The Laptop Office
Being married to a serial entrepreneur I've learned that the most important piece of luggage in the house is the laptop bag. Even for myself - working from home mainly from my computer at our kitchen table I know that everything I need to get the job done is in one place. Living in a 900 square foot apartment with 2 kids, no office and little quiet time? My laptop bag and it's contents are essential to what I do. I asked my husband, Aaron Schaap to help me out with the photos on how to fit everything you need in a laptop bag.
We'll get to him soon, but first ... how many times have you had to run out the door to a meeting and you only had time to grab your laptop bag? Being a small business owner taking meetings is one of the most important relationship builders there is and being prepared sets you apart in the wide array of business cards floating around vying for beneficial attention.
So pack a punch and be prepared. Here's how to do it: Today in Aaron's bag you'll find:
Envelopes for his gas/lunch money (budgeter alert!), current book, mole skin, lap top, business cards, business papers or sell sheets, office keys and countless chords, convertors and apple gadgets.
Aaron's systematic in his packing and he has a place for everything so he can easily spot when he's run out of something (sell sheets, business cards), always knows where his mole skin is, keys and will be alerted to when he's left his power cord at the office. Again. (So we've learned to have an extra.)
Since we live in an apartment with no dedicated home office we joke that we each have a "Laptop Office". I don't carry around even half the chords he does, but I do keep my latest project files with me at all times. I think there are valuable ways to keep most of your files online so you have access to them any where, but I love having a piece of paper in front of me when I'm working as a freelancer. Plus I'm always assured that my project files didn't get lumped in with the heating bill and moved around when cleaning. Literally, folks. 900 square feet.
Leave a comment and let us know what your essentials are for your "Laptop Office". Are you an office dweller? Have you taken up in a coworking space? Do you work from home or on the road? What tools online and off would you be lost without?
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Envelope system? Sweet!
We don’t have a home office either and are totally “Laptop Office” people. In addition to the things you listed, I always make sure I have a few working ink pens with me! I hate being at a meeting or working in a coffee shop and being stuck without any ink pens to jot down some notes!
@Andrew - Yup! We’re envelope people. You too?
@Stacey - yes! He actually had pens in his bag as well - and I always try to keep more than one because I end up lending them out to kids. Ehum. It’s great to be able to have the ability to write my thoughts out. And make lists. I’m a creature of reminder, I need to see it on paper.