Spring Cleaning For Your Business. by:Donna Williams

It's my opinion that how your business is organized is a direct reflection of the way you do business.

I know, I knowthere are those who will maintain that their messes are organized and they know exactly where everything is. I think they call it creative genius, or something like that.

Well, I don't buy it.

Granted, everyone has different work styles, and some may be comfortable in chaos while others wouldn't be able to get anything done. But think about what kind of impression it gives clients and customers who walk in and see papers, invoices, billsstuffall over the place? You may be comfortable in your messes, but is your customer?

Since Spring is the traditional time to tackle cleaning projects at home, it's a good time to tackle cleaning up your business, too. So with that in mind, here's your "To-Do" list:

1. Clean out your desk drawers.

Does your file drawer stick whenever you try to open it because of all the papers crammed into the folders? Go through your drawers and throw away (shredded, please) all unnecessary paperwork. If you need to save it, but don't need it handy on a daily basis, box it up and store it. Save your precious file drawer space for that which is necessary.

Likewise for the other drawers. If you have three-year-old Twinkies taking up space, even though they may still be edible, just get rid of them. Invest in a good drawer organizer to hold your supplies like staples, paper clips, pens, etc.

2. Organize your books and reference materials.

Time is money, and if you spend a lot of time searching for books or other materials that you know "is in here somewhere," then you might want to think about organizing your books shelves better.

Spend a little time thinking about what makes sense. Should you organize alphabetically by author or title? Or maybe by category? Do whatever makes the most sense to you because you're the one that has to use the system. And be sure to put everything back in its place once you're finished.

3. Cut out the clutter.

I admit itclutter is the bane of my existence. You see, my husband is a pack rat - I truly believe he has every car and motorcycle magazine ever published for the past 30 years squirreled away in various locations in our home and storage building. I, on the other hand, am one of those people who can't concentrate with clutter around me. Different people have different ways of looking (or not looking) at clutter. But when it comes to your business, be sure to err on the side of organization; because while you may be perfectly comfy in your clutter, your employees, your customers, your clients, you visitors may be not be.Besides, a clear and clutter-free work environment can cut wasted time and boost productivity. What better reason do you need to de-clutter?

4. Simplify.

Life is way too complicated these days. And the more complicated something is, chances are the more money it is costing. Which is why you need to simplify every area you can. Take a look at every area of your companyare there ways you can make processes and procedures easier? Streamline, streamline, streamline. The great thing is, once you start simplifying, the more you will find to simplify.

5. Take care of repairs.

We all have those things that we put off for so long, they finally become invisible to us. For me, it a couple of tiles in the hallway that need re-grouting. An easy fix, but one that just doesn't seem to get done. I bet you have them, too.Now's a great time to get it taken care of. Whether you do it yourself, or hire someone, just do it. If your reception is looking dingy, give it a facelift. Your sign sagging? Get someone out to fix it. Take an hour and make a list of all the things around your office that need to be repaired. Then mark which ones can be taken care of internally, and those that will need to be hired out. If you don't have time, assign an employee to oversee all the repairs and make sure they get done in a timely manner.

6. Review your business plan.

Is your business on track to meet your goals? Especially given the recent economy, now would be a great time to sit down with your key people, and/or business advisor or mentor, to update the plan with realistic targets.

7. Get rid of outmoded ways of thinking.

Spring is a great time to breathe fresh air into your company. Sit down with your key people and think about the way you do business. If there are patterns, products, or thought processes that aren't working anymore, figure out how to get rid of them and replace them with ones that will rejuvenate your bottom line.

Remember, an organized business is a happy and productive business. Happy Spring Cleaning!

(c) Copyright 2009, BusinessBurrito.com. All rights reserved.

About the author

Donna Williams is the founder and creator of BusinessBurrito.com - a website dedicated to helping small businesses grow to their maximum potential. She is also a 25-year advertising / marketing executive, creative director, writer, and producer. Together, Donna and her husband currently own and co-own five small businesses. To read more of her articles, or to sign up for her free e-newsletter, visit her website at http://www.businessburrito.com

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