How I Organize My Home Office
Guest Post by Stephanie LaTorre
My office somehow has become the land of things that have no home. Literally if I'm not sure where to put it, it goes in my office. This is where I have the magic junk drawer. And the wrapping paper drawer. And the gift boxes drawer. With everything in my office, it can sometimes feel not like an office. So here are my three tips on how to keep my office an office.
My office is an office
Ok let's start with the basics here. I have an actual room that is dedicated to my office. It's not a corner in the bedroom or the kitchen. It's not being stuck in the kids room. It's not a couch. It's real room with walls and a door I can shut when my husband is watching the Discovery Channel. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a separate office when you run a business from home. When I'm feeling yucky I may work from bed or from the couch. Maybe I only work half my day here. Maybe I work a 12 hour day here. Either way, it's my office just for me for working.
My desk has only what I need
I'm the techy girl. What do I need? Technology. Which means my desk is only my desktop computer and my laptop. That's it. There's a photo of my husband and I on our honeymoon and a photo of my logo that I drew. But that's it. Nothing else. No snacks. No nail polish. Definitely no papers. Just work.
I keep a brief case
I know. A brief case to work at home? It sounds weird. Because it is. But honestly it's a huge help. At the end of the day I "pack up" my tablets, phones, planners, journals, everything and put it in my bag. Sometimes that bag stays in the office on my chair until the next day. Sometimes that bag comes with me to the couch. That happens a lot of Saturdays. Some days that bag comes with me to the marina so I can work while my husband fixes a boat. Whatever I need for work I keep it in that bag so I have it all times and I keep my travel work essentials all together at all times.
I have a side table
This is where the other stuff goes. This is where the boxes can pile up a bit. This is where the nail polish lives. But it's not in my direct site line while I'm working. It's off to the side. I have bend my neck in a weird way if I really want to see the clutter. And at least once a week I sent the clutter back to its home even if its home is the office junk drawer.
I have a library
I don't what it is about books that make me feel like I'm in an office. Maybe it was because my mother always had a huge library in her study growing up. Maybe it's just that I like books. Either way, my books in my office help to give my office the office vibe that can sometimes get lost in a home office.
I keep my papers in order
Most of my life is digital. All my accounts and bills are digital. I get very little paper sent here to the house which makes it nice and easy to keep what little paper I have clear. What I don't do is leave the paper all over the place. That is what my husband is for. I instead keep the papers organized and filed away in a little filing system. Why? So when I need those work contracts for my husband for 2010 I have them labeled and readily available. This is also helpful for a happy marriage!
About Me
Hi Everyone! I'm Stephanie owner of EGM. I live in Southern Italy on the beach although I am originally from the New York Area. I have a business as a web designer. I have two courses. My Techy Girl Courses where website owners and bloggers can have access to all the resources they need to do whatever they want to their site. And my Web Designer School where people who want to become a web designer can learn how to design websites and create a business as a web designer. In addition to that I do individual sessions to help web owners fix their site and make it perfect. It all starts with a free website review with yours truly.
