Organization can mean the difference between getting or losing an opportunity. Organization for
a home-based businesses is very important. A well-organized work space also means efficient follow-up, scheduling, invoicing etc... which improves your income and can help you set boundaries between home and work life.

Planning Is Everything - "Evaluate, strategize, then act." Write a list of reasons to get organized and post it where you can see it. Take before and after photos of your space to track your progress.

Organize Time to Enjoy Life As Well - The goal of your planning and organizing is to have a successful business and to enjoy a fulfilling life. Make time to get out there and enjoy life.

Make Sure You Have Sufficient Time - Take the time to identify what's important to you and give yourself access to it.

Assess Your Working Location - Before you start organizing, make sure your home-office is in the right room of your home. Then find creative ways to organize your things.

Organize for Retrieval, Not Storage - The question is where will I find this, not where should I put this. Focus on finding them, not storing them.

Create Zones - What are your main activities? Client contact, research, writing, bill paying? Put items related to each task in its own zone.

Create a User-Friendly Filing System - Get rid of that old A-Z system. Categorize your papers into such home business categories as: finances, clients, administrative and marketing, for example. Put all related files in the appropriate category in alphabetical order.

Customize to Your System to Fit the Way You Think - There is no correct organizational system. Your system needs to make sense to you. Name categories, folders, files and containers in such a way that YOU can find the information.

Complete One Section at a Time - Focus on one zone at time. Within that zone, complete one section before moving to the next. The results you see should inspire you to to continue. Reward yourself at each stage of the process.

Never Give Up - Organizing can be a huge task, people often quit before finishing. Invariably, those remaining little piles of clutter take over the office. Plan strategies ahead of time to keep yourself motivated such as scheduling time. Commit to just 10 minutes everyday to staying organized.