occasionally and just wonder how I was able to see this little wonder in my lifetime!)

The thing I like most is feeling in control of email and other communications like Twitter. My iPhone lets me decide when I want to be connected and when I don’t. The best part? I don’t carry my laptop around nearly as much anymore, and my shoulders and neck are thanking me!

ActiveWords: I could not live without this little program. I’ve written about it on my blog, talked it up on my podcasts and generally given it the love and devotion it deserves. Think of ActiveWords like a treasure trove of “action words” you use like saying a magic spell. “Abracadabra, launch my email program.” “Alacazam, take me to Wikipedia.” “Hocus, pocus, show me my Facebook page.” All joking, and bad magic spell attempts, aside, this is one powerful tool!

With ActiveWords, you set up “active words” to do any number of things, like launch a program, navigate to a website or substitute text. It cuts down the mouse clicks you incur and saves you little bits of time throughout your day. It will even tell you how much your accumulated saved time is worth! Last time I checked, it had saved me over 88 hours of time! Now, that’s productive!

What are some of your favorite home office techie tools?

About The Author

Brandie Kajino, The Home Office Organizer, is a dynamic speaker, author and “organizing muse.”  Empowering clients with information, tools and simple organizing solutions are her specialty. For more information on her services, product downloads, a link to her podcast & radio show, her blog and free organizing tips, visit her website: www.thehomeofficeorganizer.com or call 360-907-6485.

Connect with Brandie: Web | Twitter | Facebook

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Everyone has a favorite item or thing that they just love. One famous person in particular has a show that highlights some of her favorite things. So, I figure it’s my turn to share with you a few of my favorite “home things” that help keep me on track. I’ve used a few of them for years and some were newly introduced to me but I love them all. If you have a favorite “home thing,” please share! Oh, and stay tuned for the office edition of my favorite things.

Clear Sox Boxes

I keep my socks separated by color with the help of clear boxes. It’s such a simple tool that really just gets the job done. I don’t have to rummage through my socks to find what I’m looking for and I really like that the boxes made from recycled plastic. Eco-friendly and organized? What else could I want? Buy Clear Sox Boxes

Erasable Food Storage Labels
This one’s for all you cooks out there who make scrumptious food and then throw an extra batch in freezer. After a few weeks or months, do you even know what’s in there? That’s where these handy dandy labels come in. They help you remember what you made and when you made it. So, when the concoctions you come up with aren’t recognizable anymore, pick up a pack of Erasable Food Storage Labels. They’re tough little buggers and can stand up to the freezer/refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher. They even come with one of my other favorite products – a fine point Sharpie marker and eraser! Wanna know what I used my labels for the other day? To identify jerk chicken my mom brought over on a recent visit. Yum!   Buy Erasable Food Storge Labels

Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids
So, maybe you store all that great food in just any old container. Well, I have news for you. Rubbermaid’s Easy Find Lids are amazing. They keep your food nice and fresh AND it’s super easy to find them because the lids attach easily to the containers! Another plus, the lids fit multiple bases. Clever, huh? These are not the containers to giveaway when you’re sending food home with your guests. You definitely want to hold on to them.

Buy Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids

Dymo LetraTag Plus
I can’t live without my LetraTag! Ok, so this one’s a bit of a home AND office thing because I have two LetraTags. I use one to label everything in my office (e.g., shelving, file folders) and the other for when I work with my clients. It’s portable, very easy to use, and has a variety of text features. Plus, you can have some fun with colored labels. Truth be told, I was on the verge of buying another recently. Don’t worry, I didn’t buy it. I talked myself out of it! Buy Dymo LetraTag Plus

BlackBerry Pearl
Alright, my BlackBerry Pearl is another “double duty” favorite. I use it primarily for work, but I also use it as my alarm clock. I really could not live without it. My emails, calendar, reminders, and contacts are all housed in my smart phone. I even use it to take before and after pictures at client sites (and for my blog, too). It’s compact and fits easily in my purse or pocket and has some pretty cool applications, too. I’m sure the iPhone is great but I’m not parting ways with my Pearl. It really is a gem! (yes, pun intended) Buy BlackBerry Pearl

It’s a sad truth. Many business owners have Networkingitis. It affects your your desk and desk drawers. Sometimes it impacts your bookcases, too. These areas become extremely inflamed and are marked by the tell tale sign of business cards oozing from just about every crevice and corner. Fortunately, this disorder is curable and in fact, there are several treatment options for every learning style and preference.

Ok, so this post is a bit tongue in cheek, but it’s not unusual to have your office overrun with business cards that you’ve received from people you’ve met at networking events or conferences. In fact, I will have to deal with this when I go to the NAPO Annual Conference next year.

So, what are you supposed to do with them once you have them? Here are a few tips to help you figure this out.

1. Jog Your Memory. One of the first things I do when I get a business card is to write on the back (or front) of the card where I met the person and one specific thing that will help me remember who they are. Why do I do this? I don’t know about you, but my memory isn’t what it used to be. After some time passes, I have no clue who the person is or why I wanted to keep in touch. By the way, you may want to send a follow up note to the people you received business cards from letting them know that you enjoyed talking with them. Do this a few days after meeting them and be sure to jog their memory with something specific you talked about.

2. Put Them Away. This is usually the hard part. You get home with a bag of cards and you’re tired and you put them in your office and then you walk away. Sound familiar? Try to put your cards away as soon as possible. Put them in a business card book, your Rolodex, or scan them directly to your computer using CardScan or Neat Receipts. You can also go low-tech and put them in business card sheets and store them in a binder. Group cards by event/date, industry, or in alphabetical order.

3. Shoebox Them. You could also let someone else scan them for you. Send your business cards (or receipts) to Shoeboxed.com and they will categorize and store them in an online account for you. They also have other features so check ‘em out.

4. Recycle Them. When was the last time you called or e-mailed anyone who’s given you a business card? 6 months ago? A year ago? Think about it, if you called, you would have likely saved the number in your phone or other contact management system – which means you no longer need the card. If you haven’t called, it’s time for you to say goodbye to those cards and put them in your recycling bin. This will free up some room for a number that you really do need.

I have a treat for you. I’m excited to introduce you to Brandie Kajino. Brandie, The Home Office Organizer, has helped many home office professionals get organized. It turns out that she is also an “enthusiastic foodie” who recently started a food blog, Joy of the Kitchen. What a great combination…an organized connoisseur!

I’ve asked Brandie to share some tips that involve these two things that she loves. It’s a surprise so stay tuned!