Spring Clean Your Career!

I don’t know about you, but I love the sunny days of spring. I’ve decided a post on spring cleaning our careers is in order.

What are we looking for during the spring months? Lots of sun, some organization, and a clean, happy work space. While we have no control over the weather, the rest we can control. Now is the time to take action. How? Here are some ways to get started:

1. Clean off (and out) your desk, removing everything and giving the top, shelves, cupboards, and drawers a good cleaning with some fresh smelling all-purpose cleaner. Remember to get the sides, front, and back as well. Don’t put everything back right off. Go through each item, each piece of paper. Find a permanent home for things, only putting back what is necessary to have right at your fingertips.
2. Place a plant at a back corner of your desk, or a couple of personal items such as a picture of your children and a decorative vase with flowers.
3. Give the walls of your office a quick wipe down, and take the broom to the ceiling and corners to get rid of any cobwebs and dust.
4. Wash the windows and sills, and place a few plants on the sills. Consider hanging window boxes outside, and planting flowers there as well. Open the windows to let the room air out.
5. Throw the curtains and area rugs in the washing machine for a good cleaning, hanging them to dry outside in the fresh, clean air.
6. Spend a day purging files, both physical ones and those on your computer.
7. Hang some family pictures or some nice artwork on the walls.
8. Clear shelves, dusting then washing well, and only putting back what needs to be kept. When putting things back, think of an attractive way to display those items.
9. Clean out the closet completely, washing everything down and allowing to air dry before putting back only what needs to be kept.
10. Sweep or vacuum, and wash whatever type of flooring you have.
11. Decide if there are some clients you need to let go of. You know the ones. They don’t pay on time, they demand more than what they pay for, or they resist rate raises.
12. Wash your desk chair and allow to air dry.
13. Wipe down outlets, baseboards, window and door frames, switch plates, and doorknobs with a damp cloth.
14. Wipe down the doors.

Have you freed up any space? Perhaps you have room to place a good size area rug, as well as an easy chair for reading and a table to go next to it. Or maybe two chairs will fit with a trunk in between the two, for holding client meetings.

Do you have things you need to get rid of? Find out if anyone you know can use them. If not, donate what you don’t want to keep, or sell it and put the money back into your business.

For more information about how you can clean and organize your career, see Organize Your Space and Stuff. You wont be disappointed.

How are you preparing your career for spring?

~ Shannon