System To Organize Home Business Office

A successful home based business depends on organization. This is a simple system to organize your home office!

Organize Technology or Your Office Paper Trail

Do you like technology or paper? Either way, this visual system of organization can put your home office into organized binders in a day.

• Binders On The Shelf
• Binders In Email Inbox
• Binders In Computer

I like to complement the computer with a visual system. Even if you are a computer-oriented person having files at your finger tips can create a more organized work flow. If your office is a wreck, and you have been planning to get it organized, then today is the day we will start and finish the project.

That’s right, do it in one day. The problem with getting organized over a period of time is that you never get done because the parts that do not get organized in the first phase disorganize the process and it never gets completed. So today, we are going to organize your whole office into files and business binders. If you don’t have the time now to give to this project, then schedule a full day to make it happen.

File System For Any Office

Modify the files to be specific to your business office. Think of each binder as filing cabinet that will compliment your regular filing cabinets. Each binder “filing cabinet” will hold easily accessible files that you can get your hands on quickly. You will have binders in your email inbox, in your computer and on the self.

Office Organization With Binders

Think of each binder category as a filing cabinet. The categories that you want to access often as paper information will literally be book binders like the image above.  Paper information that are used rarely will still be the filing drawers. Put the file title on the binder end, so it is easily distinguishable from the others. A binder system does not replace your filing cabinets in your office, it compliments it. The system keeps the often used “files” at your finger tips.

Tip: Home Business Owners Throw Away Things

Bring a big trash can into your office and don’t be afraid to use it. As we move through your office, keep in mind that you must throw away things you do not use anymore. Prepare yourself to be willing mentally to throw away unused items.

Organized home business owners do not designate valuable real estate to things they do not use to generate cash flow. If you see something you haven’t used in 6 months (or don’t ever remember using it) throw it away! Papers that are not used such as files or receipts that are in your computer do not need to be saved.

Create A List Of Home Based Business Files

Your home business files can be as many categories as you want and will be unique to you. ( I am sure I have more than a dozen binders as well as the actual filing drawers.) The binders are your fingertip files. Your list of fingertip files could include any part of your business that you want to keep your fingers on on a daily basis.

Home Business Files

A list of files for the average home business may include all or some of the following:

Scheduling
Potentials
New Consultants
Sales Team
Incentives/specials
Newsletters and Flyers
Customer Care
Contacts

Each File Will Be Subdivided Into Categories

The tabs that you subdivide your filing binders will vary depending on you, your goal and each category. Think of each “tab” or sub-category in your “binder” as a folder in the drawer.

I would recommend that you allow the categories to take on a life of their own. As you go around your office cleaning and organizing one area at a time, the subcategories to divide into will become apparent. It will be a bit of trial and error, because as you proceed, the categories may need further subdivisions or you may even find that a specific category is so large it actually needs its own business binder.

Organizing Your Office Documents In Computer

Once you have a mental picture of what “binders” will work best in your home office, you can do the same thing in your computer. Your computer “structure” or tree can be thought of in the same manner. Each “binder” in computers is called a folder. Just add folders hen put subcategories under them so that you can always put your finger (mouse) on the files you want.

Organize Your Office Email Inbox

Using this simple binder system in your inbox is efficient as well. It works the same way. When you right click on your “inbox” you will be given the option of creating folders or binders under the inbox. You can then take that a step further with “tabs” or sub-categories under each folder.  If you receive emails that you want to keep for the future you just drag it over to the folder or category under the folder for storage.

Once you understand your “binder” system you can apply it to your whole office both physical and paper. Imagine having everything at your finger tips for easy access!  The binder system is a great way to organize a small space if you do not have a full office.