Well, while we're in the midst of moving, sorting and settling in...I decided to try to get organized! I am sorting invoices, inputting expenses, and filing away income for my taxes. :) It might be strange, but these things make me feel like a "real business woman" so they kind of get me excited.... sort of. :)
In case you're starting your own business and are looking for some secret weapons, here's what works for me...
1. www.Outright.com- This is hands down my favorite business tool! Keep track of your expenses and income from anywhere (through the web!) and let Outright do it for you through your Paypal account! AMAZING! Last year I just printed out the summaries and took them to my cpa... stellar!
2. Old-School Binder- Don't worry, it's not a Trapper Keeper, but I'll admit while everyone is into saving everything to a computer file or on their phone (which I totally recommend for back-up by the way!!!) I keep a plain three ring binder each year. In it I create dividers and sort out hard copies of my invoices, order forms, donations, and anything else that I may need a copy or quick reference to later.
3. Address Book- There's probably a better way... but I'm a bit of a romantic! I got mine from www.Stampington.com .
4. Gmail- I love to my Gmail account because I can easily sort mail, keep track of conversations, put "stars" next to what's important, etc.... it's great! This is also where I keep my "S&W Subscribers List" handy to write y'all quick updates without having to enter all of your addresses.
5. Sticky Notes/Note pads- I go through ALOT of paper! I like to have a list of any supplies I need to purchase (the less trips the better... but then again, I love the supply stores!), all of my upcoming custom work, and even blog post ideas!
6. Coupon Organizer- I know that sounds silly, but I actually use it to keep all of my receipts together! See! It's not that silly.
7. Wall and Desk Calendars- I started this method of keeping track/scheduling custom orders this year, and I have to tell you, it's the best system yet! I have a big calendar with both J's and my schedule so we can make a loose plan for the month. We also block out certain times for rest, trips, events, or just to spend time together. The rest of the days I fill in with rough estimates for custom project timelines and deadlines. I keep the small calendar either with me or at my desk so I can see everything at a glance. :) My calendars are from www.paper-source.com and Target.
(p.s. I'm so excited to tell you that I'm also filling up my calendar with more custom orders than I know what to do with! YAY!!!)
So, while I'm working on getting organized, I was wondering... what do you use to get organized? Computer software, online memberships, calendars, date books, phone apps.... please tell us in the comments!!!
I hope some of my secret weapons help you too!
happy thursday
2 comments:
I think I love that you schedule time to rest..time to take off…I totally need to do that! I also love the binder for the year. We have a home binder that I keep all our important info in, al our usernames/passwords, menus, and have little plastic sleeves that hold them. It works great! I also have a filing cabinet that we sort all of our paper bills each month, and a plastic box in our garage that we store all of our manuals for the things we purchase. That way they are all in the same spot!
Post a Comment