Getting Organized for the New Year – Simple Ways to Add Hours to Your Day

Many people are super organized at the office – every paper in its place, every file stored neatly in a drawer. But when it comes to their homestead, well, that’s often the dirty little secret. The truth is there are many areas of home life that can cost you valuable time. Who hasn’t spent the better part of a morning trying to locate their keys? Finding ways to be organized at home as well as the office can save you minutes, even hours a day. So, in honor of ushering in a brand new year, let’s look at a few areas of your home that may be due for some positive changes.

Foyer – One of the simplest ways to organize your home is to place a small table right by your door with a basket or bowl on it. Every time you enter, toss your keys into this bowl or basket. Make it a habit and you’ll never lose your keys again. This is also a great place to keep any items you have to bring with you, say a file or your outgoing mail, or keep your to-do list so you don’t forget any important tasks. You’ll be surprised how much time you’ll save by having everything in one place.

Kitchen – Most of us are guilty of it – using our kitchen as a catch-all where everything is just sort of thrown about. This is fine, until you need to actually find something. Then you’re left sifting through piles and drawers and cupboards, wasting a ton of time. This can easily be eliminated by simply designating specific locations for specific items. Pick one drawer in which you’ll keep your scissors, tape, pens and paper; another for small everyday tools, etc. The hardest part is training everyone in the house to stick to this strategy, but once it’s in place you’ll never have to go searching again.

Home Office – Whether you work there exclusively or just use it as a space to catch up on your overflow, keeping organized here is critical. Simple desktop organizers can do wonders for keeping track of things like stamps, paperclips, pens and envelopes. Use separate files to keep track of bills that are due and those that have been paid, and file important documents away in a drawer as soon as you’re done using them.

It takes discipline, but making a few simple changes at home can have a tremendous impact on your overall productivity. By staying organized, you’ll always know where to find whatever you need, whenever you need it and can spend the valuable time you would have otherwise wasted chasing your tail doing something more important, like running your business. Here’s to a more organized 2012!

Labels: organization, small business tips