10 Tips for An Environmentally-Friendly Home Office

     The decision to decorate/design your home office using environment-friendly methods is needed to help preserve our environment. It does not require expensive materials or become a time-consuming experience. It can be done in an afternoon. Once you have established a small budget, you can follow these 10 steps:

1. Review your current home office equipment and make a list of what you may want to keep, what you want to exchange with another person, and what you want to donate/throw away. This will provide you with a clear understanding between your wants and needs.
2. Your computer/printer/telephone/desk/chair/ are primary so before donating any old computer remove any sensitive information from the hard drive such as banking/financial/legal/medical documents. You can find a professional for help.
3. Use the Internet and research material to find and compare energy star rated equipment. Also, powerstrips should be used to turn off all equipment after finished.
4. Reuse paper from faxes, e-mail and hard copy mail (Use both sides). Likewise, minimize printing by reviewing a draft and consider using a free program to send invoices weekly/monthly. If a company insists on a hard copy, make sure all work has been finished before sending to prevent unneeded invoices from being mailed.
5. Consider purchasing from flea markets/garage sales/estate sales for bargains such as computer desk, couches, and file cabinets. Check the furniture for safety such as loose screws, unstable wheels, and frail wood.
6. Trade items with fellow home business owners or barter. People make fast purchases for equipment but change their minds after the time frame for an exchange/return has ended so you can find bargains.
7. Make sure that you maintain a binder with clear sheets for all instructions, receipts, and warranties. You can use this binder for holding/storing small, thin manuals for your computer, telephone equipment, furniture, and printers. Keep this binder in a convenient location.
8. Try to maintain one computer for the household. If this proves difficult, keep the new computer for your business/household activities and give the old computer to your children for games. Likewise, speak with people in your current profession to verify the basic software to perform your job.
9. Maximize the use of your equipment and do not worry about every update like the newest software versions. Consider what you needs are and stick with them.
10. Update your home insurance policies as needed.

    Maintaining an environmentally-friendly home office takes a realistic understanding of how you plan to use your supplies/equipment while saving our planet for future generations.