Category: office organizing

13 Best Organizing Tips for a More Orderly Life

Posted on by In Order to Succeed Team

organized drawer full of dishesAn organized life is a more peaceful life. Yet, clutter can sneak up on you and many people feel immobile in the face of it. They hate the clutter they see all around them, but they don’t know how to handle it. Below are 13 of our best organizing tips to create a more orderly life. Once you get a good routine started with these tips, you’ll have a better chance of keeping your environment sorted. And having your surroundings in order allows you to enjoy every day free from stress and clutter.

1. Address the Most Visible Issues

Begin the organization process with areas that are most visible and/or problematic. Start small and be sure to allow sufficient time for each step in the process: sort, purge, assign a home, containerize, then maintain and equalize regularly.

As an example, let’s imagine that your kitchen pantry is the worst aspect of your home. If you can get even one shelf organized, your home is going to look nicer as a result. This is one of many kitchen organizing tips that will help you going forward.

2. Create Systems to Help You

The systems you create need to fit into your life and surroundings. Therefore, if you never check your calendar, putting reminders on it isn’t going to help you. Instead, you could use a system that requires sticky notes.

The truth is that there’s no one right way to do things. Whatever system works best for you should naturally rise to the top. Grab onto it and make it work for you!

3. Keep it Simple

This is where so many well-intentioned people go wrong. If you look around you and see a mountain of clutter, it’s going to be hard to do anything with it. By keeping your expectations simple, you can chip away at the clutter a piece at a time. Using garage organizing tips, for example, pick one thing to work on each week and you’ll end up in a much better place.

4. Sort Everything

Woman sorting laundryIs everything in your home sorted by the area you use it in? If not, it’s time to start. That means keeping your remote control on or next to the couch, putting all kitchen stuff in the kitchen right away, keeping your floss in the bathroom, etc.

Don’t allow items to be out of place. This way, even if you still have clutter to deal with, you’ll at least have the items you need close at hand.

5. Say No Sometimes

Society has done a good job of convincing people that they must always be available to others. However, nothing could be further from the truth. No is one of the best productivity tools there is. Before you say ‘yes’ to events, meetings or other time commitments, ask yourself this question, ‘Will it move me closer to my goals?’ If the answer is no, then say NO.

6. List Making

Create a master list that allows you to keep track of your to-dos and other projects.

Cross each item off once you’ve completed it. That way, not only will you know what you must do, but you’ll receive the satisfaction of seeing items crossed off the list.

7. Learn to Delegate

One of the most difficult things for people to do is learn how to delegate. Whether we’re in our personal or professional lives, though, it’s an invaluable skill to learn. Always look for opportunities to delegate or outsource recurring tasks or low-value activities.
Tidy Daily

This is the point that messes up a lot of people. However, if you’ve cleaned up your messy space, it’s the absolute best way to prevent it from becoming cluttered again. As an example, following tips for closet organizing will help ensure that you make good usage of your time.

The vital thing you must achieve here is setting a specific time (5 to 15 minutes) aside to work on any clutter.

8. Make Sure Everything Has a Place

Everything in your home should have a place where it goes. And when we say this, we mean a place that makes sense. Again, keeping items by where they’re useful is the best way to put this system in place.

9. Use the Right Tools

If you’re using old shoe boxes as containers, you might be doing yourself more harm than good. Our brains really love things to be organized, so putting them in a proper container definitely looks better. It’s also imperative to purchase the right tools to help keep your environment clean.

10. Use a Labeler

person using organizational toolsHave you ever seen the episode of The Simpsons where Bart gets a label maker? He labels everything, including Homer’s rear end. We want you to imitate Bart by investing in a good labeler (e.g., Brother P-Touch) and labeling everything (although labeling your rear end may be taking it a step too far).

This should be used in conjunction with your organization tools. Let’s say you have a nice storage container that’s labeled with books. You should always go to this area to return any books you’ve been reading.

11. Donate Items

Do you remember how Marie Kondo asked you to check each item in your home and see if it brings you joy? This is a similar methodology that you should follow each time you bring something new home. The best way to keep your clutter to a minimum is by donating, selling, or tossing something out to make room for the new item.

12. Control Your Paper Clutter

Take five minutes each day to look through the latest paper you’ve brought into your house. Do you really need it? Or did you simply receive bills in the mail that you’ve already got set to autopay? Go through your paper clutter and shred or throw out whatever you don’t need.

13. Hire a Professional Organizer

IOTS13
If you’re still struggling with getting your life in order, it might be time to hire professional organizers like the experts at In Order to Succeed. We will come into your house and help you figure out what needs to go where.

If you’re ready to get started on decluttering your life, contact us today! We would love to help you achieve the orderly life you’ve been dreaming of.

7 Tips For Improving Productivity In The Office

Posted on by In Order to Succeed Team
Denise Caron-Quinn, the President at In Order to Succeed, wrote this article that was recently published on Forbes.com.   

Office moves and renovations present many opportunities for a fresh start. Changing your office’s location or interior design are catalysts for giving your entire company a makeover — and not just an aesthetic one. For starters, change is invigorating! With a fresh new look and a sharp, modern design, it’s hard for anyone working or visiting a beautiful and uncluttered space not to feel inspired and energized. Running a firm that specializes in managing relocations for individuals and companies, I know firsthand the potential advantages for businesses that operate “as if” they are moving (even if they don’t plan on vacating their current office). If you are an owner or manager of a company, you should consider targeting each of these seven areas — whether you are relocating or not.  

Introduce New Innovations

Moving to a new location encourages companies to try out different methodologies and techniques to run their business. Relocations prompt evaluation of the way a workforce collaborates and communicates. I believe rethinking staff workspaces, conference and recreational areas and examining new ideas for working simpler and smarter should be a component of any companies’ ongoing practice. This requires that both management and staff evaluate ideas that break away from the status quo in order to try new solutions aimed at improving productivity, efficiency and use of space. For example, open floorplans, non-assigned seating and multipurpose workspaces are a departure from the traditional walled-in workspaces. One can also utilize adaptable furniture designs to improve workspace flexibility.

Declutter, Organize And Beautify

Offices eventually accumulate furniture, equipment and accessories that are damaged or no longer serving a purpose. And regardless of how well your cleaning crew cares for your space, furniture gets worn and stained. We often discard or recycle anything that’s damaged, mismatched or outdated when we move a client. I strongly believe that clearing office clutter and removing antiquated furnishings is a good investment that will give a fresh face to your company’s image. Supply closets, kitchens and break rooms are areas that typically become untidy. These spaces are used by your entire staff, so a team approach is needed in addition to assigning someone responsible for daily maintenance. For assistance, consider allocating funds toward a professional who has office organizing and redesign experience. The National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (Full disclosure: I’m a member), as well as resources such as the American Society of Interior Designers and the American Institute of Architects, can be utilized to find consultants experienced in reorganizing an existing space or designing your new one.

Evaluate Expenses And Build Energy Efficiency

Most of our clients take time to evaluate their financial outgoings as they prepare for a move. From utilities to office goods, they often will conduct a review of their suppliers to explore ways to save money. Energy costs represent a significant percentage of an enterprise’s monthly expenditures. With the green market constantly expanding and offering a range of more energy-efficient products, it’s smart to investigate and implement “green” upgrades to your office. Simple improvements such as a programmable thermostat, double-pane windows and automatic bathroom faucets may reduce your annual energy costs. Energy assessments should be routine practice for all companies and not just those on the move.

Enhance Employee Satisfaction

When evaluating your office, please take into account your staff who work there every day. Unpleasant surroundings and uncomfortable furnishings can be a real downer and deterrent. Enhancing your employees’ environment and comfort will likely result in a morale boost that can lead to more positive feelings toward their work and the company. Remember that their happiness directly affects the quality of their work as well as your profits.

Here are a few ways to enhance your employees’ environment:

Improve Lighting

Research shows that exposure to natural daylight can have positive effects on one’s mood, alertness and quality of sleep. Unfortunately, not every office space offers an unobstructed window view for each staff member. Installing skylights aren’t always an option, so keep windows regularly cleaned to maximize sunshine in and situate desks and workspaces within view of a window wherever possible. If an office has no windows, then the next best thing is indirect lighting. LED lighting and fluorescent lamps along ceilings, walls or floors can provide a hidden illumination source that can transmit light throughout the space. It’s less harsh than having the light shine directly on you, and it doesn’t reflect off of computer screens.

Update Technologies

State-of-the-art office technologies are frequently a component of office renovations and relocations. With wireless devices and cloud-based programs, offices can drastically change their layouts and reduce space in areas that once contained hardware and wiring. Depending on your situation, you may find such areas can be converted for new purposes and you’ll be able to streamline traffic patterns to avoid time wasted traveling to places such as the printer.

Get Ergonomic

A comfortable work area with quality furnishings lets staff know that your company cares about their well-being. Sitting on chairs that facilitate good posture and installing under-desk keyboard trays are measures that encourage proper body alignment and comfort. Some offices have taken their workspaces to the next level by introducing standing or movable desks. Standing desks are believed to provide impressive health benefits that include improved mood and energy. Most versions are adjustable, allowing the user to change the height of the desk and alternate between sitting and standing. If buying new desks isn’t feasible for your company, then consider a desktop adapter that will convert a traditional desk to a standing desk in minutes.

All in all, a newly improved work environment can promote increased productivity and enhanced efficiencies, along with a variety of other personal and professional benefits. So why not start managing your company with the same mindset that you would if you were relocating or remodeling your office?

To learn more about how to creating an organized office environment that enhances productivity and efficiency, please email or call us today!

5 Inspiring Workspaces from Pinterest

Posted on by Denise Caron-Quinn

With summer winding down and the work grind heating up, it’s time to revaluate your workspace. We scoured Pinterest for the most inspiring workspaces. Steal ideas from pretty, functional offices, visit our Pinterest page for even more inspiring ideas and tips on the best tech gear to keep you organized and share your favorite tools of your trade in the comments.

You can tell a lot about a person from his or her workspace. Office space and the utilitarian things in it surround us from morning to evening and are vital to an efficient day. Done well, a workspace, whether at home or the office, can be a beautiful, creative place that helps productivity. Here are five inspiring workspaces we found on Pinterest.

New Meets Old

inspiring workspaces

We love this old farm table mixed with high tech devices. The cables and cords are cleverly hidden and there’s open storage space in the desk. It’s the perfect blend of new and old.

Maximizing Space

inspiring workspaces

This workspace created out of a corner is a brilliant way to save space. Lots of covered storage keeps things uncluttered and let it’s position in an open part of the house lets you keep an eye on the family comings and goings.

Maintaining Natural Light

inspiring workspaces

We love open shelving for those that can commit to putting everything in their place. The open shelving lets in a ton of natural light, helping you stay focused and the easily being able to find the office tools you need. This space is so comforting you might have a hard time keeping your kids away from desk.

Art + Art + Art

inspiring workspaces

Make your own inspiration wall for those days when nothing comes easy. A workspace filled with art is an easy way to add color to a white space while keeping everything feeling crisp, fresh and bright. Just try to not be productive in this space.

 Make it a Library Day

inspiring workspaces

There’s something cozy and comforting about a library. Surround your workspace in your favorite books and you’ll find yourself wanting to go to your home office each day.

Need more office organizing help? Contact an In Order to Succeed organizing specialist today.

 

 

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Pinterest: Office Organizing Inspiration
Pinterest: IOTS Finds: Tech Tools

 

How to create a home office out of a spare room

Posted on by In Order to Succeed Team

create a home office

Simply put, you need a home office space. You need a spot where you can work undisturbed on regular projects such as taxes, retirement planning, freelancing or even finishing your MBA. Create a home office in that spare room or that extra room that only serves as a guest room once every couple of years. Follow these three tips and you’ll have your ideal workspace in no time.

Work in a Room With a Window

If we’ve learned anything from cubicle culture, it’s that being cut off from sunlight is unnatural and unhealthy. A study by the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne found that workers in windowless environments or “workstations” had poorer sleep quality, slept fewer hours and scored lower on assessments for vitality, mental functioning and social functioning. Lack of natural light disturbs your circadian rhythm, which in turn affects your sleep. Over time, it also can result in health problems that range from diabetes to higher accident rates.

If you can choose your workspace, when creating a home office pick a room with a window. However, you do want to control the amount of light coming in, particularly if your office faces east or west and will get the brunt of the sun. Invest in adjustable quality blinds that allow you to control the amount of light that comes in. If you live in a climate with extreme temperatures, consider cellular or solar blinds that boost energy efficiency. Once you find a type you like, make sure it matches your decor.

create a home office

Get Attractive, Comfortable Furniture

You need furniture that supports your work. First, determine what your primary function will be in that office. Is it working on a computer? Making sales calls? Providing counseling services? Make sure to invest in furniture that helps you get your work done.

Entrepreneur recommends that you choose a chair manufacturer like Keilhauer or Humanscale that designs chairs to properly support your back and spine and balance your pelvis. The article also suggests getting foot rests, an ergonomic mouse shaped to fit your hand and soft keyboard pads to make work less stressful on your limbs.

Best Reviews features five desks that are good for their durability, storage capacity, work surface and price for home offices. Only one was an executive-style desk, and three were L-shaped desks that emphasize computers. The fifth combined a bookcase with a desk. Its top pick, Bush Furniture’s Cabot-L Desk, has these features:

  • A complete organizational system that includes a file cabinet with glass doors, cubed bookshelves and cubby storage
  • Under-the-desk charging station
  • Optional desk extension with matching-height lateral file
  • Polished Harvest Cherry or Espresso Oak finish

Choose Wall Paint That Suits Your Professional Goals

The color of your home office should suit your profession and goals. Sally Augustin, an environmental psychologist and expert on person-centered design, tells Forbes that different colors can be used to gain an advantage at work. For example:

  • Greens are thought to boost creativity.
  • Pink is calming, which is why many team locker rooms are painted pink.
  • White is associated with boredom, or, in some cases like the Apple Store, modernism.

Choose a color that suits your business and inspires you to complete the work you need to do.

Filing 101: Organizing Paperwork

Posted on by Denise Caron-Quinn

Hopefully, you feel as if you have gained some control over your filing. Even the most paperless office or household requires some filing and that system should support you – not overtake your life. At this point, it’s a good idea to check in and see what is working for you and what is not. The key to any well-organized system is making it simple enough for you to maintain. Below are some tips on Filing 101: organizing paperwork.

Set aside time once a week (15-20 minutes) to stay on top of your filing. Staying on top of your ‘to be filed’ pile will keep you from becoming overwhelmed. While you may feel like you are adding another task to your already-busy schedule, you are actually freeing up the other days. You can let the pile build up all week, knowing you will get through it all quickly. Learning how to organize paperwork is easy when you set yourself a reminder to just get it done!

You may wish to use color to differentiate between subjects/topics. These should be sorted into broad categories, such as “Bills to Pay,” “Kids School Info,” “2014 Taxes,” “Smith Account,” etc. and use simple colors that please you and remind you of those categories. Store related documents together by category instead of by item. So for example, keep all presentations, research, notes on a particular subject together.

Be consistent – choose a filing system that works for you and stick with it, whether it is chronological by date, alphabetical or numeric, etc. Again, keeping it simple will help with this, and will take away the need to think through the process. Figuring out how to organize paperwork should be routine and easy.

Utilize a digital filing system such as Neat or Evernote to manage all of your files and archives in one place. The Paper Tiger program cal also help keep track of paper files. Once you’ve uploaded a document, you can search by keyword and access it from anywhere. And remember – all menus, appliance manuals, recipes, instructions for items can be found online!

Not many people look forward to filing, but it’s a necessary part of life to maintain focus on what you ARE passionate about. Become an expert on how to organize paperwork and don’t let paper pile-ups get in the way of your goals or take up any more time than they should!

Office Organization: How to File [Part One]

Posted on by Denise Caron-Quinn

When office personnel were asked which task they dislike the most, filing came in as their number one least favorite chore. While filing may not be an exciting or fun office organization function, but it is a necessary task for running an office or household efficiently.

But, hate it or not, filing documents, receipts, and invoices must be addressed in one way or another. So, let’s review how to file with four simple solutions that can make the process simpler and avoid paper pile-ups.

(Note: Although I am a strong supporter of scanning whenever possible to eliminate paper storage we cannot ignore that even the most “paperless” office still will house some files and records that may be neither convenient nor appropriate for a computer or cloud-based scanning solution.)

Shred and recycle aggressively. The first step to office organization is to ask the question, “Does this document need to be filed?” Much of what comes to us by mail can go directly into the shredder. At the time, you open and read your mail, decide whether you’ll need that piece of paper in six months or a year. Be very cautious not to save or file something that you probably won’t need to reference again. If you need to find this information again, can you locate it without much difficulty? Does it contain information you can live without? If the answer to both questions is yes, then don’t set it aside for filing – instead trash or shred immediately.

Map it out before you begin setting up your files. Thinking through office organization with the logic of what you want to store and where you want to store it is a crucial step at the beginning of the process. Write your goals on paper (or type on your computer) so you can review, evaluate, and fine-tune how your new filing system will be configured. Consider what you will place in a particular file drawer or bin, and which records should be grouped together in a particular sequence. I recommend doing this in the form of an outline and creating main categories, which will be your hanging file folders, and sub-categories, which will be interior file folders. This will become your Master File and it will also prove helpful in planning for the purchase of your filing supplies.

Use broad filing categories. Don’t create a new file folder for every type of paper that crosses your desk. Too many file folders are not efficient or necessary. Not only is it tiresome and time-consuming to search through all those folders, there is also a far greater chance of misplacing something by using several different files than one for the entire category.

Keep your most frequently used files close and convenient. I am often surprised when I work with people who don’t consider how much time they spend going back and forth to find files; files housed far from their desk or workstation wastes time for retrieval. When thinking about office organization, take into consideration your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly needs. Desktop File Boxes are a great way to add some convenient file storage to a desk, bookshelf, or cart.

Hopefully, these four tips will help you better organize your filing and understand the basics to get started and staying organized. Stay tuned for more filing strategies.

Guide to Bespoke Training for your workforce

Posted on by Denise Caron-Quinn

If you own a business and you are planning on investing in a bespoke training, you have to think about many various factors. First, consider how to develop your business and relate this in workforce development. As businesses grow, you will greatly need to focus on this factor. Basically, it is only by having effective and skillful employees in which your business can achieve success. But what should you consider to make preparations for workforce training.

Here are important factors to consider for your workforce bespoke training:

1. Potential

Observe your employees and determine if you want to make the most of your employees’ potential. Maximizing their potential will eventually direct to a more effective and useful employees. Through this, a bespoke training can be a perfect solution if you wish to have more efficient employees, initiate changes to your business and enhance the skills and abilities of your employees.

2. Type of course

Also, you have to think about the type of course that your employees will take. However, with numerous options, you need to focus on the training program that will best suit your business and on which your business will benefit. The training courses include:

Business skills.
Business.
Marketing.
Office support.
Personal assistant training courses.
Sales.

3. Results

Basically, every business that has attained success is motivated by its accomplishments. Hence, investing on any training course for your workforce will surely offer you possible revenue, capacity to connect and negotiate with new and existing customers, and opening new business and creating sales leads.

4. Practicality

Through the training course, you will be able to see your workforce thrive in a truly sensible manner. In addition, methodology is necessary where your workforce will be capable to:

Carry out a thriving performance in the world of business.
Focus on things that are actually important like efficient customer based training.
Obtain positivity in as much as their performance in the workplace is a concern.
Be well informed with the modern training schemes and strategies.

5. Tailored

Regardless if you have a huge company with thousands of employees or a very modest payment processing solution like the EMV Merchant Processing Cincinnati, there are some training courses accessible. This will effectively go with your particular needs, provide you the bespoke training as well as practices that your business needs, and give an individually planned training to your employees.

6. Experts

Prior to committing your business in any training course, you also have to think of the teaching level. Be sure to know the skills of the professionals who will undertake the training courses. It is also important to know what your employees will expect from the training course. In addition, it is necessary to know the kind of support materials that the trainers will actually use for the term of the course.

7. Cost

You have to plan for your budget. If you think it will be costlier on your part, why not negotiate with a proper company or provide several workshops than a

You have to plan for your budget. If you think it will be costlier on your part, why not negotiate with a proper company or provide several workshops than a long-term program.

When considering a bespoke for your workforce, there are things that need to be considered. If you truly want to have efficient and competent employees who can help your business grow, then a bespoke training can be a very good help.

5 Tips to manage emails

Posted on by Denise Caron-Quinn

Is your email running your life? Here are five tips to help you manage your inbox so it doesn’t manage you.

Merge accounts: to the degree to which you are able to do so, to avoid having to check multiple inboxes.
Mute emails: when you are one of many on a distribution list. This way anyone who hits “reply all” won’t reach you.
Be an aggressive unsubscriber.
Delete immediately any email that does not require you to unsubscribe, respond or is basically just not important.
Sometimes it is sufficient to fit your message in just the subject line and leave the body of an email empty. Fight the urge to over-communicate and hopefully others will follow your lead.
Respond to everything within one day: any email that requires you to do anything besides delete immediately should be taken care of within 24 hours. After 24 hours people start to get annoyed and may send you more messages. It’s not always possible to make a full reply immediately, especially if it’s a low priority request that you can’t delegate. But when a request or notification is read, simply ask if they can connect with you the next day. By putting the onus on them, they’ll remind you or manage the problem themselves. If it’s something you really have to do, just type back, “I got this. Stay tuned.” Then flag it to deal with when you are ready.
Establish a routine: Set aside time during your day to focus on your inbox. Maybe you check and respond to emails for 30 minutes in the morning and then again for 30 minutes at the end of the day. Figure out the best time for you to manage your inbox and then stick to it so it doesn’t manage you.

Tips to establish and maintain an efficient work environment

Posted on by Denise Caron-Quinn

Establishing and maintaining an organized home office is the best way to ensure you’ll be able to stay productive no matter how chaotic your work becomes. Here are tips to establish and maintain an efficient work environment.

Establishing Order

Give yourself a clean slate – or, in this case, desk. Dispose of everything nonessential. Ease into the elimination process by getting rid of junk mail, outdated sticky notes, and any other plainly unnecessary items. Next, although the desk may already look better without the old junk, sort through everything else and ask yourself, “Do I absolutely need this?” If you hesitate or don’t know, there’s a good chance it doesn’t belong on your desktop; instead, store it in a nearby drawer or cabinet.

Focus on one area at a time. Each day, choose one drawer, a stack of papers, surface, or cabinet to organize. Otherwise, trying to tackle a whole room at once will lead to unnecessary stress and most likely be less effective.

Anything within arm’s reach should be something you need immediately. An ideal setup might include a lamp, monitor and keyboard, one notebook, two pens, a mug or drinking glass, and a telephone (family photo optional). Keep the personal items to a minimum. A desk covered in non-work-related material is an inevitable distraction.

Give everything a home. It is helpful to label these places if only until returning everything to its own spot becomes instinctive. An item should “live” as close as possible to where it is used, and only frequently used items should occupy the prime real estate of the spaces nearest to where you work.

Don’t try to fit too much into one place. Stashing all of your office supplies in one drawer is not organizing.

Toss dried-out pens and markers and never keep office items that are missing pieces, in poor condition or broken. It’s usually easier, faster, and cheaper to replace such things. Bring to storage any surplus items rather than cramming them into your desk or cabinet.

Rather than filing, consider eliminating completely anything that is out of date and no longer relevant.

Maintaining Order

Condense your notes-to-self. Keep one notebook at your desk at all times where you can jot down thoughts and reminders so they aren’t scattered on various sticky notes and/or pieces of scrap paper. An alternative to such a notebook is an electronic application such as Toodledo, which will go wherever you go, and can be updated on your smartphone or iPad real time as needed.

Dedicate at least 15 minutes at the beginning and/or end of each day to going through the papers on your desk in order to maintain an organized workspace. Work toward establishing a paperless office to the degree that you are able by utilizing products such as NeatConnect along with apps such as Evernote.

Resist the urge to pile. Open the mail immediately and separate it into categories, without necessarily even reading everything. Trash any unwanted mail and keep your bills in an allocated file or container. Keep anything requiring attention in an “action” file.

Keep a constant eye out for anything outdated, useless, or unwanted lying around that can be disposed of to make room for the new.

Keep your floor as neat as (or neater than) your desk. You should be free to roam about your office without worrying about tripping over or stepping on bags, shoes, or coats. Utilize wall space (but not too much!) by adding hooks for coats and umbrellas. A drawer or cabinet can be used to store bags and extra shoes.

Organize your home office to get more done

Posted on by Denise Caron-Quinn

Is your home office a mess with papers, sticky notes and pens all piled up around your laptop or desktop monitor? Are there cardboard file boxes stacked in the corner with and without labels?

If this sounds like your work space, whether it’s in a corner of your living room, the den or the spare bedroom, you need to get organized and quickly.

Physical Organization

If you have to wade through a sea of stuff to get to your chair each day, you need to remove some of the clutter. Royale Scuderi of LifeHack recommends taking some time to go through everything in your home office and getting rid of anything you don’t use to do your work every day.

Knick-knacks, extra furniture, broken or unused equipment, like an old fax machine, need to be dealt with. Toss them, donate them or send them out to be fixed.

Organization Tools and Equipment

After you remove the clutter, be selective about what you keep in your office, and put everything in a place that makes sense. Tools that help keep things neat and organized include a label maker, filing system and desktop organizers like baskets and magazine racks.

  • You can start by labeling things in a logical manner with a good label maker.
  • Then, put things in work zones such as files and books in file cabinets and bookcases, supplies in closets and drawers, and calendar, pencil cup and telephone in a corner of your desk.
  • Get in the habit of putting things away as soon as you’re done using them.
  • And finally, organize paper flow with an inbox, a to-do box, a to-file box and an out box so paper is always going where it’s supposed to instead of piling up or falling to the floor under your desk.

Business Strategy Organization

One of the first things you can do to organize your business process is to review your business plan. This helps you focus your priorities and understand the things you need to do for your business. After you get your focus, use some tech tools to cut down on manual processes and instead try to automate them.

• Get a card scanner so every contact is captured digitally in a database. This makes sales letters and other business correspondence semi-automated because you can instantly bring up contact information instead of looking for a card.

• If your printer doesn’t have a scanner, get rid of it, and get one that does. Scan things like vendor requirements, customer contracts, articles and other business documents so you can easily access them.

• Instead of a paper calendar and planner, put everything online with programs like Outlook or Evernote. When you open your email each morning, go into your calendar to check your schedule, appointments and to-do list.

• Move your files to the cloud so you won’t have to worry about computer crashes, viruses or fires. Or better yet, work in the cloud for even more organization and security. If you are new to cloud computing, check out Top 10 Cloud Storage for reviews and comparisons of different cloud providers.