My home office needs some upgrading. I’m open to hardware suggestions but I’d really like ideas for software, applications, and work space changes to make your work environment better, faster, productive, and fun. I’m also on a very tight budget (duh). There’s a picture of my current space at the end of this post.

So, what would you recommend ? Here are a few categories I’d like ideas for …

• organizing lots and lots of files
  • personal docs, bills, bank records, work papers & presentations, photos, media, …
  • a number of virtual machine images (that seem to be slower that I think they should be)
• optimize minimal screen real estate
  • my personal laptop has 1024×768
  • my two work laptops are 1400×1050 each
  • I have a 20″ flat panel (1600×1200) but it serves as my media player screen so it’s currently in inconvenient location for computer work.
• better telephone
  • my phone is a 5.8ghz AT&T cordless speaker phone that has issues with conference calls (noise cancellation conflicting with simplex/duplex)
  • my cellphone only gets signal when I leave it on a window sill and even outside it is very weak
  • I have a big yard
• easier accounting
  • my bills come in at all times of the month
  • I have multiple accounts
  • I have hate paying attention to my (admittedly small) investments
• keeping current on news and people
  • I blog and read a number of blogs
  • I don’t have TV service and I miss the evening news and a few TV shows
• better work space
  • my “office” is currently in the same room where I watch movies (because it all share the same wiring)
  • I live in a rental so physical changes - wiring, building structures, etc. - are very limited
  • the rental is old so wiring - electrical and telephone - is very limited
  • everything is on or next to a 60″ wide table = 3 laptops, 2 printers (1 is a multi-function), a big shredder, an iPod radio, my cordless phone, 2+TB NAS, gigabit switch, 802.11g wireless Actiontec DSL modem, and media player
  • the small UPS is for when (not if) the power bounces
  • it is very functional but not very attractive
• time, temp, weather
  • my favorite clock is in the next room and can’t be moved. my second favorite clock stopped working.
  • I prefer to know the outdoor temp before I step outside
  • I have an obsession with knowing the weather but don’t want to spend a lot of time to find out

Post a comment or PM is you prefer. All ideas will be considered !

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Posted in Home Office, Productivity |

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