Thankfully, Keska George, CEO of KG Style Design and author of KG Style Blog agreed to stop by and help me by guest posting about organizing the home office today. Take it away Keska!

9-5 jobs are so yesterday! Work-at-home positions are where we are headed. Nowadays, almost every home has a home office.  Whether it is for business or a place to pay bills and house the computer, in order for it to function, there must be organization.

Your desktop should be only have a few basics.

• In-box, pending and To-file (commonly known as an Outbox)
• Computer and peripherals
• Holder for pens, scissors and letter opener
• Stapler and tape dispenser (you can keep this in your drawer)
• Label maker (you can keep this in your drawer)
• Master notebook
• One decorative object

If you don’t have drawer space in your desk, make space for the things  that would normally go in them. Small containers on the desk can hold  paper clips, a roll of stamps, extra staples. Lidded boxes on shelves  can serve as auxiliary drawers. Figure out categories of things you need to store and put them in a labeled box on a shelf.

In-box, pending files and an outbox
In-box  should contain items that have not yet been touched, read or organized – things like mail to read, forms to fill out, invitations to respond to, etc. Check your In-box everyday and remove items one at a time.  Determine what needs to be done and add them to your to do list.

Pending files: A way to manage documents that are either in process or can’t be  handled right away, or current projects that need to be tackled. If  these files are tucked in a drawer, chances are you’ll forget about  them. Keep them in a tray on the desk, or if you need to see them at a glance, put them in a desktop file sorter or stepped file.

To File box: This is where everything you have completed will  go so the next step will be to file.

Master notebook: Avoid endless scraps of paper by jotting notes in a spiral notebook on  your desk. Write the date at the top of the page. When you’re working at your desk, record phone numbers, directions, and reminders in the  notebook. Keep a supply of sticky notes near each phone in the house so you can take down information when away from your desk. Then place the sticky note in the notebook.

Consider Going Paperless. Should your home office go paperless? That’s totally up to your needs and how comfortable you are with using a computer as your main source of filing.

If You Decide to Go Paperless:
More and more companies are going with the “green” option when it comes to paper bills. Ask all of your companies that you’d like to sign up for this option.

Electronic faxing: Use a service like efax.com, which lets you generate outgoing faxes on the computer and send them  through the Internet. Incoming faxes are delivered to your email inbox.

Scanner and shredder: Don’t worry about scanning old records, since after 7 years, most of what you have to save for tax purposes can be thrown out. Scan and shred as much of your current paper as you can and file the documents on your computer. Keep in mind that most credit card and utility companies as well as banks will make seven years of statements available online.
Back up using services like www.mozy.com

External hard drive: When storing information electronically, regular, consistent, and reliable backup is a must.

Following these guidelines will help you not only set up your home office, but also develop efficient systems for handling work, having what you need available at your fingertips and storing everything in an organized manner.