Great tips for more breathing room in your office budget

Are you currently struggling with budgets and plans for the new year? You've probably already grown a few gray hairs at the thought of where you might be able to make some savings. And it can be hard to figure out and even harder to plan for. Because what can we do without or cut back on? And what about all the unforeseen expenses? Efficiency is key. Instead of asking where you can save, turn it around and ask, where can you be more efficient?

Now drop that tea towel!

Most people are familiar with emptying the dishwasher or refilling the office coffee machine with fresh beans. It comes naturally to us to lend a hand, but studies show that employees spend too much time on "office chores".

Have you thought about how often someone in the office changes the soap containers in the restrooms and swings the dishcloth after lunch? If so, it's actually a good idea to ask employees to focus on their job instead. Even if it's a kind gesture, it's detrimental to the company's overall efficiency when they're doing things they weren't hired to do.

Similarly, it's important to take a good look at your own tasks. It turns out that as much as 30% of an office manager's time is spent on domestic and practical tasks like shopping and cleaning. Therefore, consider whether it's worthwhile for you to hire part-time help. A receptionist could take care of the more mundane tasks, freeing up your time for higher value projects.

Annual maintenance - can't we just cross it off?

Taxes, insurance, repairs and cleaning are the big building blocks of the average office budget. But what about annual maintenance? Many people skip this item because it's vague and easier to keep out of the budget. This is a mistake. Because you can actually win in the long run if you think about it at the beginning of the year. And why is that? Because the cost of general maintenance is often underestimated. Let's say your floor has been longing for a refinish for several years. If you include it in the budget, you'll have time to get quotes and avoid choosing the first and best when you suddenly have a big reception and can't put it off any longer.

A good tip is to review your maintenance plans for plumbing, electrical and seasonal services to look at opportunities to contact suppliers early and save money by booking services in advance. We're just saying, urgency is urgency, and many of these tasks can be planned for and anticipated.

Ready, set, go shopping

There's money to be saved if you don't shop on autopilot because you need to move fast. The same things are on your shopping list week after week, year after year: snacks, coffee filters, soap, paper towels and air fresheners for the toilet, just to name a handful. So you might as well be more strategic:

• Get out early and look for deals. If you need coffee filters, buy not one but ten packs when you find them at a good price.

• Make few but big shopping trips to stock up your cupboards (when you find the items on sale, of course). This will save you from buying in bulk and save you time every week.

• Don't be too loyal to the places you usually shop. Go where they have the best deals.

• Don't be picky when it comes to things like snacks. Even if they ask for a special brand of peanuts, they can't taste it anyway if you pour them into a bowl. Many discount supermarkets have cheaper items on the shelves that are just as good.

If you want a review of your property by someone who knows what it takes to make it work every day, let us come by and take a look. We also know some great people who love to lend a hand if it's practical help you need. For example, you can get a sweet bellhop who comes for the number of hours you need.