Where I Blog
Kate at Centsational Girl is having a Where Do You Blog? Party.
So, to answer her question, I blog at my desk in the corner of my bedroom. Our bedroom is on the main level so it’s close to a snack if I need one or to answer the door if someone stops by. I’m mostly there in the early morning and when the kids are at school.
It’s surrounded by things that are important to me and I love.
Pictures of family.
And words of inspiration.
Things that are functional but also pretty.
Amanda framed this picture for me on Mother’s Day. It’s mother and daughter 14 years ago. So sweet!
It’s definitely not ideal and I’d love a bigger place to blog, but this little corner of my room is working fine for me right now. And a lot of time in the evening, I blog in the living room. Close to hubby and any TV shows I might be catching up on.
If you want to see some awesome blogging spots head over to Centsational Girl and check them out.
Filed under Decorating, Office | Comments (6)
Cord Control
I have cord control issues. I don’t like seeing cords peeking out from under pretty little tables or desks. Desks are hard, because there’s usually a lot of electronic devices on them with pesky cords attached. Tables usually have lamps and again with pesky cords. What is a person to do? Luckily, I was sent some Command Cord Organizers from 3M’s PR firm. These are handy little things.
Now you see that pesky cord and soon you won’t.
Make sure to follow the directions on the package for best results.
Clean area with alcohol first and let dry. Stick the red printed side to the cord organizers.
Peel off the other side of the sticky tab and stick it to the clean surface. Hold for 30 seconds.
You need to wait 1 hour before slipping the cord through it.
I added a second one onto the leg of the table.
Yay, no more pesky lamp cord. That looks so much better. And the strips come off so easy when you want to remove them. Just follow the instructions on the package.
Next, I tackled my desk using the medium size Cord Organizers.
This is under the desk before. It doesn’t look too bad.
Until you move the shredder. Then they’re pretty tangled and it’s hard to tell what cord goes where.
So the first thing to do is to get the cords untangled and label them so I know what they go to. There are cute little labels for cords, but I just used my labelmaker.
Now they’re untangled.
And labeled.
I used the Cord Organizers on the back of the desk. It’s nice not to have to worry about them leaving marks on the desk if I need to remove them later. I also put one on the back of the desk leg.
Much better now. The black cords are our phone chargers. They aren’t long enough to go on the back of a leg to the plug, so I brought them up the middle.
Now, how do I hide the phones while they’re charging? I used my Big Bite to make holes in the back of a box I’ve had on my desk.
Okay, so they’re not pretty, but they work. And they’re in the back where nobody sees them, so who cares.
Then I labeled the top of our phone cords, because I can’t tell the difference, but there is a difference.
Plug the phones in.
Put on the lid. And there you go. Now I have organized cords and desk top.
I’m linking to:
Remodelaholics Anonymous Meeting at Remodelaholic
Show and Share Day at Just a Girl
Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tatertots and Jello
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch
Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple
DIY Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative
Show Me How at It’s A Blog Party
Market Yourself Mondayat Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family
Filed under General organizing, Office | Comments (18)Keeping and Storing Important Papers
Sorry I’m late today. It’s Why Not Organize Something Wednesday. I’ve been asked in the past, “What papers, bills, statements, receipts, etc. do I have to keep and for how long?” Since it’s the beginning of a new year and we want to purge some of those old papers, plus we’re thinking about getting all our paperwork together for tax purposes I thought now would be a good time to go over what to toss and what to not. In January of last year I did a post on a Retention Schedule. You can go over to that post from here and you can print out the sheet if you’d like. Just remember, this is what I have learned from others and what I have done for years. I’m not an accountant (nor do I play one on TV). I have never ran into any problems, but if you have any questions or concerns, it might be best to speak to a real live accountant.
Here’s how I file things I still need to get my hands on through out the year. This basket sits next to my desk and I have everything, I need, readily available to me. You can go here to find out more about filing.
There’s a file in the basket marked “taxes”. I put everything in there I’m going to need to be able to file my taxes for that year. Most papers from mortgage companies, credit cards, utilities, etc. start coming in about now. All you need to do is stick them in the file until you’re ready to work on your taxes. I think April 14 is a good day. Just kidding (you accountants out there).
Okay, I’m not one to keep things I don’t think I’m ever going to need again, but I keep all my tax papers along with copies of the filed tax return forever and forever. Call me paranoid, but in this case I’d rather be safe than sorry. They don’t take up much space, so I don’t have a problem with keeping them. This will be the only time you will hear me say you can put papers in a manila folder and pack it away. Just make sure the description and year are on the outside. I just wrote mine on with a sharpie marker. You can use a label maker, but I didn’t want to waste my tape on something that’s packed away in a box.
Then pack it away in a bankers box. It’s the perfect size, they stack well and they’re cheap. Okay I probably should have used the label maker for the box, but it’s in a storage area so I really don’t care (or maybe I do and I’ll make a label later).
I keep all my tax folders in one area, by year, so if there is a problem I can find them easily. Wow, that was a boring post. Sorry about that, but I hope I gave you some good information about keeping and storing important papers.
I’m linking to:
Victory of the Week at Design-aholic
Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Design
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage
Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple
Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie
Filed under Office, Paper | Comments (4)Home Office Redo
I had the opportunity to redo a home office a while ago. We were taking it from a place to just do work to a place that he wouldn’t mind spending some time in. He works from his home 2-3 days a week and this space didn’t reflect him or his style. He has won various awards and needed a place to display them also. It’s a small room (10′4″ x 9′), but we made it function well and reflect his personality.
Here’s the Before:
The first thing we did was get all unnecessary items out of the room. Some were thrown away, some donated, some just moved to another room where they belonged.
Next, look for a desk in the classified ads for a good deal. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to purchase new furniture and update a room.
Choose a paint color for the walls and trim. He likes rich, deep colors. Which worked perfectly in this small room and made it feel warm and masculine.
Find a way to display awards where they would be seen. There was a little space on both sides of the big window which was perfect for some shelving.
Here’s the After:
We put the desk facing the window so he could have a view to the outside when he wanted. Also there is now no reflection on the computer screen . Because it is a small room the desk is almost to the window to leave space for his chair and being able to get into the closet.
The shelves are painted black to blend into the wall and make his awards stand out more. I love the wall color.
Cool lava lamp!
The house is north facing so the top of the window was left uncovered to let some natural light in even with the blinds closed.
Next was the closet area. Here’s the Before:
He needed cubbie like shelving to accommodate different interests and areas of work. We left the bar in to hang jackets and the top shelf for larger items to be stored.
Measure the items to be stored to make the cubbies the right size. That way you’re able to utilize the space better.
Here’s the After:
Everything is out of sight now and he has a neat work area, but things are at easy reach and available behind closed doors.
Here’s how I worked out the plan:
Thanks Greg for letting me work on your Home Office. I hope you’re as happy with the way it turned out as I am.
I’m linking to Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage, Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple and Creative Cats Friday at Poppies at Play. Also Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors and Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.
I’m linking to:
Power of Paint Party at Domestically Speaking
Filed under Office, Storage | Comments (11)Ways to Save Time on the Computer and Maintenance
· For ease and convienence, try to use the same user name and password as often as possible.
· If you don’t check your e-mail enough try to make it a goal to check it three times a week. If you check it too often limit yourself to twice a day.
· Store spare computer equipment like: keyboards, mouse, boards and cables in a tote or bin until needed.
· Label electronic data backups immediately, before they are stored away, so you know what’s on them.
· Use cable ties to keep cords under control and label each cable to identify what equipment it belongs too.
· Keep screen wipes, small vacuum and a can of compressed air stored close by the computer for quick cleaning and maintenance.
· Have extra printer ink cartridges and computer paper on hand, so you don’t have to make a last minute trip to the store.
· Check the internet to find the information you need. Almost any information you need can be found quicker and easier on the internet rather than storing information in a file.
Filed under Office | Comment (0)Clean Out Your Computer Day is Monday, February 9
My husband is the computer guru in the family. I am bordering on computer illiterate, but I do realize when things are getting out of control and it takes me twice as long to find an e-mail as it should. So let’s start with e-mail. Do you keep all your e-mails in your inbox? How much time do you spend scrolling through e-mail to find the one you’re looking for? E-mails need to be filed. Create electronic folders and clean out all those e-mails in your inbox and outbox. Here are some suggested e-mail folders: Reference, for information you need to keep and passwords; Answer, for e-mails you need to respond to but don’t have the time to right now; To Do, for e-mails that require you to do something; Read, for e-mails you want to read but there’s no time now, Family Members, e-mails that need to go to other family members. Go through all your old e-mails in both your inbox and outbox and make a decision on each one. Delete as many e-mails as possible, just as you would junk mail from your mailbox. You can also install a spam blocker to stop unwanted e-mails before they arrive in your inbox. Most e-mails also have a place at the bottom of the page to unsubscribe if you don’t want to receive e-mails from them anymore.
Delete old software packages of the things you don’t want or use anymore. They take up useable space on your computer. Clean out your “My Documents” folder. It can get extremely full with things you haven’t looked at or needed for years. Just click on the item you want to get rid of and delete. Try to go through your folder at least four times a year to keep it from getting too large.
Clean out your Internet temporary file about once a month to keep it from becoming too full. Log into the Internet and click on tools, then click on internet options. That will bring up browsing history, then click on delete temporary internet files. It takes just a few minutes, depending on how much is in the file. By occasionally cleaning out your computer files and e-mails, your computer will be faster and it will be easier to find what you need.
Filed under Office | Comment (0)Organize Your Home Office
· Arrange your desk so you can reach your telephone, keyboard, printer and wastebasket without getting up.
· Question everything you file. Don’t save papers you will never look at again. 85% of what gets filed never gets looked at again.
· Keep items you use daily, within arms reach, on your desktop. Store items you use weekly, close by your desk, where you can get them easily. The items you use less often can be stored in a closet or another room, if you need more space.
· Store extra office supplies on a shelf or in a bin in a closet. When you need something you can shop there first.
· Wrap all wires and cords in a cord bundler and label each cord with a cord labeler.
· All papers belong standing up vertically, never lying down horizontally.
· File for retrieval. Think to yourself where you would search for a paper if you were looking for it today. That’s where you should file it away.
· Store paperclips, stapler, scissors, tape, pens, pencils and other office essentials in a narrow desk drawer. Keep everything organized and separated by using a drawer organizer.
· Shred information sensitive papers daily.
· Use your cork or magnetic board for current information. Don’t clutter it with unimportant or outdated information or you’ll never look at it.
· Pick a color scheme of two to three colors to keep things calming and in balance. Pick colors that make you feel comfortable and motivated to work.
Filed under Office | Comment (0)Home Office Essentials
· Inbox to hold new mail or correspondence until you have time to open it. Go through it daily.
· Outbox for items that need to be mailed or passed on to someone else.
· Desktop file to hold current project files.
· File cabinet to hold items accessed less frequently.
· Computer, printer and other electronics.
· Wastepaper basket, shredder and recycling bin for junk mail and no longer necessary paperwork.
· Drawer organizers to keep office supplies sorted.
· Clock that is easily visible from work area.
· Cork or magnetic board to be used as a task board.
· Tall bookshelves, use vertical storage to save on space.
· Rolodex for phone numbers and other information that you may need while on the phone: information to do with clients, passwords, PIN numbers, frequent flyer numbers, etc.
· Decorative items such as photos, artwork, plants, masterpieces by your children, etc.
Filed under Office | Comments (3)Clean Off Your Desk Day is Monday, January 12th
How does your desk look? Can you find what you want when you want it? Do you have any space to work or start a new project? A cluttered desk- top can really slow you down. Have only items on your desk that you use daily. Things you use weekly should be stored close by and items used less often can be stored some place where you have to get up to get them. Use you desk- top as a work- space instead of a storage area.
Keep pens, stapler, tape and other office essentials in the top drawer and off the desk. Use the wall space above your desk for a corkboard or magnetic board but don’t overload it with useless items, use it only for current things you’re working on. Hang family pictures on the wall next to your desk, not on top of your desk. Keep often used phone numbers close by your phone, on a rolodex system. Only store papers vertically, never horizontally. The same with file folders. Current files should be kept in your desk drawer for easy access.
Put away projects when you get taken away from your desk for any significant amount of time; a meeting, lunch, to help a co-worker with a project or at the end of the day. You think you’ll get right back to it, but a lot of times you don’t because other things come up. Then it’s spread out all over your desk making it unable for you to start another project until you clean it up. Put it in a project file and file it for when you’re ready to get back to it. At the end of each day spend some time preparing for tomorrow. Put away things you won’t need and gather papers and items you’ll need for the next day. Keep up the good work you’ve done on your desk by spending just 5-10 minutes a day shredding and filing and you’ll have a clean, clutter free desk.
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Office in a Closet
Do you long for a home office, but don’t know where to even put a desk? What about using a little used closet? It can be in the kitchen, hallway, guest room, family room, any closet that is convenient for you.
The first thing you’ll want to do is add shelving to store all your office supplies and files. If you have a closet rod, take it out. Measure your closet’s width, depth and height and then head to your local home center to see what shelving you prefer. Have your home center cut shelving to fit your area, they should be at least ¾ inch thick. The desk shelf should be installed about 30 inches above the floor, this leaves enough room for your legs, a roll out file cabinet and trash can. Install a laptop drawer under the desk shelf. Make sure it slides easily in and out for easy access. Make sure you shelves are deep enough to hold your supplies but not so deep that you can’t store things on the door when it’s closed. If your shelves are narrow enough, try storing a folding chair from a strong hook on the back of the door when not in use or use a stool so it can slide all the way under the desk shelf. Since the closet will not have ample lighting, use a clip-on lamp or two or an under-shelf strip lighting. Have an extension cord and a wall outlet close by for when your office is in use.
Here are some other ideas for office supply storage in a closet:
· Use clear jars or clear kitchen canisters to hold markers, pens, pencils, etc.
· A magnetic bulletin board on the back of the door can hold notes, photos, lists, etc.
· A dry erase calendar hung on the back wall of the closet between shelving will keep you up to date on everything.
· Use attractive baskets on the first shelf, above your desk shelf, for an “in box” and an “out box”. Label them so you know which is which.
· Use photo/video boxes for receipts, photos, envelopes, note cards, etc. Label everything.
· Use a letter sorter for “bills to pay”. File them in due date order and place on the first shelf.
· Have a rolodex handy with phone numbers and other pertinent information.
· Hang a magnetic spice rack on the back wall to hold erasers, paper clips, rubber bands, etc. in the canisters. Use the ones with the clear tops so you can see the contents inside.
· Store little used items or files on the upper shelves.
· Hang or shelf as many items as possible to free up valuable desk space. Only have items on the desk shelf that has to be there.
Enjoy your closet office and being able to close the door when not in use to hide everything away.
Filed under Office | Comment (1)
