10 Critical Tips for Clearing Office Clutter

I haven't been able to work very much these past few days, due to a neck injury. Thank goodness for my awesome Virtual Assistant who keeps everything under control when I can't!

But I found this article that was recently published on my article directory, and thought I could type long enough to share it with you. :) As 2008 is winding down, it's a good time to declutter our offices, our minds and our businesses. Enjoy!

10 Critical Tips for Clearing Office Clutter by Janet Nusbaum, The Organizing Genie

Having trouble finding your desk amidst the clutter? Follow these easy steps, consistently, and you'll experience greater focus and productivity as a result.

1. Define the purpose of each space in your office and be sure that everyone who shares the space understands how it is to be used.

2. Keep only high-use items on your desktop - computer, telephone, project files, good lighting, notepaper, stapler, To Do list, calendar/planner, and only what you are working on right now.

3. Use vertical space around your desk effectively - put photos and calendars on your wall, not on your desktop.

4. Organize supplies in a desk drawer organizer or supply drawer within “fingertip reach” of your desk chair.

5. Place a wastebasket, recycling bin, and/or shredder where you process your mail.

6. Trim the F.A.T. - File, Act, Toss. Professional Organizer, Barbara Hemphill tells us that the only choices we have for dealing with paper is to File it, Act on it, or Toss it.

7. Create zones in your workspace for incoming and outgoing paper, filing and a work surface. Resist co-mingling each zone.

8. Create an Action File System and place all "action required" items in the system. The Action File System works in-conjunction with your calendar. Simplified Spaces can help you implement this system in your office or home.

9. File non-action required papers in an accessible "reference file system"

10. Schedule office clean-up/organizing on your calendar, or you will always lean toward a competing priority. Face it … most of us would prefer to do about anything else than to spend a day organizing their office or home.

Being clear about what activities you want to perform in your workspace and where, having clear surfaces in which to work, and the tools you need to perform those activities in easy access, will significantly improve what you're able to accomplish in a day. In the process, you'll reduce your stress level and free up time and energy for what matters most.

This is an preview from our upcoming booklet "The Simplified Office - A Complete Guide to Clear Office Clutter for Good!

Janet Nusbaum, AKA The Organizing Genie, an Organizing Consultant, Speaker, Coach and author of 'Mom, Can I Help Around the House?' helps individuals, families and businesses organize life and navigate transitions. Grab a copy of Janet's FREE special report "Shelf Life of 75 Common Household Products" here, http://www.TheSimplifiedHome.net. Get even more help deciding what to keep and what to toss by visiting her blog - http://www.TheOrganizingGenie.com.


Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

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
And owner of Real Work At Home Jobs

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


Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Stationery Templates for Virtual Assistants

Today I'm writing a letter to some of my subcontractors, and admiring how professional my letterhead looks.

I feel OK bragging about it because I didn't create it. ;) I also didn't pay a whole lot for it.

When I purchased the Virtual Business Startup System three years ago, I got oodles of templates, INCLUDING templates for my letterhead and business cards.

To make my official letters look even more official, I print them out on my favorite high quality paper.

Virtual Assistants - How to Stay Focused In Your Home Office

If you're a virtual assistant, balancing managing a household, looking after the kids, and taking care of your clients, you can feel pulled in several directions at once! The following article has some good advice.

Staying Focused in your WAHM Office by Barbara Ryan

You all know the drill, you sit down to get some work done and within minutes your engrossed in non-business emails or checking the previous days website traffic stats. Next thing you know, an hour has passed and the kids are up. You’ve gotten little to nothing done and now there are diapers to change, sippy cups to fill, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to make.

Getting your work done on a daily basis means staying focused. How do you stay focused?

Set a work schedule, write it down, and stick to it.
Determine when you can work most efficiently when the kids are in school, napping, or a time of day when they can play well independently. Most likely, it will be a combination of the three.

Limit email and stats checking.
Check business emails at scheduled times and determine this based on the importance of email to your business. Limit checking personal emails to specific times after your work is done or when you need a mental break from working. Check stats only once per day.

Get caller ID.
Yes, screen your calls. You are working and should not be answering calls you know take up your precious work time un-necessarily. Let friends and family know you schedule and that they should not call during these times.

Working from home can be very challenging. Balancing being a mom, a wife, and a business owner is no easy task. Staying focused and keeping a schedule will help run a more productive and successful business, get more done, and have more free time with the kids, which was the whole point of working from home to begin with, wasn’t it?



Barbara Ryan is publisher and co-editor of Mom2Mom Magazine , an online magazine written by moms for moms. Barbara is also owner and designer of Cherish Collages, a custom Photo Collage Design business developed from the love of a digital photography hobby.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

What kind of home working space do I need as virtual assistant?

by Sara Dahlman

I can assure you that for as many virtual assistants as there are out there, each one has a unique space in which to work from home. Your working space should fit you and the tasks you will be doing. Whether you work from a table in the corner of the family room or from your very own private office, here are some tips you can follow to make your work day flow a little smoother.

• Make sure you have a space that is yours and yours alone to work from. Have everything you need in one area, not thrown all over the house. Your computer, printer, fax machine, scanner, files, calculator, office supplies... everything should be organized and within a few steps of you when working.
• Keep you files organized at all times. Have them labeled and stored where you can get to them quickly and easily. And file your papers right away if you can. If not, have a small file that is only for papers that need to be filed. Then do it as soon as you have a chance.
• Your computer files need to be kept organized as well. Keep all related information in one file, named so that you can recognize it immediately. Clients, forms, templates, advertising, etc. all should have their own area and filed accordingly.
• Ensure you have a secure place to store all your files and your client’s files. Preferably one that can be locked. Privacy is extremely important!
• Keep your supplies stocked so you don't run out unexpectedly. There's nothing worse than not having what you need when you need it.
• Keep you computer clean of virus and spy ware. Choose a good program and make sure it is running properly.
• Update your computer with the newest software and hardware. You don't have to go overboard, but make sure to check out the latest versions and newest equipment to see what they have to offer. You may find you can profit from some of the newer advances.
• Have a good bookkeeping system, whether it is manual or computerized. Keep track of you monthly expenses and revenues. Try and update your books at least once a month. It will make things much easier come tax time.
• Be comfortable in your space. Have a comfy chair, proper lighting, bottled water or your favourite hot tea close by, maybe even a scented candle.
• Have toys, crafts or a television with videos close by to keep the kids occupied when they are around.

These are just a few ways to organize your home work space. Sit down and think about what you need and how you want your space to flow. Taking some time in the beginning may save you more time over the course of your working day and may save on frustration as well. Make your working space a space that works for you.



Sara Dahlman is the owner of Small Business Office Solutions, a virtual assistant business. Please visit her website at www.smbusinessofficesolutions.com for more information.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com