3 Simple Ways Which Have Helped Me Stay Organised Since Becoming Self-Employed *

*This post is in collaboration

Whether you're a self-employed blogger like myself or if you own your own online shop, staying organised is a must and at times keeping on top of things can get very stressful and the more you put things off, the worse it'll get. Especially if you're new to it all or doing it all by yourself at first, it can all feel very daunting. So I thought I'd talk about some ways which have helped me stay organised since becoming self-employed.

I know it might sound a little excessive but I have folders and notebooks for pretty much everything and believe me it helps. I also have peace of mind that I have everything I need at hand if I need a certain piece of paperwork and things like that, which really helps me and my worrier mindset. I make many lists too; from things I need to take photos of, products I need to try out (if they are PR samples then I try and remember what arrived first and I have a designated box for PR too), posts I need to write up etc. I keep all of my tax-related paperwork such as invoices, bank statements, any letters from HMRC, receipts etc in a folder and then anything else is in one of two button fastened plastic wallet which are easy to store. I did have a huge folder with many compartments but it was taking up a lot of space in my bedroom and it was getting a little confusing so I switched to a ring binder folder instead for the important paperwork (i.e invoices, bank statements) and I find it works better for me because I can just turn the page to a certain page and it's there as I section everything off into months to make it easier. You can also make your folder(s) a little more snazzy by customising them or if you want to go down a more professional route and print your company/brand's logo by ring binder printing at Folder Printing. They offer quality printing at affordable prices. They also do other things too including slip cases, presentation folders, business cards and more and have worked for many well known companies and offer free delivery and price match guarantee. So whether you're a blogger, small business owner or work within a company as an employee then they may be a company to check out if you're in need of folders, business cards, calendars and more.

Keeping on top of your invoices every month or so is a must (it literally doesn't matter if you have had a small or big amount coming in each month because believe me if you leave it and don't print them off and work out your income/expenses it all mounts up very quickly!). Also, have a notebook or word document/excel which gives you a rundown of all of your income and expenses. Whenever I have a paid opportunity I write down the date, brand, the PR's name who got in touch, agreed payment amount (and any possible expenses) and you could write down the invoice number too. So I do kind of keep on top of my incoming and outgoings throughout every month anyway but not "officially" if that makes sense as I print off and file my invoices every month or so. So to put it simpler... print off and file your proper invoices every month or so and work out your official income and expenses then too but keep track of your paid opportunities as they come in by writing them down on excel or in a notebook.

Something else that you have to take into account when you become a self-employed blogger, YouTuber and/or Instagrammer is that you spent a lot of time chasing after getting your invoices paid. I feel like I've spent so much of my time chasing invoices since becoming self-employed which is annoying because not only does it make you feel really uncomfortable asking to be paid for the work you've completed and should rightly be paid for but it can affect your relationship with the brand/company you're working with. However, you can make sure you get paid quicker and/or on time with Chaser (for credit control software). Chaser not only saves you time and hassle, but it's also reassuring to know as a self-employed person/business that you will get paid on time and you won't have to dip into your savings to pay your bills.

Lastly, I find that planning ahead really helps. From blog posts to instagram photos and so on. I think if your blog or youtube is your main source of income then you have keep it flowing and make sure you're giving your followers a variety of content because people can quickly lose interest. I write about beauty and lifestyle mainly but you may have noticed I've started writing about home and interiors more because it's something I've always been interested in and it's nice to add something else into the mix sometimes. I find that those type of posts do really well too which is fab. I also like writing posts like this which are about being self employed or tips on blogging which I've found have helped me over the past few years.

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