Circumstances don’t make a person. Likewise, office size doesn’t make a successful business. In the modern world, there are about a million ways technology plays a greater role than the physical space we work in. Remote workers, high rent, and economic changes are all reasons you may want to downsize. If you decide to do so, it should be done the right way. It may even lead to more productivity for reasons we’ll touch on below. But first, let’s start at the beginning. 1. Preparing to win Plan ahead and set goals If you manage your business all by yourself — that’s great. You don’t have to refer to anyone else for decision-making. However, DO make decisions early — and that’s with or without a team. Additionally, ensure you set concrete goals that are in line with your company’s goals, values, and anything else that could be affected by the move. Discern your office needs You know you’re going smaller but how much smaller exactly? Figure out what your office requires in anticipation of the change. Is smaller equipment an option? Would you be better off using electronic storage? What type of layout suits your employees? — We’ll go more into detail on that one later. For now, just be clear on your workspace must-haves. Get help from the professionals If you have the means to do so, allow an expert step in to help with packing, storage, and moving your office to its new location (Relocate Stress-Free are pros here). Know your purpose and act on it Be aware of what specific purpose all parts of your office serve. A more limited space does not have to mean less efficiency. On the same note, use multi-purpose supplies and furniture to make the most out of space. 2. Doing the work Organize with intent The groundwork for moving goes in a similar fashion to planning. Conscious organization is key. When packing boxes, remember to use simple but effective labels so you won’t be lost when unpacking. Rent a storage unit Renting a space to keep important items will probably work out in your best interest. There are lots of options available, but we’d recommend Crate it Storage here for many reasons. As needed, be sure to inform your storage company of the labels for the boxes. Also, don’t hesitate to force yourself to donate or — as appropriate — throw away what you don’t need. Get rid of some furniture Similarly, feel free to rid yourself of too large or unnecessary furniture taking up space. Yes, that lounge chair is the most gorgeous thing on the floor, but if you don’t allow your employees to take naps on it — and you probably should — then consider getting rid of it. Go vertical or go home Before we talk about telecommuting, let’s discuss even more space maximization which you can achieve by using vertical furniture instead of traditional horizontal pieces. We’re talking desk-top shelves and otherwise spending practices. Employ interior design expertise If you don’t spend money on any other expertise… well, who can blame you? HGTV has made an interior designer of us all. But for real, employing a professional can make a huge difference. Meanwhile, we advise the use of light-colored paint and large mirrors to give your office the illusion of spaciousness. Sometimes, the illusion is as good as reality, so just enjoy the magic. 3. Boosting productivity Consider remote work You won’t miss your large conference room if you make use of telecommuting with your employees. Consider the use of virtual conference meetings, or, you can even rent a hotel conference room if meetings are irregular. In 2019, there’s an endless range of options for meetings online. Plus, more organizations than ever are granting flexibility through remote work and guess what — at least one study showed that workers were more productive. Enjoy a physical connection Of course, this all has to do with how well you carry out such a plan. In the meantime, feel free to encourage your staff to embrace the physical closeness they are now succumbed to. They’ll bounce into each other more often, and this will lead to a greater sense of community and increased creativity as good vibes and shared focus is exchanged. Don’t forget work-life balance Always keep in mind that employees exist outside of work just like you do. A happy wife makes a happy life, right? Well, a fulfilled employee makes, well, an engaged and productive one. One disclaimer though: Nothing can be guaranteed to fix your human resource problems except modern behavioral experts. However, we hope that the above can help conquer your business’ downsizing battle with ease and perhaps leave you better off than when you had that big fancy office.
Declutter Guide
Decluttering a home can lead to a minimal and peaceful life. There’s less time to clean, maintain stuff and locate things in the house. Decluttering services can be sought from Relocate Stress Free but the homeowner must be willing to initiate the process themselves. Anyone looking forward to staring decluttering, here’s a simple guide to assist. Begin small Decluttering process is overwhelming when looked at as a whole. So the best approach to begin with is to focus on a small space for a start, such as dining table, shelf or kitchen counter. Only the needed stuffs should be put back but the rest cleared out. Separate needs from wants It’s possible to have emotional attachments with objects. This will make it difficult deciding to let go. The best way is to decide what is really needed and what is just wanted but not used. The process isn’t going to be easy, so things that are really difficult to get rid of can be stored away in temporary storage for 6 months (like Crate It Storage). If after that period they are not needed, then it’s time to get rid of them. Relocate Stress Free can provide assistance to your storage solutions. Work progressively in chunks Beginning small will initiate the decluttering process, but there’s a whole house to be decluttered. When dealing with the larger tasks such as basements, the job is best managed in smaller tasks than as a whole. Doing the work at least 10 minutes a day is a good pace. During the weekends when free, one can spend the entire weekend if free and in the mood or do it piece by piece but keeping the work going on. Involve others If there are kids, or other people living in the house, they might be affected if their belongings are disposed of without their consent. Involving them in the decision making process is a good way of avoiding disagreements and raising emotions. Schedule some time for disposal Once collected all the stuffs in grocery bags or boxes, they can be set aside to be given away or donated. Garage sales and auctions can also offer a good solution to earn some extra paycheck. The items should be disposed of as soon as possible so as to avoid possibilities of second thoughts. This is a nice decluttering guide that can be used for virtually any room and for any reason, whether getting things neat, moving or downsizing.
Decluttering the garage
Garage is often an ultimate choice for all additional stuffs present in a home, hence spending some time and effort in decluttering it is worth investment. Hiring the decluttering services of Relocate Stress Free to assist in the whole process of decluttering the garage is not different from other types of home maintenance services which require professionals. Most of the clutters are usually things that are no longer needed, hence can be sold through auctions to earn homeowners some extra cash. Here’s a simple guide to use when decluttering the garage. Create a vision for the garage When decluttering the garage focusing on the stuff should be abandoned and instead create a vision of what the garage should be. Things to consider include: Why is the decluttering process needed? What is the space to be used for? What will be the outlook of the garage after decluttering? Create a list of most important things Hoarding things in the garage always leads to a sentimental attachment to them. Creating a list of things that will be difficult to let go is necessary in identifying the clutter. After creating a list, items which are most important should be marked. Using two trash bags, fill one with items to be recycled or discarded such as broken toys. The other bag should be filled with items to be donated to charity. If this is done daily for a week, there will be 14 bags of trash and 14 bags of donation items. Label storage containers The garage is also commonly used for seasonal storage. Once the trash and items to be donated are removed, common items left include the seasonal items. Storage containers and boxes used to store seasonal items should be labeled clearly. If you have no room to store the seasonal items, locate a storage company (Crate It Storage Inc.) to store the containers. Utilize the vertical space Nothing should be stored on the garage floor. Creating vertical storage for items such as gardening tools, bicycles, sporting equipment is a good way of creating more space. In a span of a week, it is possible to reclaim the space in a garage and make it look less cluttered and more attractive.