Let's Get Organized!

Do you get overwhelmed by the thought of organizing your home office? Have things gone from neat and organized to something more like controlled chaos? Here are five of the top tips I can suggest that will help you get that controlled chaos back to being neat and organized.

1. Purge Your Workspace

It’s very easy to suddenly find yourself buried in a pile of papers. Spend a few minutes each day and go through the papers on your desk using this system:

• Shred It/Burn It

• File It

• Do It

2. Colour-Code Your Filing System

Keeping your working files well organized is essential to being productive in a home office space. I recommend using a five colour system, but you can use whatever colour-coding system works for your needs:

• Blue: Client Files

• Purple: Business Files

• Green: Personal Files

• Red: Government Files

• Yellow: General Files

3. Make Use of Containers for Storage

Where do you keep your office supplies? If you are limited for storage space in your home office, using storage containers is a great solution. Keep a container on your desk that contains all the things you use regularly, like pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, etc. Put the rest in a stackable storage container and put it out of your way but somewhere that is easily accessible if you need something from it. I also recommend keeping an inventory of your supplies, listed by box # in a binder or on your computer so you know what’s in the mystery boxes in the closet.

4. Keep Business and Personal Separate

Even if you don’t have enough space in your home for a personal ‘family’ office and a home-business office, you need to keep things separate. Paying bills for the business and paying your personal bills should never be done at the same time. That’s how mistakes get made. Keep your business mail and personal mail separate so you don’t end up throwing out something important by mistake.

5. Use a workflow system

Most workflow systems look something like this:

• Inbox

• In Process

• Forward

• File

When a new project comes in, place it in your inbox. When you start to work on the project, move it to the In Process box. If the work needs to be passed on when you finish your part, place it in the Forward Box, and if it’s finished when you complete your tasks, place it in the File box. Then, when you have a few minutes of downtime, put the files in the file box where they belong.

Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to organize your office. As long as the system works for you and lets you be organized and productive, you will save money and time in the long run.

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