| Designate An Electronics Drawer | | | | but I also take a look at clearance tables at my |
| Does your home office have various cords and | | | | local office supply stores. |
| plugs and gadgets scattered around, laying on | | | | I use a laptop, so a laptop stand recovers |
| shelves, in the bottom of boxes, and at the back | | | | desktop space and I store my notepads and |
| of a drawer? You find random USB cords that | | | | post-its under my laptop. I use the ALLSOP stand |
| you *think* came with your digital camera, but | | | | from Office Max. I also have only 3 USB ports on |
| you're not really sure... Hmmmm. | | | | my laptop, but about 8 USB items to plug in. So a |
| Solve this chaos by designating one spot for all | | | | USB Hub is vital to keep me running efficiently. |
| cords. Go to any Walmart to the plastic bin | | | | The Kikkerland Hub Man is awesome and |
| section and purchase a $15 3-drawer tabletop | | | | entertaining. I LOVE IT. I use a variety of color |
| plastic chest. Also buy a pack of file folder labels. | | | | coded USB Flash drives. These are very |
| Go back home and treasure hunt for all your | | | | inexpensive and get better/bigger all the time. A |
| random cords, gather them around you and sit | | | | second monitor keeps my email on one screen |
| down on the living room floor and get organized. | | | | and my active project on the other. A very |
| 1st: Label the drawers something like this... | | | | efficient setup, but not necessarily a cheap |
| - USB Cables and Miscellaneous Accessories | | | | addition. |
| - Old cell phones and chargers | | | | New vs Old |
| - A/V cables, Printer and Monitor Cables | | | | This is an important topic; have you seen the |
| 2nd: Label the cords | | | | price of computers? They're incredibly low! Buying |
| - Write the cord's name on a file folder label, then | | | | a new computer isn't such a bad idea. |
| use it to tag the cord. | | | | But it's a hassle to buy a new one. All that time |
| - Use rubber bands or bread bag ties to keep | | | | to transfer files, install software, the expense of |
| them from sprawling out of control. | | | | buying software you already have on your old |
| In fact, I even tag all the cords plugged into | | | | computer, and the list goes on. |
| power strips. You will eventually have to unplug | | | | Instead of buying a new computer, I'm going to |
| one of them, so isn't it smart to know which one | | | | upgrade the one I've got this week. Just one |
| you are pulling? Yes! | | | | easy click into The Crucial System Scanner takes |
| 3rd: Put them into their designated drawers, | | | | the guesswork out of upgrading your memory. |
| properly labeled and the last and most important | | | | (By the way, the Crucial Memory company was |
| part of this project..... | | | | started in Boise, Idaho.) It's going to cost me $58 |
| Tell Your Family!!! Announce the new system!!! | | | | to double my RAM, speed up my Window's delay |
| They will soon come to appreciate that one spot | | | | and web page loading. That's alot cheaper than |
| and no more frustration finding cords. | | | | $800 (+ tax and setup time) for a new computer. |
| Computer Gadgets Worth Having | | | | When the memory sticks arrive, you will get a |
| There are just some things in my home office | | | | set of instructions on how to install them. |
| that I can't live without. I highly recommend these | | | | (Involves removing a side panel on a PC and a |
| simple and inexpensive items so your computing | | | | bottom panel on a laptop. Fairly harmless. I've |
| time is streamlined. I buy as much of my stuff | | | | done it multiple times and have survived it.) |
| online at Newegg's Electronic Store as possible, | | | | *smile* I MEAN IT!! |