Use these must-have business tools to save money on your small business

Having the business tools, you need to make your daily activities run more smoothly saves you time and money. And when you are an entrepreneur and running your small business solo, anything that can lighten your task load is a welcome addition.

Here are my top picks for must-have money-saving business tools and habits for your organizing business.

1. Must-Have Tool For Budgeting

When you started your business, you most likely made a budget that covered the expenses that you would need to grow and sustain your business.

It’s a good idea to check in on your budget quarterly and see where your money is going in comparison to where you have plugged it into your budget.

Where you spend your money over time will change. Keeping track of these shifts will keep your budget on track.

2. Must-Have Bookkeeping Tools

Great bookkeeping software is an absolute lifesaver and must-have tool for anyone who owns a small business.

There are a lot of software programs and apps out there to choose from; we love Bench as it is primarily geared toward small business needs.

Keeping track of your finances will save you money in your business because you can see what you are spending on what. Of course, it will also save you time and stress when it comes time to do your taxes!

3. Must-Have Habit: Check-in on your monthly subscriptions

You will be surprised how your monthly business subscriptions can creep up on you. An app here, a trial you never canceled there. The next thing you know, you are dropping $100 a month on tools you don’t even use or know you have!

Make it a habit to check in on all of your active subscriptions a few times a year.

Are there apps that can do double duty instead of paying for two separate programs? For example, Tailwind allows you to schedule multiple social media channels, including Pinterest, so you don’t need to use different tools.

Consider what still serves you, keep your essentials, and cancel the rest.

4. Must-Have Habit: Think Beyond Cash

You may find yourself short on cash at some point in your business, especially when you are first starting or going through a growth phase or transition.

Don’t let this stop you from getting the things you need for your business.

You may want to consider bartering your services or goods in trade for what you need. You will be surprised how many businesses will be happy to trade services or goods with you.

5. Review Business Expenses

Small businesses have all kinds of expenses, which often go unaccounted for. Make it a habit to keep track of all of the things you spend money on for your business as you go along.

Then, choose a few times a year to check-in and realign your budget. Downloading an app to your phone connected to your bookkeeping software is a great way to make a quick note of on-the-go expenses.

Bonus Tip:

Even though most of your business info may be electronic, you will still have paperwork you need to keep organized.

Tax documents, contracts, client info, order forms, inventories, all of these things need to be sorted and organized so you can easily access them when needed.

Time is money, don’t waste it digging around endlessly for missing paperwork.

The container store has excellent office storage options so you can keep your home office running smoothly.

Conclusion

Saving money in your small business is essentially like paying yourself more money, and who doesn’t want that?

By taking the time to set up these tools and systems in your business that will help you keep track of spending, you are investing valuable time in the success, sustainability, and growth of your business.

New post Must Have Money Saving Tools And Habits For Your Small Business on A Personal Organizer by Helena Alkhas

It’s not about how much time you have. It’s about how effectively you manage your time. – R.L. Adams

One of the most effective skills you can have in life is powerful and effective time management.

If there’s one thing I have learned over the years, it’s the importance of paying attention to how you use the precious time you have.

As busy parents and entrepreneurs, finding work-life balance is always challenging, but the truth is, it doesn’t need to be overwhelming.

I can tell you as a work-at-home mom that it CAN be done. Even the busiest mom can carve out pockets of breathing room within the day – with the right system in place.

Managing your time is not just good practice, but it is also good for productivity and organization. Follow a time management system that will help you get things done in order to achieve success with your goals. By managing your time properly and efficiently, you can create an organized life!

Here are some simple strategies to help you manage your time:

1. Get Up Early

Take a good look at your morning routine. What time do you usually start your day? How do you spend the first hour (or two)?

There are plenty of examples of how the most successful people are early risers and have a morning routine in place. Morning routines often include:

• Meditation
• Visualization
• Exercise
• Reading/Learning
• Healthy Eating
• Planning/Prioritizing
• Establish a regular morning routine to ensure that you start your days successfully. This is extremely important, as this will set the tone and pace of your entire day.

If you want to keep track of your exercise routine, here is a running routine chart that you can use. Want all of the organizing printables? Subscribe for instant access to the vault.

2. Create a To-Do List

Creating a to-do list should be a regular habit undertaken daily.

To help you feel like a superhero and finally cross every item off your list, I recommend you select three goals for each day to ensure that you can complete them. Don’t forget to prioritize the items on the list and review them throughout the day. I like to tackle the most important tasks first, particularly the ones that would take up the most time.

When you work from the hardest task to the simplest, you can actually free up more time later in the day. Also, checking off items as they are completed will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivation.

3. Use Sticky Notes

Some of us use our phones to remind us of our tasks. But you may miss an important reminder if your phone dies or accidentally hits the snooze button!

With Sticky Notes, on the other hand, you can be sure that you don’t miss a task on your to-do list.

Sticky Notes are ideal for displaying reminders of tasks, motivational quotes, and visualizations. They now come in various colors, sizes, and designs, so it should be a fun and interesting way to get things done!

For example, if you’ve got a pile of letters that need to be mailed and that’s an item on your to-do list, why not put a sticky note on top of the pile with a deadline for posting them? It’ll serve as a reminder to get them posted and cleared out of your way.

4. Record It

Of course, you can record your notes digitally using note-taking apps or in a text document, or use pen and paper but have you thought of recording them using a digital recorder?

This is a fast and easy way to get things done if writing things down is too much of a fuss.

You can get free recording apps for smartphones. By making a voice recording you can replay the recording and listen to your ideas. This will give you the opportunity to listen from a different perspective.

5. Create a Schedule

Online calendars now make it so easy for us to create schedules.

Using an online planner such as Google Calendar will ensure that you are able to access your schedule on your smartphone, tablet, or computer wherever you are.

I love how you can color code different categories of entry and share with friends, family, and colleagues as necessary!

6. Use Pen and Paper

Many of us have gone digital, but I still love the process of writing down things with pen and paper.

For your most important events, tasks and notes use the traditional recording method of pen and paper – use a diary, planner, or bullet journal.

You can keep it with you at all times. It won’t distract you with messages or run out of power. You’ll also be able to flick through at a glance to see how much you’ve achieved, past or forthcoming events, and outstanding tasks.

7. Prioritize

Be realistic. Not all tasks and events are created equal, and surely, you can’t do everything!

Find a way to highlight events that are essential so that you can see them at a glance and be sure not to miss them.

On your to-do lists always prioritize these events and complete the most important first. If there are items that aren’t important or not time-sensitive, then consider moving them off your current list and on to another day.

8. Delegate

I am the queen of delegating! From my groceries and bulk shopping (think Amazon or Instacart!) to professional tasks I can hire out, I’ll delegate it.

The truth is that you don’t need to try and be a superhero and do everything yourself.

Kids can tidy away their toys and when old enough learn how to load the dishwasher, set the table, do their laundry, water the plants, and do other simple chores. By enlisting the help of other household members, you not only empower them by teaching life skills they’ll use for life, but you will also get more accomplished in less time.

Managing your time properly and efficiently with these tips is one of the keys to staying organized. When you implement a few smart rules in your daily routine, you will surely have some extra time for yourself. Be sure to do something wonderful and kind, something you truly enjoy. You so deserve it!

New post 8 Ways to Help You Manage Your Time Wisely on A Personal Organizer by Helena Alkhas

Are you ready to create a home office you love and will serve as the growing space for your thriving organizing business?

Creating A Home Office For Your Business

If you love all things home, then this part of building your business will be a pleasure for you!

Since many of us run our business from home, if you don’t already have an office space, take a look around your house and see where a good area would be to create one.

What should you consider when selecting a space for your organizing business?

Great Lighting

Of course, natural light is the best, but if you don’t have it, then make sure you install great lighting all around your office and desk.

Sound & Noises

Are you in the kitchen or in a quiet area of your home? Will the kids be running around you? Does that bother you or not? Consider this before investing too much in any space.

Access To Outlets

You don’t want to plan any space before checking that you can actually plug and charge all your equipment.

Strong Wifi Signal

I used to have a feeble signal in my current office and had to buy extra routers to improve it.

Shared Space Or A Room All For Yourself?

We have to start with what we have and that might be sharing the office with hubby or having our desk in a corner of the rarely used dining room.

In any case, make sure to establish boundaries so that when you’re sitting to work, you can focus, and when you have to speak with a client, you don’t have the sound of the TV, kids playing, or your husband on a conference call in the background.

Office Equipment

You’ll need basic office equipment to get you started: a desk and chair, a computer with access to the internet, wi-fi, a dedicated phone number, a small printer, a bookcase or cabinet, and a small filing cabinet with keys.

Of course, these are not all “must-haves,” so start with what you have. In my case, it was an Ikea desk, chair, and drawer unit on casters that I set up in our guest bedroom.

Phone Line

You can get a Google number if you don’t want to hire it through the traditional carriers.

Set it up so it redirects calls to your cell phone, making sure you only answer calls now when you can give your full attention and don’t have your kids (dogs, etc) around you. It might just be a potential client on that next call.

Set up a dedicated email account for your business. If you don’t have a website yet (we’ll discuss that soon!), start with a Gmail account specifically for your business. We will change that later when you’re ready to invest in a website, etc.

The next step is to create your email signature, which should include your phone number and the addresses of your social networks and website, as soon as it’s ready. Here is one to get you started!

Finally, if you don’t already have one, I highly recommend purchasing a cloud-based backup service for your computer.

There are many services available, but my personal experience has been with Carbonite, which we have used for over a decade without any issues. File-sharing can be done through Google Drive or Dropbox, for example.

I’ll leave you now, as you’re researching and dreaming of the beautiful office space you’ll create for yourself. Enjoy every minute of it. I’m a firm believer that whatever you do, do with love.

I’ll see you next week!

Helena.

PS: Do you have a friend who’d love to join us? Share this post!

New post How To Create A Productive Home Office For Your Business #5 on A Personal Organizer by Helena Alkhas