Run your Business like a Pro with these 10 Apps

These are 10 business apps I use every day to run my small business. Whether you run a Professional Organizing business like myself or any business where you are the boss and sole staffer, it’s important to keep your documents and finances organized. These ten free and low-cost apps will help you do just that. 

**Update – since publishing this blog I’ve discovered Canva, the graphic design app used to create logos. business cards, t-shirts, and social media post images. I use it weekly and have added it to the list in the #11 spot**

1. LastPass
2. Hubspot
3. Trello
4. Evernote
5. Calendly
6. MileIQ
7. Quickbooks
8. Dropbox
9. Google Calendar
10. Google Docs
11. Canva

#1 LastPass

Have you ever had a completely unproductive day because you can’t find the password you need to open the software that would help you stay organized and productive? Ironic, right? Lastpass keeps all those passwords organized and at your fingertips. And bonus, Lastpass helps you generate unique and secure digital passwords, so you never waste time thinking about new and inventive code words. Visit LastPass

#2 HubSpot 

I’ve spent a lot of money on sophisticated customer databases that had features I never used. Hubspot allows me to track all the activities I have with my clients and leads including email communication. Even when a client calls me out of the blue years after our first appointment, I have access to their information and can continue providing excellent service. Visit HubSpot

#3 Trello

Trello is a powerful task and project management tool that keeps me organized and allows me to track all of my client’s progress in their home organizing projects. I love that Trello is easily accessible from my PC, tablet, and smartphone. If you’re new to Trello, check out my demo HERE

#4 Evernote

Evernote is a magical app that allows you to remember everything. It does this by tracking all kinds of information like notes you took at the doctor’s office or a lecture, business cards, recipes, instructions, your favorite wine, even keepsakes. All that information is organized within the apps notebooks and easily searchable. Start using Evernote.

#5 Calendly

If you have a service business, give clients the ability to book their own appointments via Calendly. Calendly will show potential clients open spots in your schedule, allow them to book and even pay for their appointment. This is a serious time saver for solopreneurs. Visit Calendly

#6 MileIQ

If you travel in your business between your office and your client’s homes, those mileage expenses could be tax-deductible. But who has the time to write down all those trips and calculate the deduction? Well, you do not have to with MileIQ. Your trips are automatically recorded and kept in a monthly report. Simply swipe left or right in the app to indicate if the drive is personal or business. At the end of each month, your mileage expense is automatically calculated, so easy! Check out MileIQ.

#7 Quickbooks

Intuit Quickbooks is an online tool and app that assist business owners keep their finances organized. I’ll be the first to admit that creating invoices, receipts, profit and loss reports, and running payroll is not my favorite thing. But if you have a small business and no on-site or part-time bookkeeper, this app is a great alternative for the solopreneur or single-member business. Visit Quickbooks online.   

#8 Dropbox

Organizing and storing your important documents to the cloud is a must for the on-the-go entrepreneur. Dropbox allows you to store and retrieve documents from your smartphone or tablet. I use Dropbox to store archived and reference paperwork I don’t need access to all the time like taxes, insurance documents, and medical files. You may never need to access these documents, but if you do, Dropbox allows you to find them in seconds. Signup for Dropbox.

#9 & #10 Google tools including Gmail, Calendar, and Google Docs

I know, Google dominates online information sharing and storage. But there is a reason for this – their tools are easy to use and affordable to small business owners (a.k.a. lots of free features). I can share calendar appointments and documents with my client’s, and organize Gmail communication. If you are running a service business like Professional Organizing, you may find yourself out of the office more than in the office. With Google’s suite of tools, your smartphone or tablet, your mobile office is ready to operate from anywhere! Start with Gmail.

Wondering how to start your own decluttering business?

There are many things to consider when starting an organizing business like:

• What will I name my business?
• Where will I find clients?
• How do I become an organizer?
• Do I need to be certified?
• How will I structure my business?

You have come to the right place! Check out my other blogs on starting a decluttering business:

How to Start a Professional Organizing Business

The Ultimate Reading List for (wannabe) Certified Professional Organizers

How to Create a Name for your Organizing Business

7 Ways to Get Clients for your Professional Organizing Business

Get a copy of my free guide “Professional Organizer’s Launch Guide” HERE

When you are ready to start your own decluttering business, check out all my courses on working as a professional organizer in my course bundle for the best price on courses to create and market your organizing business and design a system of organization that will work with all your clients no matter how small or large their volume of clutter!

Happy Organizing!