If you work out of your home or just need a place to take care of personal business, it’s a good idea to set up a workspace dedicated to this purpose in your home.  Whether it’s a corner of your apartment or a whole room, your space should be comfortable, safe, and securely protect your sensitive documents and computer files.  January is a good time to clean and organize your home office space with the following ideas in mind.

Personal Safety

Will kids, pets, and guests have access to your office set-up?  What hazards do you see?

• Electrical Cords and outlets:
  • Untangle, organize and group cords.
  • Make sure outlets aren’t overloaded.
• Tripping Hazards:
  • Those cords again!
  • Boxes and other objects protruding from under your desk.
• Make sure there’s a clear path to the exit.
• Childproof your office if children have access
  • Cover unused electrical outlets
  • Secure small objects like paper clips, pens, etc. where little hands can’t find them!

Data Safety

• Use surge protectors.
• Add an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) to protect against power outages
• Keep your computer safe from viruses and malware by updating your current anti-virus and firewall protection
• Back up your data onto a hard drive
• Keep stored client data confidential
• Ensure sensitive data is encrypted
• File any loose paper documents securely