When I moved into my new home almost ten years ago, I had just become an empty-nester. The kids were off, starting their own lives, but they weren’t quite settled into their own homes yet. So naturally, they gave me the puppy eyes and said, “Mom, can you hang on to my stuff for a little while?”
Well… you probably know how that story goes.
Every single box came with me to the new house. Childhood trophies, science fair ribbons, yearbooks, favorite stuffed animals… and even boxes of random things like tax returns from 2002 and birthday cards from relatives I forgot even sent cards.
Fast forward almost a decade, and those boxes were still tucked away in the closets of my spare rooms. Out of sight, sure—but never really out of mind. I had reached the point where I needed to reclaim my space. I wanted those rooms to feel peaceful, purposeful, and mine again.
So this year, I finally decided to dive in. I sorted, labeled, filed, and (gasp!) let go of things I no longer needed. And let me tell you, the difference was incredible. It wasn’t about getting rid of memories—it was about creating order, finding what mattered, and letting my home reflect the life I’m living now.
And as I was organizing those boxes, I had the funny realization:
This is exactly what I see in so many businesses!
You know the kind I’m talking about. Smart, successful entrepreneurs who are running profitable, growing businesses. But behind the scenes? They are filled with clutter (literal and figurative).
It’s called operational clutter. It’s the little stuff you’ve probably been putting up with for so long that it’s just become part of the background noise. But here’s the thing: those everyday annoyances add up and get in the way of efficiency and productivity.
Some common annoyances I’ve seen are…
- Consistent computer annoyances (takes forever to boot up or apps/programs that crash or don’t work right)
- Computer backup issues (I learned this the hard way many years ago!)
- Broken equipment (printers that only print half a page, copiers that always jam)
- Constantly running out of supplies (printer ink, paper, file folders)
- A disorganized desk (no systems in place, so you can’t find anything)
- Manually doing tasks that could be automated (payroll, order processing, etc.)
- And let’s not forget the classic: running your business on that old laptop that sounds like it’s about to lift off like a jet engine (but you’re waiting for it to completely die before replacing it, right?)
More than just wasting time, these little things chip away at your momentum. And once you break that flow, it’s hard to get back into it. Every time you stop to fix a glitch or redo a task, it pulls you away from your ideas, your focus, and your progress.
If you want to stop the madness and start saving precious energy, here’s what I recommend:
1. Make a list of the current annoyances.
Grab a pen or open a doc and just dump it all out. Once you see it all written down, you’ll probably be surprised how much you’ve been putting up with. Consider how much time and aggravation you’ll be saving when you invest in fixing these problems.
Bonus tip? Once it’s all listed, you can delegate or outsource some of the fixes. Instant relief.
2. Tackle new problems as soon as they crop up.
Remind yourself that your time is valuable. When something starts being a pain, don’t wait. If you have to unplug something every time you print because your laptop only has two ports—just spend the $20 and grab a USB hub. Your future self will thank you.
3. Do an annual audit.
Take a moment now and then (maybe around spring cleaning season?) to look around your workspace. Operational clutter and chaos have a sneaky way of creeping back in. Don’t wait for it to become an annoyance and rob you of your valuable time. Stay vigilant.
You don’t need a perfect plan or more resources to get started—just begin where you are. Tackle one issue today, then another tomorrow. Every small change to organize and streamline will free up your time and energy, just like reclaiming my spare rooms. Stop tolerating the little inefficiencies that are costing your business and start making progress. You’ve got this!