I talked with Dee, the professional organizer who is helping me get organized in my home office. I asked to tell her story about being a professional organizer.  Here it is, in her own words:

My choice to become a professional organizer has evolved out of my desire for a new career and out of necessity in helping my 8 year old son Alec, who is an Autism Spectrum child.  Because of his unique challenges and his need for a peaceful, non-chaotic environment, I have learned the value of what good organization can bring to his well-being — physical, mental and …read more

I’m getting organized!  I’m very excited about this, as I have been frustrated over the past month as I try to get my home business going.  I have a lot of STUFF sitting around (David Allen of Getting Things Done (GTD) actually calls it that) and I have problems every day figuring out what to do first.
I’ve been studying GTD religiously.  I even went out and bought a bunch of file folders and a labelmaker, as David Allen suggested. But I didn’t know where to start.  I’m too disorganized to even BEGIN figuring it out on my own.
Then, today, miraculously, …read more

Mary Emma asked me this (she’s still at Quilting and Patchwork and she continues to follow what we’re doing here at Home Biz Notes.)  Good question.  Here is what AssistU says about what a VA is:
VAs are micro business owners who provide administrative and possibly personal support while working in long-term collaborative relationships with only a handful of terrific clients. Using phone, fax, email, as well as other emerging technologies, VAs support their clients’ needs, across the board, without having to ever step foot inside the clients’ offices.
Whatever you expect an administrative assistant to do for you, a VA can …read more

As I wandered back through the archives of HomeBizNotes in my end-of-year review, I saw lots of possibilities for home businesses. If your New Years resolution is to start a home business in 2009, I hope this list gives you inspiration.
In January, a Thursday 13 provided a list of home business opportunities
Yvonne talked with Four Ingredients Cookbook authors – maybe you have a cookbook in you, too?
A Genealogy-related business might be genetically suited to you.
Maybe Craft Shows are your passion. Developing a home business around this idea can be profitable.
In February, Mary Emma listed 13 Online …read more

Are you getting paid for work, but not as a “real”business?  If so, you are missing out on some tax advantages and other benefits of having a business.  Over the next few weeks, I will give you some tips on how to set up a home business.  Today, I
My daughter-in-law is one of those “mile a minute” types.  She has two school-age children (kindergarten and 2nd grade), an active social life through her church, and a part-time job as a receptionist.  And she still has time to do catering, for the church and for the occasional party.  The other day, …read more