Office Organizing Strategies for a Productive Start to 2018
I know it’s hard to believe, but a new year is just around the corner! Before we say goodbye to this year, however, there’s some office organizing that needs to be done so we ensure that 2018 starts off on the right foot. Make sure you include this NYC Professional Office Organizer’s strategies in your end of year plans and you’ll be ready for a productive and organized new year!
Back up your computer files. To be honest, this is a task that you should be doing regularly. But with so much going on in an office, this task may be overlooked. Take time right now to back up all of your computer files. You can utilize a Cloud sharing application or an external hard drive. It’s also a good idea to back-up your important files in more than one location. Moving forward, schedule time to back-up your files regularly. Better yet, configure your computer to do automatic back-ups every night using a tool like Carbonite.
Organize and archive your paper files. At the end of the year, take the time to remove files that aren’t referenced frequently or potentially no longer needed and either archive them or discard them. Those that will be added to the archives should be put into clearly labeled boxes and dated. Don’t keep them piled up in your office adding to the clutter. Instead, store them in a closet or another designated storage space in your office. Make sure when you label the boxes, you are noting both the date that you are boxing up the files as well as a date to review the contents for purging. Not every item needs to be saved forever, so note that on the box.
Don’t forget about your digital files. Throughout the year, you probably saved or downloaded a myriad of files. Take time to sort through all these files, delete those that are no longer needed and create an archive or other folder for those that need to be kept. Try setting up your filing system so that you are saving files directly to appropriate folders rather than storing them in a generic download folder.
Get ready for tax season. Take time now to start getting organized to meet with your tax preparer. Designate one file drawer, folder or accordion file for collecting all your receipts, income statements, and expense reports. As you organize your office and sort through your paperwork, make sure to add anything tax related that will be needed specifically for next year’s tax meeting. Taking time now to create the process for collecting this information will make your tax preparation less stressful next year. Try out these tax prep tips I’ve shared this year.
Follow these office organizing tips as you wrap up this year and you’ll have a productive start to the next! For more hands-on office organizing tips and strategies, reach out to this NYC Professional Office Organizer.