A Guide To Spring Cleaning For Freelance Designers

All successful companies can benefit from a thorough deep clean to keep the work flowing in. And your freelance design business is no different. So what better time than spring to do some streamlining and get a breath of fresh air in your business and your workspace?

Tidy Your Office Space

Any space that you spend a lot of time in, especially a workplace can start to feel mundane and boring after a while. The simplest way to remedy this is to tidy up! It may seem obvious to include this point in a post about spring cleaning but it works, a tidy office is a nicer place to be. It also gives a better impression of your business to visitors. You polish your desk and dust your shiny Apple gadgets every day I hear? Brilliant! But unfortunately, over time you may still become accustomed to being in the exact same environment and lose your motivation slightly. For this I would recommend changing things for the sake of changing them. Put your desk over there instead, move that inspirational poster slightly to the left, and try facing the other window. Go on, just try it! You can always move it all back when you get bored of having it that way.

Cut Down Your Expenses

Trimming down on expenses is something that we all (hopefully) do regularly in our personal lives. But it is sometimes neglected in our business lives. If you don’t already have one, create a spreadsheet of your regular expenses and then evaluate it. Could you be getting cheaper rent if you moved office? Can you switch your phone or broadband provider for savings? You may be surprised at how much you can save by making a few simple changes. If you pay for marketing, then it should really be paying for itself. If it isn’t then try to figure out why, considering trialling different forms of advertising, or revamping your newsletter etc. And finally, if you manage your own books or taxes, use this opportunity to get up to date, complete your return early or follow up on outstanding invoices. It can feel like a great weight off your mind to know that you are completely up to date with the financial side of things.

Weed Out Tricky Clients

It is a fact of any business that some customers end up costing you more than they earn. Think about the time that you spend chasing late payments, travelling to meetings, and other unproductive time spent with your clients, not to mention the stress they may be causing. You shouldn’t be afraid you trim down your client list over fear of losing work, as you will be gaining time. Time that can be spent more wisely with other clients or even finding new customers. If you do decide to weed out a tricky client then try to be helpful when you explain this to them, tie up your loose ends first, and if you know somebody in the same industry who may be able to deal with them better than yourself then try to set up a new business relationship for them before cutting your ties completely.

Declutter

Over the year(s) you’ve probably accumulated lots of stuff. And a lot of it is probably either broken or unused. Things like old computers or tired furniture. If it’s getting in your way, and you don’t need it any more. Then get rid! A word of warning though; As therapeutic as it can be to just bin your old stuff or take it outside and see what’s inside with a hammer. Your old stuff probably has some value to someone, so trying sticking it on an online auction site or listing a classified ad first. And then use the extra funds you make towards that equipment upgrade you’re thinking about! Treat Your Self to New Tools People with creative professions tend be different to most business people. We are geeks at heart, and not afraid to admit it. Our tools aren’t just equipment for getting a job done, they make us happy! Embrace that fact and (if you can afford it) treat yourself to an upgrade. Not only will it increase your productivity, but it will also give you that little boost of morale when you think about going to work.

Inspiration

Here are a few beautiful clean and minimal workspace set ups for your inspiration.