Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Office Supplies

The internet has changed the way we do many things but one of the most overlooked is how much it has helped companies to cut their costs. One of the most obvious examples is the purchase of office supplies. With a few clicks on the mouse, the buying agent for a company can shop Office Max, Office Depot, Staples and their local business suppliers for the best prices.

It is simple to see who has the best deals on everyday items such as toner cartridges or BIC pens. Where the internet really proves its worth is when you need something slightly off the beaten path. Say you want to give your employees a fine pen set for Christmas, you can do your comparison shopping on line. Need business cards? Now you can order them from your desk instead of trooping down to the stationary store or printer.

Business people who utilize the internet to buy their office supplies save money, save time and increase productivity. These are all good things.

Saturday, April 01, 2006

By John Wilson
Published with the Permission of the Author

It is always amazing how quickly you run out of space, especially if you’re a packrat like me. Fortunately, there are tons of solutions available to increase the useable space you already have, rent a temporary solution or rent a full blown all weather storage unit.

To increase you usable space without remodeling or renting, look to shelf, closet and garage storage solutions. There are some really clever items on the market and a quick internet search on Google, Yahoo or MSN will net you a wealth of great ideas.

Then there is the traditional backyard shed. They come in all shapes and sizes and different level of complication. Some can be assembled in a few minutes, other require skilled labor and a building permit. These are usually used to make more room in a garage by providing a space for lawnmowers and other hand tools.

A recent innovation is the POD or temporary storage unit that you can park in your driveway for a few weeks if you need storage and don’t want to haul everything across town. These are really handy, as we discovered when we put in new flooring. We were able to move all of the furniture out of a section of the house while the work was being completed.

Finally, there are the full scale storage rental units. They come in all shapes and variety but a general rule of thumb if you have extreme weather in your area, either very hot or humid to very cold in the winter; it is probably wise to rent an air-conditioned unit. This is especially true if you are storing furniture or clothing.

Check out your options online.