Do you ever look around your office and think, this space could do with a clean up? But not just any clean-up, a deep institutionalised decluttering that will make permanent changes to both the look and the functionality of your business. If that’s the case for you, then it’s time to boost productivity in your business by decluttering once and for all.
Start with what you use
Take stock of what is in active use in your office with the help of a consultant or an internal spreadsheet. This includes documents that are frequently referenced and are required by law to be stored and materials that you may need for reference in the future. Categorise them according to what needs to be stored onsite and what can be stored offsite. Once this is done, you can start to sort through how you intend to store, archive or destroy documents from your list.
Make it a regular occurrence
Put archiving, document file storage and general document management on your monthly agenda. Make sure to prioritise it to avoid falling back into the cycle of clutter.
Sort, move and ditch
Now that you know what you need to keep on hand, it’s time to implement a little bit of tough love. Things that don’t get regular use can go into offsite storage. Document storage services are a great way to safely and efficiently store documentation that is not in active use, but that needs to be stored for whatever reason. There is also the option of digitising what you can to keep onsite space for essential original versions of documents in use.
Opt for all in one’s
Units such as scanners, printers and fax machines are available as all-in-one models to save space. This will help to minimise the need for bulky versions of each machine individually.
Keep it tidy
The documents that you opt to keep onsite will need a filing solution. A document management consultant can come to your offices and offer you a tailor-made solution for your filing needs. Depending on your time and budget, they may suggest investing in storage stationery or in outsourcing your in-office document management and mailroom services to a professional company. This will help to manage your administrative load and keep things tidy.
Shred or destroy what you don’t need
Anything that is no longer in use from discs to redundant records should be safely and securely destroyed. A document management company can also facilitate this process and ensure that all confidential files, credit cards, ID cards, computer equipment and even hard drives are correctly destroyed. They can also ensure data that is offsite is scheduled for destruction when it is no longer in use.
For a long-term solution, these guidelines, along with a commitment to the process, can help you to cut the clutter once and for all.