Have you been operating out of your basement or garage? As an entrepreneur, it’s not uncommon to work in these small spaces as you start out. As a matter of fact, our custom label and sticker business was operated out of our basement for two years! It’s not uncommon that your space might only be big enough to turn around in a 360 degree radius. Therefore, it is imperative that you are able to maximize your space not only for smooth operations, but for your sanity. Here at Leapin’ Lizard Labels, we understand the demands of a “small” business — as a growing label printing company, we’ve been there! So here are our seven tips for making your space work:
1. Every bit counts. Go big, floor to ceiling
In the world of small spaces, it is really easy to get cluttered. One item leads to another and before you know it, there are piles strewn on the ground. You can’t get to one thing without knocking another thing down. Think vertically! We put floor-to-ceiling racks in our basement, and filled them with paper, laminate, boxes, custom label orders that were ready to ship- you name it!
2. Shelves are your friends
Having shelves can increase the space you have to work with, therefore decreasing your headache. By using shelves, you can double your space by having your product and equipment go up instead of going out. This makes your items readily available. It’s a great idea to print custom stickers for your shelves, so you can easily navigate what is on them.
3. Containers are your best friends
You can also organize inventory by placing it into meaningful containers. Group items according to what makes sense, importance, and how often you plan on using the item. Make sure to label your containers so they are easy to locate, especially if you are stacking them on top of each other.
4. Dedicate your space
It is necessary that different things need certain spaces and should be grouped with other things. It doesn’t make much sense to have a printer on one side of the room with the paper on the other side. Grouping items that make the most sense together will alleviate the hassle of trying to find that one thing you have been searching for! Keep the most important things in close proximity.
5. Keep your desk shipshape
Organize your drawers by getting simple drawer organizers to put different items in (pens, pencils, staples, paperclips etc.) Mitigate the “junk” on the desk by giving it a home.
6. Create a filing system
There’s nothing worse than having junk mail mixed with bills in a stack 10 inches thick sitting on your desk. Clear up your piles by recycling the unneeded papers and filing your important documents. This is the perfect time to label your files. Depending on your business you may have a “meetings” folder, “bills” folder, or a “waiting on response” folder. The point is to do what works for you, but make it count!
7. Keep your work space clean
At the end of the day make it a habit of tidying up quickly. As you return to work the next morning after the long commute down the hall, you will be refreshed by the cleanliness of your workspace.
