No world-class company of any kind celebrates (or even tolerates) a stinking mess of a shop, office, ship, truck, factory floor, restaurant kitchen, storefront, handcart, toolbox or surgical instrument.
When it comes to business: Clean is good. Dirty is bad. Take a look around your shop. Time for spring cleaning? Here’s a handy checklist for getting it done.
• Put someone in charge. It could be you, or you can always hire a professional organizer to help. Check out the National Association of Professional Organizers at www.napo.net/referral. Whichever route you go, meet with the leader to plan the cleanup day.
• Learn what records you must save. Ask your accountant for a list of items, or search www.sba.gov or www.irs.gov.
• Meet with team members in appropriate groups to get a plan and a layout for each area of the shop and office. There may be disagreements about what goes where as you lay out each space. As the owner or the manager, you make the final call.
• Pick a day and put it on your calendar. Send Cleanup Day alerts to all team members. Let them know when you will start, when you’ll stop, and that you will be cleaning and organizing the shop and office.
• Alert employees that if there is anything that they own personally that they want to take home, they should do so prior to Cleanup Day.
• Make it a mandatory, on-the-clock day with normal employee pay. Close for business, except for emergency calls, and assign the emergency responders.
• Allow the staff to wear old clothes. You are all going to get messy as you clean, so dress appropriately and comfortably.
• Arrange to rent and pick up a power washer, unless you have one.
• Have buckets, rubber gloves, eye protection and cleaning supplies on hand.
• Assign someone to order in food and drinks – your treat.
• Put names in a hat and assign areas of cleaning responsibility for the day.
Once you’re ready to clean, here are some more suggestions:
• Remove everything you can safely move with two people.
• Put things straight in the Dumpster, the recycle bins or in a “junk” pile. You also should have a “keep” pile, but be very selective about what you keep. Even if it is new, if you don’t need it, you can throw it out or recycle it.
• Clean everything in the space – from ceiling to floor – with an appropriate cleaner. When it doubt, use vinegar or water. Don’t be afraid of elbow grease.
• Use the power washer whenever possible.
• Want to paint and redo the floors? Do it now.
• Refer to the plans you made prior to Clean Up Day. Lay out the space and arrange the furniture. Consider what work goes on in the area and how you can best arrange the real estate.
• Put the “keep” stuff back in the space, cleaning every item as you do.
• Arrange to have the “junk” stuff hauled off. Make sure to recycle what you can.
• When it doubt, throw it out. Yep. Do it. Really. You can always buy another one.
• Lead the charge! Bring your energy to the party, and have some fun.
• Take pictures. This is your new standard. This is how your shop should look every day. Nice, isn’t it?
Ellen Rohr is an author and business consultant who offers systems for getting focused and organized, making money and having fun in business. Her latest book is “The Bare Bones Biz Plan.” She can be reached at ellen@barebonesbiz.com.
