It's time for spring cleaning!

I really like to organize things.

I get a thrill from dropping off a trunk full of donations and seeing my space a little less full.

Don’t get me wrong though – with a 4-year old, obviously my home is a hot mess.

No one ever told me how many papers would come home from preschool. SO MANY.

But I do find that when I have put systems in place for our clutter, spring cleaning becomes a little easier and less unpleasant.

Here are some examples:

My daughter has specific areas in her playroom where toys like Magnatiles or Lego need to get put back.
I have paper bags for recycling in a few rooms so I have no excuse to throw something out or let the recycling pile up.
We have a box where the artwork goes. My home is still overrun by papers and art, but at the very least, we can just throw it in the box and keep things somewhat contained.

These systems help me try to separate what is important from what needs to go, and they remove a few steps from a lot of my chores.

You know what else I like to organize?

You got it – data and information!

Like our table piled high with preschool artwork, organizations can get quickly overwhelmed by vast amounts of information they collect – sometimes by choice, and sometimes because of requirements.

Even more than at home, I also get a thrill from setting up systems to help teams find the information they need, when they need it.

I’m not talking about expensive, complicated software platforms. Sometimes that is what is needed, but a lot of times, even a well-designed spreadsheet can help a team stay organized.

Here are a few basic systems that are critical for any team:

Files - few things stress me out more than a file folder with hundreds of randomly named files. Having an intuitively-designed set of folders and sub-folders with a clear naming convention for files makes a world of difference.
Budget - a spreadsheet with a few basic formulas can help you see how much you’ve spent - and in which categories - in real time.
Clients - it’s so impactful when you can quickly say, “we’ve served X people in Y years.” But this is really hard to do when data isn’t organized across programs, seasons, or years. It’s so important to have a running list or platform to show you who you’ve served and when.
Progress Towards Goals - while we’re always aiming to reach our overarching goals (Ex. Engage families in meaningful partnerships to support the growth of their child and the school community), we do need to keep track of our progress towards our objectives that help get us there (Ex. By the end of the year, 70% of families will participate in at least one parent-teacher conference.).

If setting up these systems feels overwhelming, I get it. But you’re in luck – I love to organize things for other people too.

I can help you set up these simple systems to keep your team on track, help you get rid of unnecessary confusion and work, and maximize your efforts for children and families.

So if you need help with your data spring cleaning and organization, hop on a free consultation call with me to see how we can address your team’s specific needs.