Getting Your Home Office Organized

Invest in Adequate Furniture
Most importantly, your office will need a clear work area, and that means creating adequate space, not only for your computer hardware and peripheral equipment, but also for all reference materials, files, paper and other office supplies. Your office furniture, whether its a file cabinet or computer desk, should provide plenty of space both for work and storage.

Establish Activity Centers
To make your office as efficient as possible, create different activity areas. First you need a "work center,’ with a clear workspace and room for the computer and frequently used office supplies. Consider creating a "reference center," a place to store any binders, manuals, dictionaries and professional books and materials. Finally, find a place for a "supply center," so you can store all your office a paper supplies together.

Properly Place Your Hardware and Peripherals
Locate your equipment according to what you most often use. Printers that are used daily should be easily accessible. If you only access the CPU for troubleshooting, then it can be stored away from the work area, under or next to the desk. Equipment, such as scanners, that is rarely used can be stored outside the work area. Be mindful of any access you might need to drives, trays and cords when setting up your hardware. Don’t let any tangled cords block access to drawers or take up leg room.

Establish a Paper-Processing Area
For papers that need immediate action, designate an specific area in your work center. Find a place that is both accessible and in sight to store any paperwork associated with clients or ongoing projects. For any paperwork you seldom reference, establish a permanent filing system someplace in your area.

Contain Unruly Wires
Label your wires by folding a mailing label back on itself around each cord. Don’t just label the cords to the electric supply. Keep things organized by labeling those that connect different components as well. Try bundling your like wires together to get rid of some of the cord clutter. So consider keeping computer speaker wires and stereo speaker wires together.

Take Care of Your Media and Computer Equipment
For any electronic equipment that’s delicate, it’s important to use a surge protector. It’s important to be sure that your surge protector is a transient-voltage surge protector and is UL listed. Go with a more expensive model. High-end protectors are built with replaceable fuses and will last longer than less costly ones, which may not work after a large surge. A used fabric softener sheet is the ideal lint- and static-free rag for cleaning your CDs and DVDs. Handle your CDs only by the rim. This will help cut down on fingerprints. When cleaning, get the backside of the CD, because this is where all your information is stored. Take the dryer sheet and start at the center of the CD. Stroke out to the edge, rather than cleaning in a circular motion.

When creating an organized, efficient office space, it’s sometimes essential to stack your equipment. It’s important not to stack any equipment with venting on the top (such as amps or satellite receivers), as they can get too warm. If you need to stack this type of equipment, use chair-leg protectors or some other kind of small plastic cup.

Regularly clean your computer screen using an old T-shirt or other lint-free cloth. Instead of spraying the screen directly, put water directly on the cloth and wipe clean. Avoid any abrasive substances. Window cleaner should never be used. It’s best to simply stick to a lint-free cloth and water. If if doubt, consult your monitor’s manual for proper cleaning instructions.

Office Furniture
Wood office furniture is elegant, functional and is built to last for generations.