Wherever I go, there I work (and play)

I don’t remember where I first learned this trick, but in today’s video I show you how I clean my keyboards, computers, and related components. No need for a can of air or a big, heavy air compressor. You might just have this useful tool in your garage.

My keyboard was definitely due for a good cleaning.

My wife and I moved to Grand Rapids, MN in early 2006 after spending our time previous to that in the Twin Cities. I had been working at a small marketing services firm in St. Paul and ended up taking a job with an even smaller web company based up here. After a few months of getting settled in, my old company wanted me to come back to work for them and offered to rent me an office in Grand Rapids with a telework arrangement. I took it.

Today I was reminiscing on the year and a half of teleworking (I was still calling it telecommuting at the time, which it was, but I like “telework” better). I’m glad I did it, and it was my eventual leap into the Anywhere Lifestyle. Here are a couple of simple things I learned when contrasting my time there versus the way I live my life now as a freelancer.

Desktop computers are not ideal for the Anywhere Lifestyle

During my time working from my remote office, I used a custom-built PC with a VPN connection to our company’s network.  Obviously I couldn’t take my machine with me to places like Caribou (which is where I am right now). I could connect to my machine remotely using LogMeIn (which works great!), but connecting to a machine that is then remotely connect to another just isn’t ideal.

Notebook computers are simply the way to go, unless you never want to go ANYWHERE.

I have more human interaction working from home than an office

Though I sometimes complain about the kiddie-noise when working from home, I definitely have more human interaction there are opposed to the office I had previously.  My office was located on the lower level of a building which included a dentist office and counseling center. Neither of those were social hangouts…obviously. There was another person with an office on my level, but she was an insurance adjuster and rarely in the office. I also was not an active member of Twitter or Facebook at the time. It was not the most socially stimulating environment. Not that my home is either, but the option to escape to coffee, lunch, or the library and hang out with others is much better.

Cleaning a home office is easier

Well, for one, my wife is fantastic and really keeps our home clean. Hey, don’t yell at me – she stays at home and manages the family and I stay at home and run a business. Back to the point: when I had my own office, I had to keep it clean, and by that I mean I had to clean it. Yep, I did that about twice the entire time. I also had to supply my own cleaning products and supplies. Again, I only needed them about two times.  Well, needed might not be the right word since they were “needed” more than they were “used.”  The point is, the office didn’t get cleaned much.
These are just some random memories I had regarding my time working from a remote office. I enjoyed the company I worked for and what I was doing, but I will admit I am enjoying my time working from home and elsewhere. It’s good to take time to compare situations as you make changes in your life.

Okay I did this a few days ago,  but I put the tips that Stacy Kaplan shared into practice and organized not only my desk but the rest of my office. So far I’m LOVING the space and organization I’ve unveiled.  Here are photos of the process. By the way, I definitely spent longer than the 15 minutes Stacy recommended but I plan on doing a 15 minute mini-organization session on a weekly basis.

The start…or what I like to call “The Non-Blank Canvas”:

I actually started by clearing the whiteboard.  I was originally using it to write down my upcoming project schedule, but am now keeping to clear for daily planning:

Notice the new hanging file basket on the desk. Folders for “To File”, “To Pay”, “Receipts”, etc.

Stacy recommended recycling/purging a variety of documents and papers. Here’s just one of the things I purged (a birthday card). What drove me to even have this on my desk???

Does anyone still use a Franklin planner?

This I DO use…a lot! It’s my mini “Idea Book” where I write down any entrepreneurial-type ideas I get. It’s got notes, diagrams, and all sorts of top-secret stuff. I keep it on my desk, and it will stay on my desk. If you break into my house, just steal this and leave all my other stuff. It’s worth WAY more.

And here’s the final result: A clean desk, organized files (see the hanging file case I keep beneath my desk), blank whiteboard, and room to get stuff done!

Seriously, I’m loving the clean, organized desk setup. Thanks to all of you who sent in your own pictures, too! I’ll be drawing a winner of the Freshbooks shirt in the next week or so.  For those of you that haven’t commented with a picture of your desk, there’s still time to win!

Also, today is Blog Action Day, a date set aside on an annual basis to get people blogging about the same topic.  This year’s topic is climate change. Now as I type this, it is snowing here in MN and it’s been cold cold cold for the past month.  However, this is just my tiny little corner of the world. I’m well aware that other areas of the world may be experiencing a warmer, drier, or wetter climate than normal. Politics aside, it’s something we at least need to keep an eye on. Check out the Blog Action Day site and read some of the other things people have posted on their blogs.

How’s your desk looking these days? I’m getting ready to clean and organize mine.

I’d like to see a picture of your desk. Post a link to a picture of yours in the comments below.  In the next week or two I’ll draw a winner of yet another Freshbooks shirt from those that are brave enough to share.

Image by William Hook via Flickr

In my previous post I came “clean” about my messy desk.  Several of you commented offering words of comfort and advice, and I appreciate that. I reached out to a few organizing experts on Twitter as well, and professional organizer Stacy Kaplan from Clutter Away by Stacy K. offered up some great tips.  Here’s what Stacy had to say:

1. Spend 15 minutes a day organizing your desk. Take a photo at the end of each session to track your progress.
 

2. There are 4 places where a piece of paper should end up:

(1) in the recycle bin (most papers),

(2) on a desktop filer (more about this in the next step),

(3) in a file drawer adjacent to your desk or

(4) in a deep freeze file away from your desk.

Files in spot #2 are for important papers and are most likely currently sitting on your desk. Files for spot #3 are for papers you need regularly. Files for spot #4 are for archival items, such as old taxes and records.
 

3. For your desktop, I recommend using a vertical, graduated filer where each folders stands up and the folder behind is higher than the folder in front. Office Depot and Staples have these filers. You should end up with 5-7 files and they should be for those papers which you need all the time (i.e. To Do, To Read, Bills To Pay, Travel, Tickets/Invitations, etc). Make labels for each folder accordingly.
 

4. Purge (recycle) any papers which are:

- Duplicates

- Obsolete

- Available on your computer or the Internet

- Available from someone else if you accidentally toss

- Untouched for at least a year

- Saved for “just in case” but not critical

- Related to a task you don’t have time to do

Good luck and please keep me posted on your progress!

Thanks for these tips, Stacy! I will keep you and the rest of my readers posted on my journey…my long, much needed journey.  Everyone, be sure to check out Clutter Away by Stacy K. for all sorts of great organizing-related services. Even her website is well organized! 

In an effort to make this site as honest and transparent as it can possibly be, I’m going to ask for your help.  I have a home office. I have a desk. I have a filing cabinet. Yet look at all this stuff:

Help me.

I would love to hear what type of system you use to not only file paper documents, but what you do with your data backups on CD/DVD, post-it notes, books, pens & pencils, checkbooks, etc.  What organization plan is the quickest to learn and implement? I don’t have a week to devote solely to organizing. I need to be able to pick it up on the fly.

What system has worked best for you? Please share some insight.

I’m going to try something new and I think it would be great to detail my progress here on AnywhereMan. Hey, it could be fun. The funny thing is, my digital workspace (email, digital files, etc) is way more organized than my physical workspace.

Seriously…help.

Thanks everyone!