The home office can quickly become the catch-all. How can you keep your home office clean and workable?  Here are few tips to keep your home office in tip top shape and ensure you have ample space for work and storage. 1. Have adequate work space When laying out or reorganizing your home office make sure you have ample space for work and storage. Make a designated space for computer hardware and peripheral equipment, a spot for reference materials, file space and a location for frequently referenced supplies and paper. 2. Create centers Zone your home office into activity areas. Set up a clear workspace, a reference center and a supply center. Having designated spaces for things will help keep your organized. 3. Wrap it up Bundle unsightly wires together to cut down on cord clutter. Use a surge protector to for electronic equipment. 4. Create an immediate action center Create an area that is easily accessible and within your view for items that need immediate action. Establish a permanent filing system for papers you will reference, but not on a regular basis. Follow these simple tips and your office will be organized in no time.  

Can you could your entire house clean in just 30 minutes a day? If you let the house cleaning slip It becomes overwhelming. By doing just a little bit every day it will help keep your home neat and clean in no time. Here is a basic plan to keep your home clean in just one half-hour a day.   Start in the Kitchen Getting started right after breakfast may be the perfect time to spend a few minutes tidying up.

Clear out and wipe down the sink.

Wipe down countertops and stove.

Put dirty dishes immediately into the dishwasher.

Run a quick wet mop over the floor.

Take a moment to fold and put your dish towels away.

Tackle the Bathroom After your shower while you are still in the bathroom do a quick clean.

Swipe out the sink bowl and faucet handles. If you use a premoistened cloth to wipe your face, use it for this too.

Clean splatters off the mirror. Use the same cloth you used on the sink.

Wipe the toilet seat and rim using the same cloth. Just do the toilet last.

Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush.

Before getting out of the shower squeegee the shower door.

Spray the shower and curtain liner with a shower mist.

Bedroom Once your back in your bedroom to get dressed for the day, you can make a quick round there too.

Make your bed.

Fold or hang clothes.

Straighten out the night-table surface, remove any glasses or dishes.

Living Room Get the heart of your home in order in a jiffy.

Tidy the sofa.

Use a microfiber cloth to pick up dust.

Straighten coffee table and remotes

Doing these simple tasks will save you much more time in the end and allow you to enjoy your clean home every day.

Clutter often takes many years to accumulate and will take some time to eliminate. Just remember that de-cluttering is an ongoing lifestyle not a finite project. Many people feel overwhelmed and fear just the thought of de-cluttering the home. It doesn’t have to be that excruciating, there are actually some creative ways to get started. Getting started can be the hardest part. You have to begin your war against clutter one draw or cabinet at a time. Just pick one area of the house and focus on that. It is best to start a de-cluttering session by designating one hour a day to it. If that still seems over whelming for you, start with five minutes a day. You will be surprised what you can accomplish in the clutter war in just five minutes. Remember that any type of progress is better than none. The important thing is to make sure to stick with it each day, or even every other day. Avoid planning an all day de-cluttering session that involves your whole house, as you will never get around to it. Donate or dispose of items you no longer have any use for. Look at items that you feel an attachment to and ask yourself the following three questions: Do I love it? Will I have a need for it again within 3 months? Will I miss it if I throw it away? If you answered no to the questions then you can safely dispose of the item. If you answered a definite yes to these questions, take those items and put them into an organizational bin. Once the bin is full place it in an out of way place in your home and revisit it in about 6 months. If you were able to go that long without needing anything from the bin, chances are it is time to donate or dispose of the items. Don’t forget charitable donations to the Salvation Army and Goodwill, etc. are tax deductible. Probably one of the best ways to let your junk go is to watch an episode of Hoarders on television.

Ever feel like things pile up in your home? Maybe on the kitchen table or counter, your dresser, or nightstand? Well a little organization can turn your home from full of clutter to nice and neat without having to throw everything away. Here are a few things to keep in mind when improving the organization of your home.

1. Everything needs a place - if every item in your home has a place to be stored, you are less likely to just drop it anywhere. If an item shouldn't be sitting on your counter top, then it should have a home.
2. Maximize your storage space - If you feel like you are lacking storage space, think again. A closet with no shelves can't store as much, and those spaces you aren't using, like under your bed, can be transformed into storage places too. Setting up the places that you have to store items so they can be fully used is key to making sure everything can be stored.
3. Label - If you can find where something goes, you are more likely to put it there. Having boxes stacked into a closet, and not knowing what's in there, doesn't help you organize. But having storage containers, shelves, drawers, etc that are labeled for easy finding does.
4. Shelves and containers - Having the right assortment of storage is key. Not everything is stored well on a shelf and the same goes for in a container. Make sure you have a variety of what you need; everything from small to large containers, baskets, drawers, shelves and hooks. You want to make sure that where you are putting something can be easily found and accessed.
5. Get into the routine - Old habits die hard so when you first organize you might find you still leave things hanging around. Getting into the new habit of putting things away can take time but an easy way to start is to set aside 10-15 minutes at the end of each day to put everything where it belongs. Before you know it, you will be doing it throughout the day!

Regardless of whether you go all out on organization, or just do a little, you will find that with a couple of changes you can enjoy your space much more. And without all the clutter that has been left behind!  

With the recent growth in telecommuting, home offices are also becoming a necessity rather than a luxury. Home buyers are looking for a place where they can work, a place to pay bills or simply surf the net. Investing in a home office will help you now and may pay off later. Have you always dreamed of a home office? Do you have an office that is overrun with papers? A home office is usually the place where junk finds its home. Getting that room into a place where organization is king can be easier than you think. Implementing an organizational system that has you working in peace with everything at your fingertips is easy if you follow these simple tips. 1. Choose the space. Think of all the things that you'll need to work comfortably in your home office. You want to make sure the space will allow for your desk and chair and anything else you will need in your office. 2. Organize your space. Part of organizing means decluttering. If you have three staplers, six pairs of scissors you will need to get rid of anything extra. Clutter is very distracting and reduces efficiency. Identify a space for all the necessities. You need to identify a place for the printer, file cabinet, reference books and supplies. 3. Schedule the date and time for your office organization. Set aside a specific time and date to plan your space. If you have lots of files and file cabinets, make a decision on how much you want to get done in the initial session. You may need to plan several dates to complete the whole task. 4. Reorganize. Clean and organize your office at the end of each day. It will only take a few minutes and keep you on track to staying organized. Plan on reorganizing your office every three months or so. By planning your home office space and getting it organized you'll enjoy it more. Your work will be better, you'll appreciate being at home, and you'll have the perfect place to work--your home. Now focus on success!