Your home office space?

[Ravish40]

Tell us about your home office space.

Do you have a corner set up in a room or do you have an entire room for your home office space?

Are you good at keeping your home office space organized and neat?

How do you keep all of your files and paperwork organized?

Are you a desktop or laptop computer user?

Do you have any good tips on how to keep your home office space clutter free?

[Darlene]

Do you have a corner set up in a room or do you have an entire room for your home office space?
I have a room in the center of my house that is for my office. I have a huge oak computer desk, another smaller desk, my filing cabinet, printer, computer, etc. all in here.

Are you good at keeping your home office space organized and neat?
Let's just say I try. I know where things are and can get to things when I want them but to have things in a proper place, no not really.

How do you keep all of your files and paperwork organized?
I have filing drawers in my desk and also a filing cabinet that I keep files in. I have folders for each thing.

Are you a desktop or laptop computer user?
I have a desktop computer but someday hope to have a laptop.

Do you have any good tips on how to keep your home office space clutter free?

I guess the only thing I can say is to try and organize things every week. Put papers away, clean off your desk etc. If I can practice what I preach now I will be doing great.

[clockmath]

I do have a room that is used for my business. I have my computer desk and another desk as well. I do a lot of phone calls and like to have a room to go to so that I can have peace and quiet. I also have access to the internet or just my computer if I need it. I was just using my bedroom for phone calls and my dining room was where my computer was, but one child moved out so we changed one bedroom to an office.

[marymom229]

I have a spare bedroom downstairs dedicated as my home office. It's adjacent to our playroom which is very convenient. It would be neater and less cluttered if I could get rid of all the paper! I use a big oak desk and a comfy chair. Except for all the incoming mail, almost everything I do is filed on my computer and backed up at home and off site on the internet (I use a service called box.net).

I use a laptop because I'm constantly moving from my office, to the playroom, to remote locations (my parent's home, the local library, starbucks, or anywhere with an internet connection). I'm writing this post from the playroom while my 4 year old daughter is snuggled up next to me.

My laptop, cell phone and other electronics fit very neatly into a little blue backpack that I can take anywhere. I also use a lap desk when I'm working in the playroom to keep my lap from cooking :)

[superbizmom]

Right now, my home office space is part of the front room which also houses a dog crate, a piano, coat rack, dresser...LOL! We are going to take an extra closet and turn it into an office for me, though..in the future! Each year my hubby and I decide on a house "repair" and this year it is our daughter's room! Maybe next year....

Barrie
http://www.StayingHomeBiz.com

[myfourchicks]

Do you have a corner set up in a room or do you have an entire room for your home office space? My "office" is in our dining room. It consists of a small computer desk with a printer table and small storage cabinet beside it.

Are you good at keeping your home office space organized and neat? I am naturally neat and organized, but it is hard when you are combining office space and a dining room! LOL!

How do you keep all of your files and paperwork organized? I do better with hard copies (I am still learning how to organize on the computer!). I have a 3-ring binder set up with all my business info. This helps keeping everything together and portable.

Are you a desktop or laptop computer user? I use a desktop right now, but am researching laptops. Our computer is 6 years old and is used by the whole family. It is getting a little overwhelmed with all my new business info.! LOL!

Do you have any good tips on how to keep your home office space clutter free?I just try to organize things as they come in, or at least as quickly as possible. This helps me from feeling overwhelmed by paper and "stuff". I will go through things occasionally and weed out what is no longer needed to help keep things manageable.

[sharondavis]

Do you have a corner set up in a room or do you have an entire room for your home office space?
I use what is technically our dining room. We have an eat-in kitchen with room to expand the table for holidays so it works out fine. My desk faces a window to the front yard where I can look at my japanese maples and cherry trees.

Are you good at keeping your home office space organized and neat?
Most of the time. I am kind of a neat freak about my desk but this time of year I have all my softball stuff on it too (I'm the treasurer for my daughter's league), which can be a challenge.

How do you keep all of your files and paperwork organized?
Most of my files are on my computer and I use my email folders to organize all my communications and a popup reminder calendar system to keep track of important dates. My accounting paperwork goes in one wire basket and I clear it out when I do my month end each month.

Are you a desktop or laptop computer user?
I have a laptop which I haven't used in a long time as it's really old, so right now I'm strictly a pc user.

Do you have any good tips on how to keep your home office space clutter free?
Definitely making sure that I do my month end filing and I love my Peachtree for my business accounting. I also try to clear my desk before starting my work day.

[tam2005]

I just wrote an article on this very topic...I hope it's OK to post it here. ;)

Declutter and Organize Your Home Office For Success
By: Tammy Embrich

Is your work at home office space organized? Is your desk neat and tidy? Can you find specific business documents on your computer with ease?

Or...Are you completely distracted by the mess in front of you as you work? Are you overwhelmed with that home desk clutter?!

If you answered "no" to the first three questions and "yes" to the last two...you need a work at home office space overhaul. For some people, it is normal to have three or four stacks of paperwork scattered on top their desk.

While for others, those stacks of papers are a real eyesore! A messy, unorganized work area often makes you distracted and unfocused. It is a well-known fact that an organized home office always results in a more productive home business. That same organized work area also saves time and money.

For Example:

If you're wasting time constantly searching your computer for lost documents, doesn't this cost you time and money? The same goes for searching for that one piece of paper among the endless disorderly accumulation displayed in front of you.

So, wouldn't you much rather have a nice, organized home office with everything in it's place? Of course you would!

Unless...stacks of paper, lost documents on your desktop, and mounds of notes cluttering your desk is your cup of tea.

Below are just a few organization tips for your home business office:

1. If you don't own a file cabinet, it's best to invest in one. Obtain a good filing system. Keep a drawer for your household items and a drawer for your home business items. Always keep household and business separate.

2. Keep a business-to-do list on your desk at all times. Follow that list each and everyday, checking off tasks as they are completed. Make a list and stick to it.

3. Keep your files and documents in order on your desk top with their appropriate labels for ease of searching.

4. Set specific business hours. Set aside this time for your home business. Also set a specific time to do your household work. Sure, there will always be things that will come up...you have to run to the store and get milk, or you have to run to the vet. Always get right back on your schedule after these home chores are completed. No exceptions!

5. Look around your office. Is there anything on your desk, in your drawers, or up on a shelf that you don't have any use for anymore? If so, throw it out. Pitch anything you don't need or use. Why keep your work area cluttered with useless items?

6. Throw away junk mail immediately. Always keep a trash can by your desk.

7. You will always have a need for office supplies. But these items take up a lot of space. Invest in some drawer dividers for various different sized items. You can purchase drawer organizers at any office supply store. The idea is to declutter. And again, always throw out things you don't need.

8. If you're confined to a very small work area, you might consider purchasing a laptop. Laptops are getting cheaper by the dozen and they often come with good deals with rebates. Shop around, you may be surprised at what you can find.

Clutter doesn't have to completely destroy your day or your business. Take action and get organized. Don't put it off any longer, do it today! With some effort and a little creativity, you can have a more efficient work space.

Article Written By Tammy Embrich

Tammy is an Internet marketer and offers work at home free job leads, work at home articles, tips, and more. She is the owner of Work At Home Opportunities l Work At Home Jobs (http://www.onestopwebemployment.com) and Real Work At Home Jobs (http://www.real-wah-jobs.com/).

Tammy's two work at home websites focus on free telecommute job leads, work at home articles, and more.

[baby_femme]

Since i have often accept visitors, i just used the guest room as my home office, it's quite small and simple better to leave at that yet, i've got all my stuff there... Got a couch also on the side and a little fridge for my daughter, i just make sure she got her healthy snacks reachable...

[Ravish40]

I have a small office in an updated large walk-in closet. I rarely work in there though. I have a desk, 2 file cabinets, my vision board and some other things in there. My one file cabinet has wheels on it so I can move it all around the house.

I use a lap top or a net book for online work...so I will work in whatever room I feel comfortable in that day.

[karlyn]

I use both a desktop and a laptop. My workspace here is my desktop and it's a small, cozy little area just off the kitchen. It fits the desk, chair and a book-case. I have drawers to help keep it tidy. My only complaint is that it's hot! We don't have a/c and no windows open around me, so I basically only work here in the cool mornings or evenings. I use my laptop all other times. I have a little desk fan,that helps.
Here's a couple pics I just took.

http://img2.pict.com/a3/03/d9/1081011/0/pcss01.jpg

http://img2.pict.com/40/78/5d/1081012/0/pcss02.jpg

[sharondavis]

love the Beatles pix, Karlyn!

[sharondavis]

I have a picture of my office on my blog (http://blog.2work-at-home.com/WordPress/2008/09/12/my-home-office/).

[karlyn]

hehe.. thanks! They keep me company. :)
love the Beatles pix, Karlyn!

[tam2005]

Wow Sharon what a view!! Awesome. :D

I don't know if you saw it Sharon, but here (http://tammys-journal.blogspot.com/2009/01/getting-new-custom-built-deskbefore-and_13.html) is mine.

Karlyn I already saw your office, very nice. :)

[sharondavis]

Tammy, that is awesome!! Congratulations on your son starting a new business also! You must be proud :)