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6 Home Office Desk Decorating Ideas (SLIDESHOW)

Lisa Kanarek — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 09:00:37 +0000

One of the benefits of working from home, along with not having a daily commute, is that your home office can reflect your personality and design taste. Best of all, you don’t need to recreate the corporate office you left behind. Instead, add a little punch, color and interest to your workspace with these 6 home office accessories.

WATCH: Martha Stewart Gives Your Home Office a Boost

Mustache Push Pins

Are you one of those people who drew mustaches on billboards or on people you didn’t like in your yearbook? I have no comment, but I believe the statute of limitations is 7 years. I’m just saying....

If for some reason you can’t resist adding a moustache to magazines, postcards or pictures that cross your desk, these Mustache Push Pins are perfect for you. You may have wondered how your baby would look with a moustache or how your dog could rock a stash. Now you can stop guessing.

Decorative Desk Caddy

Take a look at the supply holder on your desk, then look at this hand-painted metal desk caddy, then look back at your supply holder. With a caddy as colorful and well designed as this, your old holder deserves to go back to its original purpose…as a coffee mug. Not only will this colorful caddy hold and organize your supplies, it will raise your style quotient a few notches.

Palette Tissue Case

I’m all about function, and when one product has several uses it brings me to tears. OK, maybe I’m being a bit dramatic, but tears and tissues go together. And if, like me, you want tissues at your fingertips, you and your desk could use the Palete Tissue Case. I’m tearing up thinking about how happy you’ll be to have tissues and supplies so close!

Recycled Newspaper Magazine Basket

You could use an ugly plastic container to hold magazines or anything else you need to read, or you could think outside the box and add color, texture and style to your home office with these baskets made from recycled newspapers. These are perfect for the out-of-sight, out-of-mind thinker. You can keep things organized in the basket, still see them, and help the environment as well.

Pivot Power

Think about the last time you tried to plug an oversized power cord alongside another oversized cord in a basic power strip. It wasn’t much different from trying to cram a size 10 foot into a size 9 shoe, right? (I’m speaking from experience here!) The Pivot Power surge protector that resembles a bicycle chain on steroids, solves that problem. By reconfiguring this flexible strip, you can fit plugs, not matter how large they are, into each outlet.

GoSmart RestPad

When you’re working in front of your computer all day, your wrist can get quite a workout. I know what you’re thinking: Ugh… another gimmicky desk accessory. Not so with this soft, functional and stylish wrist rest. The GoSmart RestPad will cushion your wrist while you give your old wrist rest the boot.

Share: What is your favorite from the list? Tell us in the comment section below!

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10 Mistakes People Make Creating a Home Office

Lisa Kanarek — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:20:33 +0000

Career expert Lisa Kanarek guides you through the feng shui of your workspace

Setting up a home office, including finding the right furniture, equipment and supplies, can be overwhelming. It’s important to know what you need, what you want, and what you can really have. After all, a business won’t last long if you spend more than you earn.

Related: Simple Home Décor Tips

Whether you’re creating a home office from scratch, or changing a few parts of your home office that are no longer working, it’s important to avoid a few home office mistakes, starting with the following ten.

1. Not designating a room for a home office: It’s hard to take a home-based business seriously when it’s literally being run from the kitchen table. The frustrating part is that every night at dinnertime, you have to close up shop and turn your home office into a diner. There’s nothing wrong with having dinner with your family — I encourage it — but you shouldn’t have to clear papers and put away supplies at the end of each day to make that happen.

2. Choosing the wrong room for a home office: You may think that a guest room or a spare bedroom is the perfect place for a home office, but what if the room is on the other side of your home, or is right in the middle of family traffic? Either you’ll feel isolated all day or you’ll shake your head and wonder why you decided to work from home.

Consider every room in your home as a place to set up shop. Two rooms that homeowners rarely use are a formal living room and the dining room. Why not use one of those spaces as a home office? Considering the dining room usually has the best light, it seems a shame to make that room go to waste. The key to making your dining room work, especially is you want it to do double-duty, is to find furniture that can double as office supply and equipment storage.

3. Using furniture that no long matches your décor: A home office tends to be a dumping ground for furniture that didn’t make the cut during the last home remodeling project. So rather than donate that overstuffed chair or scratched end table, some people move the mismatched furniture into a home office. Before you stuff one more piece of furniture in your home office, decide whether you need it or whether it’s simply adding more clutter to the space. If you can part with the extra furniture, donate it or sell it online.

4. No soundproofing: When you work from home, you have to be more professional than your corporate counterparts. A corporate employee can talk on the phone while her co-workers are laughing and yelling in the background, but a home-based worker needs to make sure there is no background noise. It’s tough to be taken seriously by a client when your dog is barking or your child wants your attention (which usually happens as soon as the phone rings!). Invest in a high-quality headset, solid (not hollow) doors, and good insulation between rooms.

5. Not creating enough storage space: Working from home has enough distractions that having to leave your desk to get supplies shouldn’t be one of them. Creating extra storage space in a home office requires a bit of creativity, especially when space is limited. Think vertically and attach shelves to the wall, add a freestanding bookcase or install shelves inside a closet to create extra storage. Rather than store supplies in their original packaging (a huge waste of space), use clear containers.

6. Using the wrong chair: I cringe when I see photos of home offices that have a kitchen chair or a dining chair in front of a desk instead of an ergonomic chair. It takes only a few months of sitting in the wrong chair for your back and neck to let you know that you need to make a change. Ergonomically correct chairs are easy to find and they’re less expensive than before. Check office supply superstores and even warehouse stores for reliable, non-back-breaking chairs.

7. Bad lighting: Poor lighting can lead to fatigue and eye strain. While you may have an overhead light in your home office, that’s not enough. You also need task lighting on your desk and ideally, natural light from a home office window. If your home office is in your basement, the right lighting can be the difference between working in a calm, motivating space and working in a dungeon.

Related: 5 Ways to Make Your Home a Haven

8. Not setting boundaries: Some people, family and friends included, don’t understand that when you’re working from home, you’re actually working. They think that you’re available to wait for the washer repair person or eager to babysit day and night. It’s important to make sure everyone understands that unless it’s an emergency, you can’t take personal calls during the day and you’re not available to run errands. One of the best words you can learn to use often is NO. Otherwise, you’ll train everyone around you to ask you for favors throughout the workday.

Lisa Kanarek

9. Spending money on the wrong things: Unless clients need to meet with you in your home office, it doesn’t make sense to waste money on expensive office furniture and accessories. Rather than add to your bottom line, these extra expenses will take from it. Instead, invest in quality equipment, online services and even a virtual assistant if it will help you grow your business. Prioritize every purchase and then set a budget for buying each item when the time is right.

10. Skimping on the wrong things: Whether you’re buying a new computer, an all-in-one (printer, scanner, copier and fax), or a desk chair, buy the best quality you can afford. When you equip your office with the technology you need to stay in touch with clients, create presentations and keep up with social media, you can focus on keeping your business on track.

Think about the different ways you can design your space, consider the materials and furnishings you already may have, and prioritize every purchase, from furniture and equipment down to simple office supplies. Treat every purchase like a business decision and you’ll be one step closer to moving your business forward.

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Working Naked Day: 10 Ways to Make You More Productive

Lisa Kanarek — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:30:22 +0000

Home office expert Lisa Kanarek coined and trademarked the term “Working Naked” to refer to how people working from home are without the support of the corporate workplace. Feb. 1 is “Working Naked Day,” a time to celebrate the perks of working from home – no boss looking over your shoulder, no listening to gossip over the water cooler, and no commute.

Working Naked Day is tomorrow and whether you’re working in your birthday suit, a business suit or in your jammies, being productive is important.

Think about it: When you work for someone else, your time isn’t your time … it’s your company’s time. When you work for yourself, time is precious and any time you waste during the workday is money out of your pocket. When you look at it that way, being productive takes on a whole new meaning.

Click here on Wednesday to get your free Working Naked gift – a collection of ebooks and reports to help you grow your business.

While you bring out the party hats, balloons, champagne — a cup of coffee will work, too — to help you celebrate this home office holiday, consider the following 10 ways to improve your productivity:

1. Focus on what’s important. Are you working on something you need to finish today or could you handle it another day? Throughout the day ask yourself if what you are doing is the best use of your time. You don’t have to do a self-check more often than every three hours because, well, you’d be wasting time.

2. Determine your best time of day and schedule important tasks for that time. I used to say that I was a morning person, then I was an afternoon person, and now I’m a “work whenever I can” person. Between my sons’ and my clients’ schedules, I need to be flexible. Concentrate on important tasks during the time you feel more productive and leave the less important tasks for when your energy level is low.

3. Understand that at times you need to work around your family’s schedule. When my sons were little, I worked whenever they napped. Fortunately, not unlike their mom, they loved to sleep so I was able to get many things done every day. A friend of mine, who is a graphic designer, works when his sons go to sleep at 8 pm and finishes his “workday” at 4 a.m. during the week. He sleeps for a few hours, has breakfast with his kids, and then goes back to sleep until around 11 a.m. When his children came home from school, he’s available to spend time with them.

4. Avoid multi-tasking and stay focused. It’s easy to start one project and then bounce to another without finishing the first. I used to be the perfect example. At the end of the day I was exhausted, but I hadn’t accomplished as much as I’d hoped I would. Finally I made myself focus, stay on task and accomplish a certain amount of tasks every day. Some days I’m more productive than others, but overall I’m more productive than I used to be.

5. Use a list to track tasks. Why try to remember a task when you can enter it on a list and forget about it until the day you need to handle it? Whether you use a paper-based system, your Smartphone, or your computer to record tasks, keep your list in one place. Some people get in the habit of using scraps of paper or sticky notes to remind them of what they need to do, but that system has a few drawbacks. First of all, your mind will stop seeing the sticky notes or new notes will cover old notes. Secondly, notes are easy to lose, and the one task you need to handle by the end of the day may be on a note stuck to the bottom of your shoe.

6. Limit the number of times you check e-mail. I used to check e-mail every few minutes because I was sure I was missing important messages. The bottom line is that most of the time I wasn’t missing a thing. Unless you’re working on a time-sensitive project, you don’t need to check your e-mail often. Make it easier to avoid the temptation to check e-mail one too many times by turning off your e-mail alert. Otherwise, you’ll be distracted all day, especially when you’re working on important tasks. Some efficiency experts recommend that you avoid checking e-mail first thing in the morning, but I disagree. I work with clients around the world who are on different time zones so my early morning e-mails may be end-of-the-day e-mails to them.

7. Keep the supplies you use often within reach. When you have to leave your desk to find supplies or files, you waste time and get distracted easily. Let’s say you need supplies from your garage and on the way to get them, you stop in the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. You pour a nice, hot cup of coffee, head back to your home office and then a few minutes later you realize you forgot to go to the garage to get the extra supplies. You can keep repeating the same exercise or store supplies near the place where you’ll use them.

8. Keep clutter under control. When you work from home, less is more, especially when you have limited home office space. Before you bring one more thing into your home office, decide whether it will help you grow your business or merely waste already-scarce office space. Also, ask yourself whether you have room to store the new item and whether you’ll be able to find it when you need it.

9. Don’t skimp on equipment. As a business owner, any time you lose time due to the wrong equipment, it not only means money lost, but possibly lost clients, decreased credibility, and a business that stops growing. It’s important to make sure you have all the equipment you need to run your business, including a fast computer, an all-in-one machine (scanner, printer, copier and fax), and a reliable backup system, for starters. The key to saving time and money on equipment is to know what you need, what you can do without, and where to find technical support.

Lisa Kanarek

10. Let everyone know you mean business. When I started working from home many years ago (before it was cool to work from home), I made it clear to my family and friends that I was starting a business and not available to wait for the refrigerator repairperson or for FedEx deliveries. Mistakenly, I thought everyone understood what I meant. They didn’t. For months, my family and friends continued to ask me for small favors. At first I helped out, and then three weeks later I figured out I was spending more time helping others instead of growing my business. After I turned down a few requests for favors, my friends and family quit asking.

This Working Naked Day, as you celebrate the freedom you have to avoid a daily commute, be your own boss and work your own hours, do what you can to make each hour count. By changing a few things about how you work, you’ll save time in the long run.

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8 Home Office Must-Haves This Holiday (SLIDESHOW)

Lisa Kanarek — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:28:35 +0000

Home office expert Lisa Kanarek on gift ideas for working professionals

The holidays are only a few weeks away and you still don’t know what to buy your favorite home office professional or your own holiday list is still blank? Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for a friend, spouse or business associate who’s just started working from home or has worked from home for years, look no further. As a self-proclaimed home office product junkie, I’ve scoured stores — both in person and online — to find the 8 home office must-haves this holiday season.

West Elm Lap Desk

One of the best parts of working from home is that you can work anywhere including in your home office, on your sofa, on your patio or even on the front porch. When you swap your desk for your lap, it’s better to have some padding and a smooth surface where you can set your laptop. This lap desk from West Elm has a moldable cushion, a solid wood top that’s easy to clean, and there’s even room for a cup of coffee.

Click here to purchase

Rhombins

While coffee mugs are perfect for your first, second and even third cup of coffee every day, they don’t have to double as a pencil holder. The Rhombins, a three-piece holder, is a better solution. You can configure this set to fit your desk space and meet your storage needs. This handy holder is made of Cereplast, a plant-based bio-plastic so while you’re improving the look of your home office, you’re also doing something good for the environment.

Click here to purchase

Fish Hotel

I keep two frogs in a simple container on my desk and I only hope they don’t find out about the Fish Hotel, a much nicer option. With its funky design and several window cutouts, your fish will have a pleasant stay. It has a removable glass bowl for cleaning and the top windows double as handles to make the hotel easy to move.

Click here to purchase

Ninja Flash Drive

Cute and adorable aren’t words someone would normally use to describe Ninjas, but in this case, they’re the perfect choice. These little Ninja flash drives spring into action when you need them and although they’re little, they hold 4 GB of data. While Ninjas are known for surprise attacks, it’s no surprise that their silicone jackets are water-resistant.

Click here to purchase

Pop Power Strip

Every home office needs a power strip, but let’s face it, they’re ugly. A power strip isn’t meant to be pretty — its purpose is to be functional — but the Pop Power Strip changes all that. With its colorful patterns and interesting designs, along with a grounded plug, six sockets and a lighted on/off switch, who’s ugly now?

Click here to purchase

Unzipped Glass Zipper Bag

Between school lunches, organizing little supplies, and storing snacks, you may go through a fair amount of zippered bags. This glass zipper bag is one you can use over and over to store candy, paper clips or rubber bands, all within reach. This glass baggie doesn’t close, but you don’t have to worry about candy going bad, especially if you’re like me and can’t resist taking just one more handful.

Click here to purchase

Coil Lamp DIY Kit

Take a clear plastic frame, add notches, wrap an extension cord around it and you have a lamp. Simple, right? Absolutely when you’re putting together the Coil Lamp. The DIY-in-me thinks I could make the frame on my own, but with the pieces already cut and the notches where they’re supposed to be, why bother? The kit includes an acrylic frame and a bulb adapter.

Click here to purchase

For the Person Who Needs Nothing

What do you get for the home office professional who has everything? You can do nothing, or you can do something that helps others. DonorsChoose.org, an online charity that connects you to classrooms in need, helps teachers provide the supplies they need for classroom projects. The process is simple: teachers post requests for classroom projects on the site, you give the amount you want (no amount is too small), and when the project receives enough funds, the organization sends the materials to the school.

This list should give you a better idea of what you can give that special home office professional this holiday. The problem may not be finding the right gift, but instead wanting to keep everything for yourself!

For more from Lisa on genConnect: 4 Tips for Moms Who Work at Home

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How to Be a Stay-at-Home & Work-at-Home Mom (SLIDESHOW)

Lisa Kanarek — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:50:07 +0000

Lisa Kanarek

Kate Gosselin, former reality TV star and mom, just started working from home as a contributor to CouponCabin.com. Many of us who work from home may say, “big deal, we work from home too.” But how many of us work with eight kids around?

It’s not always easy to work with children around, but it’s much easier when you go in with realistic expectations and a plan.

Click through the slideshow below for a few simple ways to calm the chaos:

Make arrangements for childcare: You can’t (and shouldn’t) count on the TV or your child’s naptime to keep him or her busy (If you have to, make sure it is quality programming). There are several options to consider, from family daycare (your child goes to someone else’s house) to at-home childcare (a babysitter comes to your home) to a baby-sitting co-op (you and other parents get together and take turns watching the kids).
Find a preschool: If you have a toddler, consider enrolling him or her in preschool in the mornings so that you have quiet time to catch up on work. You don’t have to feel guilty that your child isn’t home with you all day. It’s good for kids interact with other kids.
Be ready for anything: Be prepared by keeping a box of toys in your home office closet or near your home office, to keep your child busy. Caller ID will make it easier to know whether or not to answer your phone, but if you have a scheduled conference call and your child decides not to nap that day, you’ll have a backup plan.
Set up a mini home office: Set up a mini home office. Bring in a small table and chairs and give your child an old, unused cell phone, glue sticks, and safety scissors. Add plenty of paper and colored pencils and crayons. Your child will be happy to be in the same room with you, and you’ll reduce the number of supplies your child takes out of your desk because your child will have his or her own supplies.

Click on each photo for an enlarged view.

Those of us who have worked from home for years, know what to expect when kids are around, but for someone who’s just starting out, or starting a new work-at-home career, being prepared makes all the difference. Not having a camera crew around can make working from home even easier.

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