Get P.O.'d Your business card is usually no place for your home address. At around $50 a year, a post office box is an ideal business address to put on literature. Since many shipping services won't deliver to P.O. boxes, however, consider using the address of a local shipping service or executive suite for your stationery. Just remember that recent U.S. Postal Service regulations require the PMB (private mailbox) designation in such addresses, which you may feel hinders your professional appearance.



Make Your Space Official When ordering a rubber stamp or writing your return address on correspondence, say "Suite 201" or "No. 201" instead of "Apt. 201." Or add "Suite 100" to your address, even if it's a single-family home--it looks more like a business address.

Back It Up Regularly back up sensitive data to external media (like a Zip disk or CD-RW) and stash it in a fireproof safe, at a neighbor's home, or in a safe-deposit box. Alternatively, subscribe to a Web-based service, that will regularly copy selected directories or files from your PC to its servers.

Prepare the Office far Travel When traveling for a few days or more, treat your home office like your home. Turn on a few lights; put others on automatic timers. Lock all the windows and doors, and the door from the office to the house. Turn off your automatic garage door opener and set your alarm, such as burglar alarm,intruder alarm etc.

Get Covered Home-based businesses need extra insurance coverage. Call your carrier and explain your operation. You might require a business rider to cover your equipment, and another to increase liability for clients or vendors who visit your home office.

Be Your Own OSHA Inspector

Conducted a safety survey of your home office work site lately? Review these home office tips to help ensure your workplace is a safe place.

* Does the home office have safe electrical usage, with reasonable use of extension cords and power strips, plus wire chases or limited exposed wiring to help keep kids or pets from getting tangled or shocked?

* Does the office have a fire extinguisher (often required as part of a city or county occupational license), a first-aid kit, escape ladders where needed, and a handy list of emergency medical contacts?

* Have you surveyed the home's approach to ensure no misplaced bricks or stepping stones will trip you or business visitors?

* If you're a teleworker, have you and your company reviewed both personal and corporate medical, office equipment liability, and property insurance policies to ensure you're covered against damages that may arise from an employee or client mishap?

Another service, Computrace 7.0 from Absolute Software,($79; www.absolute.com), is like LoJack for computers. Once loaded onto a PC, the system sends a background message to Absolute's offices during online connections. If the owner reports the unit stolen, Absolute can trace the sources phone number or Internet Protocol (IP) address. The company says the 64K program cannot be deleted and dials automatically.

Still, most protection is up to the owner. Engrave hardware with your name and phone number, and write down serial numbers on documents you travel with, as well as on product manuals stored--along with Polaroid photos--at home, Celi suggests. Back up data regularly, and stash it away from the PC. And when traveling, she says, ditch the vendor-brand laptop case for a nondescript attache.