Spring Cleaning Your Office
By Janet Barclay, MVA
As an office organizing consultant, I often see old computers, printers, and monitors taking up valuable space in both workspaces and storage areas, as well as drawers and boxes full of old cell phones, calculators, and other equipment that is no longer used. Although some business owners hold on to such items to use as a back-up, others do so because they don’t know how to properly dispose of them to ensure that the hazardous materials they contain don’t end up in a landfill site.
Keep in mind that because technology changes so rapidly, a piece of equipment which no longer meets your needs may well be of value to someone else. If your business upgrades equipment frequently, you may be able to resell it, however, due to depreciation, you’ll likely only recover a fraction of your original purchase price. You’re also unlikely to get rich stripping and selling the components to someone who needs replacement parts for an older computer, but it may be an option worth considering, as it will keep those items out of the landfill, and may make a big difference to the person or organization who can’t afford to replace equipment when it breaks down.
Another option to consider is the donation of surplus computers and other office equipment to a school or non-profit organization. You can locate organizations accepting donations at www.charityvillage.com or www.techsoup.com. Older machines can still be useful tools in programs where unemployed people gain job skills training by refurbishing or repairing such equipment, and in some cases, you may even receive a tax receipt for your donation.
Machines which are too old to be useful to anyone can be recycled, and a new industry of computer recycling is emerging. Before you decide to deal with one of these businesses, you should find out how they will dispose of your equipment, as apparently some recyclers simply ship it off to be disposed of in countries with less rigid environmental standards.
Some manufacturers have a program where they will reward you with a gift certificate or discount on a future purchase in exchange for returning your used computers or printer cartridges to them for recycling or donation to a charity, and you may wish to explore this option.
If you are going to sell or donate your computer to another person or organization, you must be sure to first clear all your personal and/or business data off the hard drive, to protect yourself and possibly your clients against identity theft, to protect your proprietary business information, and to ensure that your business doesn’t violate any privacy laws. Unless you are prepared to include original disks, documentation, and software licenses along with the computer, you should also remove any software from the computer before passing it on. Keep in mind that if you simply delete files or even format the hard drive, the data may still be present, and someone with moderate technical abilities will be able retrieve it. To make sure the data cannot be recovered, you need to write over the physical clusters by “wiping” the data. You can locate a program for this purpose by searching on www.download.com or www.tucows.com. If you’re disposing of a large number of computers, you’ll be glad to know that there is also an entire industry dedicated to securing and destroying data.
In addition to computers, there may be other surplus items in your office which could benefit a charitable organization or community group, including furniture and office supplies. Before you discard anything, take the time to explore donating and recycling options. By doing so, you’ll not only free up space in your office, but you’ll help the environment, and possibly make someone’s life a little better.
© 2007 Janet Barclay. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Janet Barclay, Organized Assistant, offers a variety of professional quality services to support entrepreneurs and other individuals who are overwhelmed by the demands and technology of the 21st century. For further information, please visit her website at www.organizedassistant.com.
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