Editor’s note: Good Morning! As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering the entrepreneurial spirit of moms everywhere, we are launching our Mom-P-Inc Small Business Consultation column on OBE this morning.

This is a space where moms with ideas brewing, new businesses on the launch, a position in a larger company or solid businesses in need of some inspiration can come to discover tools, tricks and support as you head down the path. It isn’t JUST for moms in business either as much of what we chat about here can be used in the business of running the house – which is the most challenging small business of all.

Today, talented local small business consultant Emma Payton kicks things off with some ever important organizational tools.

An aside, the office in the photo below is mine – and I am definitely not claiming to be queen of organization or efficient use of space. Actually, many days it’s piled up high with a to-do list a mile long and organizational tools definitely need some application.

I’d LOVE to hear how you keep your home or work office space organized. So, please chime in after Emma and share.

Here’s Emma:

Congratulations – you have decided to start your very own business!

By now you know what you want to sell or offer as a service. You may know who your customers will be and you may also know how you are going to market and sell your product or service.

You are full of ideas, ambition, energy and drive.

Owning your own business can have lots of rewards including independence, flexibility, personal fulfillment and fun. It will also bring added responsibilities and you may find yourself busier than you’ve ever been.

To be a successful Mompreneur – and enjoy yourself along the way – it is crucial that you become as organized as possible.

Here are a few very important organizational things you need to put in place now, before you begin:

SPACE

The very first thing you need to do is decide where you are going to work. Whether you are working from home or you are renting an office space, having a dedicated work space is one of the fundamental keys to business organization. For the purpose of this article, we will assume that you have chosen to work from home.

Find a space in your home that is to become “mom’s office”.

Whether it is a corner in the basement, a converted garage or the guest bedroom that doesn’t get a lot of use, find or create a space that is away from the hustle and bustle of family life, is not easily reached by curious and sticky fingers, and will provide you with a sense of being “at work” when you are there.

Enlist your family’s support – ask them where they think mom’s office should be.

You may be surprised to find that your children are willing to give up their extra play area or your partner may have ideas about rearranging the living space to accommodate your office. Getting your family’s buy-in is crucial to your success, and one of the ways to get buy-in is to involve them in idea generation and decision making.

Once you have determined where your office will be, you will need to develop a set of family agreements about your office. While you will always be balancing your family’s needs with the needs of your business, you want to ensure that your work space and work time is respected.

Depending on the ages of your children, you may need to develop agreements about:

• Entering mom’s office,
• Interrupting mom when she is on the telephone, and
• Taking things from mom’s office.

Office Equipment

The key to a well running office is systems. Having a place for everything and everything in its place will ensure that you spend time growing and building your business, not searching for lost papers, phone numbers and other important things.

DESK

At a minimum you will need a desk that has space for a computer and a space to work on. Corner computer desks are fine for family purposes but you will need more than that; you will need something on which to write and to organize your paperwork. Your desk should have a drawer or two and at least one file drawer. If floor space is at a premium, look for a desk that has overhead storage.

COMPUTER

Ideally your business computer should not double as the family computer. Problems occur when little Sam downloads a corrupt game that destroys your hard drive or dad’s poker time coincides with your time to communicate with your clients. These days’ personal computers are more affordable than ever, so invest in one. Don’t forget, if the computer is used exclusively for business purposes it is a tax-deductible expense.

TELEPHONE

Ensure you have a non-mobile telephone set up in your office. There is nothing worse than sitting down at your desk to do your work and then spending precious time trying to locate a telephone.

Telephone Number

If you take no other advice from this article, take this piece. Call your telephone company and arrange to have a smart-ring number installed. For about $8 a month, you can have a separate telephone number that rings differently when called, effectively giving you a business line. When mom’s number rings you can ensure that only you answer it, that you answer it when it is convenient to you (i.e. in your work time), and that you put your “work voice” on when you answer it. This presents a professional image of your business.

DAY PLANNER

Organizing your time is as important as organizing your space. Ensuring you never miss a meeting or important event is as easy as purchasing a day planner, writing down every appointment and task item, and checking your planner regularly.

Presenting yourself as professional and organized makes you feel confident and makes others have confidence in you and your business.

These are just a few of the organizational tools you need to ensure your business success.

A friend in business or a business consultant are great resources to learn about other organizational tools you can use to make your work time more productive and profitable.

Then, it’s time for you to shine (and work like crazy).