The 2019 Guide for Spring Cleaning Your Small Business

It’s never too early to think about ways to spring clean your Chicago business. After all, spring is just around the corner and with that in mind, it’s time to think of ways to clean your business from both an operational standpoint and a physical one. Our 2019 guide to spring cleaning your small business can help you do just that and create a more productive work environment.

Update your inventory

All businesses have inventory that’s outdated, aged, or damaged. When you think about it, the service you offer or your product line is what creates your business’s revenue. So, maybe it’s time to think about updating your inventory and letting go things that are no longer useful or productive. You might even want to think about adding newer products or services to be more competitive.

Throw out old office equipment

Operating a business sometimes takes on a life of its own. We can be so busy running the business that things that seem unimportant are left to pile up. But, the more decluttered our surroundings are, the more productive our work environment is. So, in the grand scheme of things, it’s important to get rid of anything that’s outlived its usefulness. Old computers, monitors, copy and fax machines, or anything else that is just lying around needs to be tossed out.

Do a digital clean-up

We’re all a little guilty of letting our email accumulate. With our busy work days, sometimes we have a hard time keeping up with the volume of email coming through. We get mail from employees, suppliers, customers, personal contacts, and the dreaded spam mail. Isn’t it time to organize it all once and for all? You could set up folders to automatically sort your incoming email. Have one for each type of contact so it’s easier to prioritize your inbox. And, if you have hundreds or even thousands of emails that have been lingering in your inbox for months, it’s time to go through it once and for all and hit the delete button whenever it’s warranted and file the rest away, digitally speaking. While you’re at it, unsubscribe to unwanted accounts and report spam so it doesn’t continue to be a pest to your business operations.

De-clutter your website

Let’s face it. Your website is often the first place of contact for many of your customers. There are always newer and better ways to improve your online presence. Can your customers easily navigate your website? Can the layout of your site use an improvement? Can visitors easily find what they’re looking for? Think about whether there are changes in your business that aren’t reflected on your website. Have the demographics of your customer base changed? Do you offer new services or have you quit offering some that are still on your website? Do any of the links on your website display an error message? These are all important things to figure out to keep your business going. And, while you’re at it, don’t forget your social media presence. Make sure you’re getting the most out of your Facebook or LinkedIn accounts.

Reduce your paper load

There’s nothing more cluttered and unsightly than paper. And, in a day when you want to avoid having sensitive documentation lying around, it might just be time to scan all your documents. First, though, you may have a lot of paper that you can ditch. Anything that’s really old, shred it. And if you have a need for keeping it or feel more comfortable keeping records of your taxes from 10 years ago, scan it all into your computer system, then shred them. Operate your business with as many digitized and automated processes as you possibly can.

Make your business shine

Finally, you’ll want to present your office in its best light. Physically clean your office, from the outside into the inside. Scrub walls, clean floors, bathrooms, everything, just as you would do a spring cleaning of your home. Organize desks and drawers. Toss items that aren’t needed. Try to minimize tangled cords by using zip ties, clean computers and keyboards by using electronic wipes and compressed air, etc. Having a clean office has so many benefits:

•      Offers a more productive work environment
•      Increases the morale of your workers
•      Is healthier and looks better to customers

There are three ways to go about this: you could get help, even getting your whole work crew together and making an office party out of it, complete with food and drinks; you could do it yourself (probably not optimal for you – you’re busy running a business after all); or you can hire a cleaning company to do the physical cleaning while you and your office take care of the rest.

Cleaning your business doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. It’s still early in the year and you can knock one thing at a time off your list. Contact Sweep Home Chicago to help you do the heavy lifting of cleaning your business, while helping it run as efficiently as possible.