No day is the same for florist Ange Norman, so it’s essential her office organisation systems are in place to ensure every wedding, event and day in the store runs smoothly. She has worked as a florist in Forresters Beach on the NSW Central Coast for about 13 years, taking over her former employer’s business in July 2024. Because the work varies so much at The Botanical Workshop – prepping for weddings and events, running the storefront and stocking up at the flower market – her business’ organisational systems need to be clear and up to date. Ange loves being her own boss, especially as it helps her manage family life as a mother of two children. 

Here, she shares her organisation and productivity tips for small businesses.

An open desk drawer with branded stationery for The Botanical Workshop, including workshop flyers, business cards and gift cards.

‍Start the Financial Year Fresh

At the beginning of each financial year, Ange likes to do a refresh of not only the store, but all of the printed documents and digital files the store has on hand. “It gets a bit messy by the end of the financial year. I like to give everything a good clean out; I find that’s such a great way to refresh your mind as well. It will probably take all month, but that’s okay,” she says. 

Go Offsite for Admin

Previously, Ange would try to do admin tasks at home or in the store, but she’d find herself helping a customer or arranging flowers instead. Now, she takes her laptop away from interruptions. “Each week, I will go to a café and sit down to write a checklist and go through all my emails, proposals and bills with headphones on and a coffee,” she says. “There are no distractions. It has been a game-changer for me.” 

This is vital because “as soon as it slides away, it gets very overwhelming. And then your productivity goes down. It’s very important to stay on top of it,” she says.

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Ange Norman of the Botanical Workshop writing notes in a folder. Next to her is a bunch of gerberas ready to be wrapped.

Don’t Be The Single Source of Truth‍

Another important part of office organisation is clear communication. Ange has created simple systems to keep her two staff members across tasks. She has two calendars for the team to reference: one digital and one on a whiteboard in the store. She also has a simple notepad checklist, so she can tick off each item as she goes, and a folder with every wedding and event proposal the team is currently working on in case there are questions or changes while Ange isn’t in the store.

Ange Norman organising storage boxes on a shelf, with a printer and decorative items nearby.

Print Out Your Procedures

Ange even has dedicated printed procedure guides, like how to use the register, for new team members to refer to. “Create simple procedures for everyone to be able to read, especially for when you can’t be there to help whoever you’ve got working for you,” she says. “It is definitely such a help. It makes the business flow so much more [when] not everyone’s relying on you for the information because it’s all in front of them.”

Ange Norman standing out the front of her store, The Botanical Workshop, organising her flower arrangements.

Make Time for Yourself

It’s all too easy to let the workload of running a small business take over your life – at one stage, Ange was working on her own seven days a week for months on end. Prioritising not only regular breaks throughout the day, but solid chunks of time to reset is a must for her and something she recommends to other business owners.

“Set time aside for yourself. You need that time, even if it’s for half a day. Do something for you to be able to reset yourself and to breathe; just enjoy that moment,” she says. She now makes time to have a coffee with a friend and to go on big walks and is planning on starting Pilates.

SEE ALSO: Home Office Organisation Tips for Boosting Productivity

A person using a cordless vacuum cleaner on a wooden floor, surrounded by various flowers in a floral shop setting.

Carve Out Time for Cleaning

It might be on the bottom of the to-do list, but regular store tidy-ups are key to the success of The Botanical Workshop – particularly after a visit to the flower markets. “Keeping up with the cleaning makes sure that when people walk in, they see a beautiful florist not just, you know, something that’s all over the place,” she says.‍

Ange Norman sitting at a wooden desk with a laptop on a stand, a notebook and a vase of pink flowers.

Create Defined Work Zones

The counter at The Botanical Workshop also serves as the flower-arranging station, with all essentials hidden beneath it. 

“I’ve got all these wonderful draws that I put everything in, like all the paper, all the ribbon, a stationery one and a junk drawer that has all the cleaning supplies,” says Ange. Behind the counter, and shielded from the view of customers by a curtain, are shelves piled with boxes and containers that store supplies needed less regularly, such as wires, tape and paper towels. And then there’s an inbuilt desk for propping up her laptop and notebooks for any work throughout the day.

What to Try:

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