How To
Work From Home: Creating a Home Base
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Home section
September 25, 2005
Lisa Montanaro painted her
office red, because she loves that color,
and because she says red is supposed
to speed up your heart,
while inspiring and rejuvenating.
by Patricia Simone
A few years ago, Lisa Montanaro tired of
practicing labor employment law. She loved Pace University, but the work
was getting to her. "It was very draining, and it was becoming too negative for
my taste," she says. She wasn't happy. But she wasn't sure what to do. People
would ask if she wanted to open her own law firm. Her reaction was always
"absolutely not – I don't want to be in business for myself!" Then one day, a
best friend e-mailed her about the National Organization of Professional
Organizers, and a light bulb went off. "I've always been an organized person,
and had been helping family and friends manage their clutter for years," she
says. "Until I found out about the national organization, I never dreamed I
could make a living at it!" Once Lisa discovered this could be a real
profession, she began to do research and attend classes and conferences. The
next step was to start on a part-time basis, to see whether this longtime hobby
could be the career transition she was looking for. As it turned out, the answer
was a resounding yes. "I did not want to open my own law firm, but I love
running this business, which is my true calling," she says.
How to Get Started
Whether you are in a home-based work situation
or contemplating starting one, there are a number of things you need to think
about. "The key to getting started is to consider the kind of business you're
in, how you will conduct business and where you will be able to manage your
business more effectively," says Lisa, now the owner of LM Organizing Solutions
in Warwick, NY. "Then, you can develop a workable plan."
Lisa is a great resource on how to get the perfect office and business setup,
since organization – both for consumers and business clients – is what she does
for a living.
Getting Down to Basics
When she began to plan opening a home-based
business about three years ago, Lisa considered a number of things: physical
location and layout, aesthetics (decorating), office furnishings, hardware and
software, and business-service vendors. According to Lisa, everyone has
different time and space constraints, as well as unique ways of thinking and
skill levels. All of these factors should be carefully considered before buying
equipment and setting up the work space. When new businesses open theirs doors,
costs can easily get out of hand, so Lisa recommends doing your homework. There
are thousands of products on the market, in all price ranges. By being creative
and repurposing things you already have, such as baskets, lamps and tables, you
can keep costs down. Lisa says staying organized helps her manage and grow her
business more effectively. Staying organized means you can work smarter, not
harder. "It takes time and energy, (and sometimes funds) to set up properly, but
the pay off is tremendous," she says. "As a professional organizer, I obviously
'practice what I preach,' so my home office and the way I run my business is
extremely organized, both space-wise and time management-wise." Starting her own
business at home has led her to a realization: "I never had any interest in
opening my own law firm, and I realize now that lack of interest was more due to
the type of business I was in," she says. "Now that I have found my niche, I
love being an entrepreneur, having my own business, and working from home."
Setting It Up
Lisa's "must-haves" (costs are listed where
possible) include:
Dedicated phone/fax line(s).
Keep the business and your personal lines separate. (Cost varies by service.)
Phone.
Lisa prefers a cordless one, with speaker phone option, which she uses when
taking teleclasses. (Cost varies.)
Desk.
This can be a simple table or a coordinated furniture system. Lisa has the black
wood Corner Desk System from Ballard Designs ($999). It comes in many
configurations, so you can adapt to your needs and space. Lisa's is a corner
desk with two filing cabinets and two three-drawer cabinets.
Filing cabinet(s). Invest in commercial grade for fixed units, and/or portable ones that
can be easily used in another room or taken offsite on business meetings. (Cost
varies.)
Computer.
This should be specifically for business and not a shared machine. (Cost varies
by system.)
Computer speakers. (Cost varies.)
All-in-one fax/copier/scanner/printer.
Lisa has a HP PSC 2410. ($299) DSL or other high-speed Internet connection.
(Cost varies by service.)
Cross-cut shredder. For security of sensitive business or client data. Lisa's also tears
through credit cards and staples. ($49-$120).
Business credit card.
Lisa likes American Express Open because it helps her track her expenses and she
gets discounts at various business retailers such as Staples and car rental
companies.
Binders, folders.
Rolodex.
Business cards (1000 count) and brochures.
Lisa had hers printed locally by The Warwick Press.
Accordion files. Three or four of them with 18 or more pockets. These are used to keep
track of business taxes, phone/postal expenses, financial business
expenses/receipts, advertising, etc. Lisa used accordions until she got the new
desk system. She switched to green hanging folders inserted with regular manila
folders.
Postage meter. Weighing your own mail keeps your postage costs accurate.
Stamp pad with business name and address.
Lisa got hers at The Inkwell in Warwick. ($17)
Post office box ($50 per year).
Label maker.
Lisa uses the Brother P-Touch Home and Hobby version. ($29.99)
Desk lamp.
Lisa bought her candlestick-style lamp locally at Frazzleberries in Warwick. ($69)
Computer programs. Because she is computer-savvy, Lisa did not invest in any customer
management software (such as ACT or Goldmine) because she relies on Excel
spreadsheets for many business- and client-related data management functions.
Norton Antivirus and firewall software. Turbotax, Quicken or Quickbooks are good
picks.
Technology.
After her first year, Lisa went techno, moving from a filofax planner to a Palm
Pilot, which helps her track contacts, dates and meetings. Lisa recharges her
Sony Clie Palm every weekend, and backs up her data on the computer using
provided software (runs around $199-$500).
Web site.
She created her own using provided templates from her hosting company, Network
Solutions, which also registered her domain name, gives her e-mail address and
other services. (About $130 per year).
Professional photo. Benenati Photography in Westtown handled hers. (Approximately $80).
Filofax business, contact and meeting
planner. A great way to keep written
records of appointments, networking and other business meetings.
Seating.
Lisa also made sure to include a comfortable upholstered chair and to have an
alternate seating area away from her desk.
Camera.
She also bought a digital camera, which she uses to capture "before" and "after"
shots for her portfolio (3-megapixel Sony Cybershot, around $299). 
Closet System. At the start, Lisa also invested in a closet redesign, by Rylex Closet
Systems in Pine Island. They worked with her to
reconfigure the space for business; installing a four-tiered system of shelves
and appropriate spaces for her mesh stackable organizers, business supplies,
promotional items, etc.
Source:
LM Organizing Solutions, P.O. Box 113, Warwick,
(845) 988-0183,
www.LMOrganizingSolutions.com.
Lisa Montanaro, owner
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