Marie Kondo’s show on Netflix has spiked interest in decluttering. Applying her principles in business makes sense, especially in a visually and spatially busy business like a newsagency, even a former newsagency that identifies as something else today.
I especially like some of Marie’s mantras and their application to newsagencies such as Nostalgia is not your friend. I often see newsagents hang on to things because of nostalgia or do things because it what they have always done.
Part of decluttering in business is about doing what is right for the business, what moves the business forward, what makes the business more valuable the it comes time to sell.
Only you can work this out for your business. There are plenty who will try and tell you what to do and plenty of them are not newsagents. Listen to yourself.
Work out your own approach to decluttering the shop and the business. If you are not sure where to start, choose a category and focus on that. Or, choose a location, like the counter. Be single- minded in your focus on that. make a new experience, a new counter that focuses on the new view of the business: lean, efficient, happy, forward leaning.
A key rule Kondo applies is to keep things around you that spark joy. It would be interesting to contemplate what you keep in your business is that is your focus. Even considering this only from a product perspective. What products in your shop today spark joy? What would your business look like if you removed products that do not spark joy for you?
I am not writing this telling you what to do. Rather, I am posing questions so you can determine for yourself any changes you wish to make in your business. I have worked through this and found the results most interesting.
Decluttering is really about clearing a path forward, removing things, clutter, in the way of steps you can take. If you start with the counter and consider everything at and on the counter. If you apply Kondo’s principles you should end up with a very different counter for those who work in the business and those who shop with you.