One of the biggest mistakes businesspeople make is assuming that working from home will automatically result in a higher level of productivity. Unless you carefully construct your home office environment, you may find that working from home is less productive than you anticipated. Staples, the world's largest office products company and a trusted source for office solutions, offers the following tips for setting up your home office to help maximize your productivity.
The ideal working environment
The right office furniture, equipment and supplies
Whatever your preferences are, investing money up front in the style of office furniture that makes you comfortable will naturally lead to greater productivity. At the very least, this ensures that you won't be tempted to relocate to the bedroom instead of working at your desk. Likewise, an upfront investment in office supplies and equipment will help you get your work done faster and avoid distractions.
A basic home office setup can cost you under $500 if you already have a computer that you can relocate to your new space. There are a number functional-office furniture options-that look expensive but are actually quite affordable, especially if you are willing to put the furniture together yourself. A printer and a phone with voicemail can round out a basic home office setup.
One of the biggest mistakes businesspeople make is assuming that working from home will automatically result in a higher level of productivity. Unless you carefully construct your home office environment, you may find that working from home is less productive than you anticipated. Staples, the world's largest office products company and a trusted source for office solutions, offers the following tips for setting up your home office to help maximize your productivity.
The ideal working environment
The right office furniture, equipment and supplies
Whatever your preferences are, investing money up front in the style of office furniture that makes you comfortable will naturally lead to greater productivity. At the very least, this ensures that you won't be tempted to relocate to the bedroom instead of working at your desk. Likewise, an upfront investment in office supplies and equipment will help you get your work done faster and avoid distractions.
A basic home office setup can cost you under $500 if you already have a computer that you can relocate to your new space. There are a number functional-office furniture options-that look expensive but are actually quite affordable, especially if you are willing to put the furniture together yourself. A printer and a phone with voicemail can round out a basic home office setup.
Don't forget to set aside money in your home office budget for office supplies. From paper to paper clips, you will have to buy all of the little things that you took for granted when you worked for an employer. A home office is sometimes considered the holy grail for people who work. Who wouldn't want a comfortable home oasis where commuting is a foreign concept and the work just gets done? To achieve home office nirvana, make a plan that is specifically designed to meet your individual needs and choose the right home office furniture, equipment and supplies to make your plan a reality.
-- Brandpoint
Home Selling Tip
Buyers with children are often looking for a home with a yard they can play in, according to Frontdoor.com. If you're considering landscaping changes, go for flat, open expanses of grass. Potential buyers will be drawn to the nice lawn, so it will be worth the cost.
-- Frontdoor.com
Did You Know ...
When a home fire occurs, you have very little time to get out. A working smoke alarm doubles your chances of survival, yet more than 20 percent of American homes are without them. This means about 23 million homes are at risk because of non-working smoke alarms and an additional 5 million homes are at risk by not having smoke alarms.
-- Family Features/Energizer
Decorating Tip: Mix materials
"The key to updating your home with the latest trends is finding a balance," says HGTV designer and television personality Taniya Nayak. "It's all about making it personal and adding elements that fit your lifestyle and design personality, without breaking the bank." One great way to make a big impact on a small budget is to mix materials, creating a blend of polished and raw in a room with modern and industrial elements.
Mixing materials can also mean utilizing different finishes throughout a room. In the kitchen, using contrasting materials makes your space look personalized. Try a mix of wood and painted finishes for a more layered and collected feel. By resisting the urge to perfectly match every piece, you'll have a space that looks current and works nicely together.
-- Brandpoint
Garden Guide
Are nasturtiums a flower or a vegetable? They’re both! Their brightly colored flowers and shield-shaped leaves can all be eaten. So grow them in a hanging basket and surprise your friends by casually picking a leaf or two (rinse them under the faucet) and popping them in your mouth!
Materials needed:
- a bag with hanging straps
- scissors
- potting soil
- slow-release fertilizer
- watering can
- nasturtium seeds
- a plastic garbage bag
- potting soil
- airtight container
Prepare the bag by lining it with a garbage bag. Next, use scissors to snip holes in the base for water drainage. Snip through both the bag and the lining.
Mix some potting soil with a slow-release fertilizer. Use the mixture to fill the basket almost to the brim, ready to sow the seed. Water the soil and let it drain through.
Make numerous 1/2-inch-deep holes around the basket and in the center. Be sure they are 4 inches (10 cm) apart. Place a seed into each hole and cover with soil.
Wait for the plants to grow. About a week later, little green shield-shaped leaves will poke their way through the soil. Give them a drink of water.
Harvest the crop. When several leaves have appeared and the bright flowers bloom, they are ready to eat.
Add a few nasturtium leaves and flowers to a mixed leaf salad. If you leave some flowers on the stalks, they will form tiny wrinkled seeds. You can eat these, too! Make flowery ice cubes by putting flowers into an ice cube tray with water, then freeze.
Collect the seeds when the flowers have died. Store them until they are hard and dry (as shown here). Keep them in an airtight container in a cool dry place and remember to label them. You can then plant them for next year's crop.
Take proper care of your plants. Nasturtiums grow best in full sun and in poor, dry soil. Their height varies depending on the variety. The plants need little attention and prefer the soil to be kept fairly dry. However, in a hanging basket or bag, the soil can dry out quickly, so water regularly, especially in dry weather.
-- HGTV.com, excerpted from "Ready, Set, Grow" by DK Books
GateHouse News Service
