If you have ever wasted time looking for a copy of a receipt, a manila file, or a sharp pencil, you know that it is easy to get frustrated when the tools that you need to do your job are not easily accessible. We all deal with paper build up, clutter accumulation, and a slow buildup of “stuff”. It is important to take time every now and again to do some office clean up and get yourself organized.

Research suggests: The average office “slob” wastes 1.7 hours per week!

By not organizing your office you leave yourself and your employees susceptible to stress and frustration. Your pet business does not have room for these burdens when there are canine clients who need constant supervision. Luckily, there is a solution: organize your office!

We have several tips for you on how to do just that. Keep in mind, having a well-kept office space will encourage you to manage the rest of the facility the same way.

1. Get software (ideally modern, cloud-based software).

Yes, this is a shameless plug for our product, but seriously it is 2014. If your business is not using software to efficiently operate your facility and communicate with your customers, it’s time! Kennel software, grooming software, training software, will free up time.

The average user of kennel software reports an average of 33% increase in productivity. If you had 33% of your time back, just imagine all the things you could do!

PawLoyalty Kennel Software organizes all of your client records on-line in an easily searchable format.

It eliminates the need for paper and folders floating around the office and time wasted searching and pulling records. 

Organize and optimize the use of your facility by having technology do the work for you.

With kennel software, you’ll have most, if not all, of your client information stored and accessible through your computer. This will free up space that is taken up by filing cabinets, bulky folders, and large paper recycling bins. And having the luxury of searching for items with the click of a button as opposed to rummaging through old papers is a benefit I am sure many of you have marveled at! But whether you have kennel software or not, here are a few extra steps you can take to organizing the non-digital items in your office.

What are you waiting for? Watch the demo of our product here: https://www.pawloyalty.com/ or go ahead and do it already and set up a guided walk through of the product and get all your questions answered: https://www.pawloyalty.com/owner/GetInfo

2. There should be no such thing as a “junk drawer.”

When your dog leaves waste on the sidewalk, it’s courteous to pick it up and dispose of it properly. Unfortunately several people do not treat “the waste” in their offices with the same etiquette. When was the last time you wanted to throw away a used up pen or a dry highlighter, but there was no trashcan nearby so you just put it back in your pen holder or stuffed it in your drawer? A small instance like this creates clutter and before you know it you have a drawer that your brain has deemed the junk drawer. Bring out the trash bags because it’s time to pick up the waste! And yes, this includes hardcopy files that are already in your dog daycare software and taking up space on your desk.

If you use cloud-based software, you can rest assured that your records are safer than ever. Backed up twice a day, they are no longer at risk of damage or deletion when your computer dies unexpectedly.

What are you waiting for? Designate an hour this week where you will meticulously go through drawers around your office and in your desk to eliminate things that are dried up, trash worthy or not serving you anymore.

3. Tidy up your customer information section.

Even if you handle customers at the front desk, this section should have all the tailor-made items for them in one spot. Having all of the welcome packets, flyers for promotions, event calendars, and merchandise in a single area will make things easier for you to locate objects in a timely manner so that you don’t waste your time or the customer’s.

Try and place all of the information on a space that is about the size of an end table. Make it manageable and well organized. Purchase display tools like acrylic paper holders. If you are trying to arrange your information on a large surface, consider using a placemat to visually merchandise and group the items. Here’s another tip: Have different colors for each flyer so that you don’t have to filter through a stack of white papers that will begin to look identical.

What are you waiting for? Mentally take note of where you will place this section. If you already have a section in mind, then visualize how you want it to look. Visualization is a great place to start planning so that you have a goal in mind while re-organizing.

4. The labeler is your friend.

In case someone in the office forgets which folders are for what purpose or what goes in what drawer, label EVERYTHING. It is important to label everything so that those who are less committed to your organization strategy (or less familiar with it) will not undo all your progress in a single afternoon. 

Just like how we label folders on our computer documents, add labels to all organization systems including shelves, storage boxes, folders, etc. The labeler will be that constant reminder to you and to your staff that there is a place for everything and everything should go back in its place.

Labeling also helps avoid operation mistakes. All manila folders look alike. You don’t want a staff member to accidentally put one client’s personal document into another client’s folder. This is also why we encourage filing documents on your computer. We’re pretty sure there’s more than one dog named Rocky owned by a Mr. Williams out there. A simple computer search will be able to locate a document faster than if an employee were to spend time flipping through each folder.

What are you waiting for? Purchase a labeler this week! After tidying up your office, pick a time and date to schedule 10 minutes committed to labeling folders, boxes, and drawers. Then announce to your staff that everything is now labeled for convenience and to please commit to putting items back in their newly labeled area.

5. Walls are space savers.

Your local office supply store has tons of options for wall storage. Mini drawers, hooks, magazine racks, corkboards, and of course, shelves, can all hold items that would normally occupy your desk. Because shelves put items on display, you will be less tempted to make a “junk shelf” lest your customers see your uncapped, dried up highlighters on display next to a picture of the wife and kids.

What are you waiting for? Check out our Pinterest Board, Facility Wall Organization to get the creative juices flowing on this one.

Organization makes your office look good and it makes you feel good. Knowing the location of each office item is one less worry you have when you walk into work every day. The appearance of your office says a lot about the functionality of your facility. Customers will think “If you can’t keep track of your files, how will you keep an eye on my impulsive and hyperactive dog?”

Fortunately, your kennel software will be able to cut out the middle man of you having to file and locate documents because customers will be able to upload their pets’ medical histories themselves. Without all of these extra papers lying around, you will have no excuses for a messy and cluttered office! Clean it up today!

Throw Us a Bone!

What are some organizing tips that work for your office? We would love to hear them!! Please share your experiences with our pet professional community.