My Big Business Purge

Jul 5

Right before we rang in the New Year my husband and I dubbed it The Great Purge of 2023.

We've been in our house for over six years - and I've been at my studio in The Tannery longer than that - and we've accumulated.

Now we know what we need (and like) and are ready to let go of the rest!

Shelby and I are still chipping away at the home front, but the purge is nearly complete at the studio.

And it has transformed my business. Here's how:

Decluttered A LOT

Lindsy moving into the studio was serious motivation to clean out. I wanted to give her space in the closet so that's where I began.

I took everything out Marie Kondo style and ruthlessly pruned.

I donated decorations, recycled the assignments I kept from high school photography, and brought the majority of my vintage camera collection to a local antiques dealer.

I also gave much of my photography decor, equipment, and props to a friend who started a photography business. (Check her out. I designed her website! ;)

Lindsy has closet space, and my shelves are now tidy and organized.

The final push was my desk. #outofsightoutofmind

I went through each drawer and purged office supplies and random things I was keeping. Now when I open a desk drawer or go into my closet, I feel a sense of calm.

It's also much easier to find what I'm looking for, and my studio reflects who I am now instead of who I was when I operated MegaBug Photography.

Working at the studio is more streamlined, relaxing, and fun!

Evaluated My Offers

Earlier this year I removed client work from my website (consultations, website design), reduced the number of online courses I offer, and rebranded two of them.

It's easier to market fewer offers, and it's now easier for students to choose the right course for them.

In the words of another Marie (Forleo), simplify to amplify and confused people don't buy!

Unsubscribed From E-Newsletters and Decreased Who I Was Following on Instagram By Half

I'm all about that inbox zero.

I've always organized emails I need to keep into folders, but no matter how hard I tried, I was often left with several emails in my inbox. And if I didn't get to them that day, they'd multiply into dozens.

So I unsubscribed from the email newsletters that didn't spark joy (another Marie Kondo-ism) and now I look forward to the newsletters that enter my inbox.

(Did you know that some e-newsletters allow you to reduce the amount of emails you receive without unsubscribing completely? Click “Manage Preferences” at the bottom of the email.)

I also went from following 3,000 accounts on Instagram to less than 1,500. Now I mainly see posts that align with my interests. Instagram is fun again!