Cleaning and Organizing a Business

I had a week off from my day job in February (one of the perks of working for a school system).  After Valentine’s Day, it gets a little slow, so I took the opportunity to spend some time cleaning and organizing my business.

The first thing I needed to do was to make an expensive and large purchase.  I needed a safe cabinet to hold my sodium hydroxide. I was purchasing it in much larger quantities now. After consulting with my fire fighting son-in-law, I purchased the cabinet below.

Sodium hydroxide isn’t flammable, but we decided it was the best cabinet for my needs.  I made a sign so you can easily see what’s inside. I can even lock it if I want to.

Cleaning the Storage Side

Since the cabinet is on the storage side of my studio, I started there first.  I started Alegna Soap® 10 years ago and I’ve been making soap for over 20 years. I’ve collected a considerable amount of supplies. I have a business now, not a hobby. Sentimentality had to be put aside, if I hadn’t used it an the past year, out it went. I made a pile of items for other soap maker friends and I’ll bring that to a conference I’ll be going to soon. Everything else went into the garbage.

Everything is easily accessible now.

I was able to move a prep table into the room.

Cleaning the Working Side

The working side of my studio was harder and took longer. I had notebooks and more notebooks filled with recipes, handouts, conference programs and class notes.  There were notes from classes I’ve took, and notes from classes I’ve TA’d in.  Each notebook was looked at and sorted through, and most of it, chucked.

I went through old botanicals and essential oils

Bottles labeled, micas and glassware organized.

Next, my herb collection was thinned out.

Old labels and old notebooks, gone.

There was so much space on my shelves now, I was able to move files off my work tables.

I’ve already made a batch of soap Patchouli Clove in my newly cleaned and organized studio. Things are in reach and I have more space.  It’s easier to work. I’m grateful for that week off, the time I spent going through things cleared my mind as well as my studio.

What are you grateful for this week?

Yours in Gratitude,

Angela