Does your small business feel out of sorts? We definitely were feeling a little overwhelmed here at Laboratory 5. Since tax season is right around the corner we thought why not give the company a good cleanse. Join us on this revitalizing journey with your own small business. Follow us as we lead you to a healthier, more efficient, and productive work environment. So while we sip our pineapple and kale smoothies, lets get 2015 started off right with our 90 Day Company Cleanse.

Stay Organized:

How do you stay organized as a small business? We know its tough, and while we always have the best intentions to start each new year better off than the last, the task of keeping paperwork cataloged in a neat and convent fashion always seems to escape us. Well its time to brush off your box of receipts from 2014 and a follow these seven tips to a better organized business.

1. Make time to organize your work. The first and most important step is making time to organize your work. Create a schedule or calendar that includes this time. It could be daily, weekly or even monthly just be sure to set aside an appropriate amount of time to organize and stick to it!
2. Throw away old papers and receipts. We know its hard to let go of those receipts from 2008 but were pretty sure you know longer need them. Not only do they take up space they can also add to the clutter in your workspace. If you still feel hesitant on getting rid of it invest in a document scanner for your business. Not only will you have more space in your office all your old documents will be stored forever on your laptop.
3. Color Code everything. Once your paperwork starts looking a little more organized get creative and assign colors to different categories. Be creative and make sure you label everything. If your business keeps a lot of paper work use colored binders or folders to stay organized. You can also assign different colors to different clients. A color coded system is also helpful when creating schedule. Have a different color for each area of your life. An example could be green for work, yellow for personal, and red for priority.
4. Organize your digital work space. Spend one day this week sorting files and deleting old documents on your desktop. Once your desktop is cleared create a folder called “To Organize Later ” so that you can put documents and pictures that need to be sorted in a place until you have the time to organize them next week. Clean out your inbox as well, delete or file your emails and keep your inbox up to date and current. Its is much easier finding older emails once they have been sorted into folders. Don’t forget to back up your hard drive!
5. Designate Work Zones. Have designated areas for your laptops, paperwork, and any other work you might have. It will be easier to keep each area organized and not feel so overwhelmed when its time to clean. It can also be a bit overwhelming if your digital workspace is covered with paperwork.
6. Reward yourself. Now that things may be looking better, keep them that way by picking up some desk organizers. Check out some of these fun office supplies: 30 Silly Office Supplies
7. Repeat! Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly whatever it takes to stay on track. The time you invest to get yourself organized will be worth it every time.

Laboratory5 Inc. is a small business based in Tempe, Arizona

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