Tip of the week: Organise your stock or workspace so you find things in seconds

Time disappears when you search for tools, papers or goods. A well-organised workspace saves minutes many times a day, and those minutes add up to hours.

Follow a few principles:

• Everything has a place, and returns to that place
• Put the most-used items within easy reach
• Label shelves, boxes and drawers clearly
• Keep similar items together
• Remove what you no longer use

A tailor can hang threads by colour, keep scissors on the same hook and store patterns in labelled folders. A hardware seller can group items by use and label each shelf with its content and price.

Spend ten minutes at closing time to tidy, so you start the next day ready.

Once a month, do a quick clear-out. Sell or give away dead stock and throw away rubbish.

An organised place also reduces theft and mistakes, because you can see quickly if something is missing.

This week: organise one shelf or drawer thoroughly and label it.