Your Car - The Link Between Your Clients and Your Home Office

Does your car remind you of your home and office combined? Are there clothes in the trunk, food in the front seat, wrappers on the floor and papers everywhere?

The car is a very important link between your clients and your home, and a lot of living and working goes on there. Because of this, you need to set it up so that it works well for you and does not become a daily frustration.

First of all, your automobile gets a lot of use every day and should be kept mechanically sound. So, taking it in for regular maintenance will help to keep you on the road and on time for your appointments.

Secondly, a system needs to be developed for your car based on how you do business. You will want to carry certain things with you every day, and they will need a place to reside inside your vehicle. So, you may have a lot of office supplies you use such as a cell phone, a handheld computer, notebook, mileage book, pens, calculator, stapler, etc., that need a container.

Files are another area that needs to be addressed. If you have client files or sales literature, you should have a portable file box or file manager to put them in that can be easily carried into your home office at the end of the day. This file box can be put on your front passenger seat or floor to be easily accessible

during the day. Some file containers also have an area for your office supplies. If you need a writing surface, a clipboard or lap desk can be carried easily in the front seat as well. Any work equipment or tool needs could be stored in your trunk. Earlier I mentioned food in the car, which brings up eating and ultimately garbage. Therefore, I would recommend carrying either trash bags or a small wastebasket with you in the backseat and emptying it daily as this can get out of hand real fast!

Keeping track of mileage is something you need to do for tax purposes. This can be done several different ways from tracking it in your planner, on your computer or in a notebook. Wherever it is, just make a habit of doing it.

If you are using your cell phone frequently while out on the road, you will need a way to take notes during the calls.

This can be done in your planner, a contact management program on your portable computer or

palm pilot or on a micro-cassette recorder. After you return to your home office, transfer this information to your computer or client files.

Make sure you have all of your phone numbers with you in your planner or in your computer. Always update your home office computer with your portable and vice versa so that your information is always current in both places.

Everything we have just talked about can also pertain to traveling between your office and your home office if you happen to work in both places. Keeping your vehicle organized will in turn help you to keep your home office organized as well.

Linda Hansen
Simply Organized Solutions
262-544-6521