As a contractor, staying organized while rifling through a disorganized mess on the job site may seem like an oxymoron. When everything is already out of place, amassed in jumbled chaos, picking up the pieces and staying organized while you catalog each and every item has been a nearly impossible challenge—at least in years past. But no matter how daunting it may be to find order in this bedlam, it nevertheless needs to be done.

The easiest way to approach organization is with organization. Many contractors have developed systems of their own to make this happen, whether it’s a step-by-step process, a failsafe check system or recurring way of doing things that gets them and their teams into the right habits. It’s like brushing your teeth—you do it the same way every day until it simply becomes routine. After a while, you’ll have the motions down so well that it will immediately feel wrong if you skip a step or forget to perform a check.

Once you’ve got a system down with which you’re comfortable, it’ll be easier to approach a job. But as you already know by now, no two sites are ever exactly the same. Sure, you’ll encounter similar contents from site to site, but ultimately each new job site is a fresh take on the same problem. So, how do you cope with organizing yourself at a singular item level?

Equip yourself with the right tools and a focused mindset. The right tool is iCAT’s Fast Packout app; a focused mindset is one that allows you to know what the next step is before you need to take it.

Let’s explain.

You know that each and every item in a space must be properly logged into the Fast Packout app. You also know that each item has its own properties and values. Some deal with the now, including pre-existing conditions, where you took it from, what it is, how much space is required to package it and if the item is delicate. Others deal with the future: Will the item be cleaned or disposed? Will it be stored and returned as-is? What type of cleaning method will you use?

This gives you a start and end point, with your overarching goal being to register and package these items accurately and as quickly as possible based on their properties, values and obvious next steps.

As a side note, your packout technicians should be aware of the “now” issues, but hyper-focused on the “future.” At the packout stage, every action you take matters, dictating performance at the facility and every stage after that related to the claim. This, in turn, impacts your entire contents division.

The most successful packouts are highly organized and simultaneously consider the “now” and the “future.” It’s the best path to happy clients and a profitable contents division.

It may take some time to develop your process for becoming organized, but the time you’ll save in the long run and the quality of work you’ll get out of an organized process are unparalleled. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have Fast Packout with you, every step of the way. You may also find a certified iCAT Contents Trainer near you to help you with this learning curve, giving you the insights you need to use the solution to its full potential.