Getting organized is a huge undertaking if you’ve allowed the clutter to get out of control. You spend an entire weekend putting things back in order only to find yourself three months down the road with the same problem again. What can you do?

Incorporating these tips into your regular routine will not only keep you organized but will save you a lot of time and frustration.

Tip 1 - No clutter - No distraction. Keep only the items on your desk that you are using for that particular project so you are free from distractions.

Tip 2 - Write it down! Writing things down will save time and frustration later. Why take the chance of forgetting an appointment when it only takes seconds to write it down?

Tip 3 - Schedule block times to work on similar tasks. Pay bills & enter the items in you money management program while everything is on your desk and fresh in your mind. Make all your phone calls together, sign birthday, holiday and business cards for the whole month in one sitting.

Tip 4 - Clean your filing cabinet. Go through and organized your papers & folders. Then schedule time to purge your files. This can be done monthly, quarterly, bi-annually or even annually, just make sure you do it on a regular basis.

Tip 5 - Use one calendar. Having one calendar to keep track of all your work and personal dates will eliminate missed or conflicting appointments. You can buy a large desktop calendar with plenty of room for all your appointments from an office supply store for under $10.

Tip 6 – Set a timer! If you are still establishing a routine or just aren’t good at following them, set a timer or alarm to go off when it’s time for you to switch tasks. This will keep you on schedule and help you figure out how long you need to complete each task.

Tip 7 - Keep your receipts together. I have a coupon organizer in my purse with each section labeled according to my tax expenses (fuel, supplies, dinner meetings, rental equipment, etc). When I get a receipt, I automatically put it in the appropriate section so when I get home it’s already separated for me.

Tip 8 - Have a drawer organizer for all your small desk items such as paper clips, pens, rubber bands, etc. Having everything in one place saves time when reaching for something because you know where it is. Another benefit is you can see at a glance when you need to restock multiple items.

By scheduling in a few minutes once a day/week/month to staying organized you won’t have to worry about losing control. You’ll have less stress and more time to devote to more important business tasks.

Melody Spier is the president of Ballyhoo Virtual Services a Virtual Assistant business catering to small business owners. She specializes in online business marketing and promotion but offers a variety of other virtual services as well. You can contact Melody by visiting http://www.BallyhooVA.com or by email Mel@BallyhooVA.com

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