Filed under: Paper Management
Whether it’s a desk at work, the kitchen table, or a home office, almost everyone has a place where bills are paid, mail is opened, and papers are filed. Many people feel stressed by the clutter that quickly builds up in those places. While I cannot send the filing fairies in to help with all the paper, there are some basic tools that will assist in getting things done in a timely manner:
- Shredder. There’s good, better, and best. For most people, better is fine. Make sure it has the page capacity to suit your needs.
- Trash can. It needs to be large enough to handle the load; place it where it is most likely to be used.
- Fire-proof safe. Purchase a small one at a discount store to secure your birth and marriage certificates, passports, credit card information, etc.
- File drawers that work. Whether you use a desk drawer or file cabinet, broken drawers prevent you from filing.
- Good lighting. One client hated working in her office because the light was too dim. Have the right amount of light where you need it.
- Writing instruments you like. Most of us have a few favorites. Toss or donate all the pens and pencils that you neither like nor use.
- Desk caddy. Keep the supplies you use the most at hand.
- Supply box with lid. Store extra supplies (staples, pens, notepads, etc.) to keep your desktop and drawers neat.
- Things that inspire you. Take a careful look at what sits on your desk, book shelves, filing cabinets, and walls. Does each item reflect who you are now and encourage you to reach your goals?
- Items that celebrate you. Ladies (men, you are already good at this), display your awards and plaques of recognition. It’s healthy (not conceited) to acknowledge your successes.
Once you have what you need, take a look at things that need to be donated, thrown away, or archived in another location:
- Items that have migrated from other rooms. Return them to their proper places.
- Anything you simply dislike. You don’t need a reason. It’s hard to get work done when surrounded by things you don’t like.
- Financial records more than two years old (one year’s worth is all that is necessary if current on your taxes). Box them up, label the year, and place them in a closet or garage (off the floor if possible). Use the drawer space for current papers and records.
- Books, supplies, and papers that are never referenced or used. Be honest. If you have forgotten it, it won’t be missed.
Now is a great time to take a fresh look at your office area, to see what is working and what isn’t. You’ll be amazed at how much will get done having the right tools where you need them.
© Renee Ursem, 2011
Renee Ursem
Get It Together, LLC
www.get-it-together-llc.com
702.459.0496
March 1, 2011
Try our Tax.filer to keep your tax records safe and organized
If you’re like most people, you’ve been procrastinating on getting your taxes done and are feeling the weight of it on your shoulders. If you don’t have any systems in place, the weight is even greater. Here are a few tips to make your tax preparation a little more bearable.
Receipts you don’t need to save: If you itemize your medical expenses, you may be trying to keep track of all those pesky prescription drug receipts. An easier way to deal with prescription receipts is to go to your pharmacy and ask for a printout of your 2008 year prescriptions. They can do one of each member of your family and the entire year will be calculated for you. Now you have one less thing to file all year long!
Tracking vehicle mileage: Most people aren’t real motivated to write down their mileage every time they travel for a business or charity event. Here are a couple of other options you may find appealing. I write all my appointments down on my calendar (Lord knows I’d never be able to keep track of them all if I didn’t). At the end of the month, I add up my mileage with the assistance of my calendar and GPS. It takes me about 15-20 minutes to add it up for the month. Another option for technology lovers is downloading a mileage app like Milebug to your phone. Milebug is available for iPhones and costs $3.99.
Self purging folders: Most accountants agree that you need to save documentation and receipts for 7 years in case of an audit. Here’s an easy way to stay on top of that. Buy 7 identical poly expanding wallets . Using a label maker, label each one for 7 years. On the eighth year, pull the label off the first file and shred its contents. Replace with a new label and paperwork for the current year. Continue the process year after year.
Thanks to Organized A to Z.com partner Susan Stewart of Perfectly Placed for contributing this article. She offers virtual organizing to make it easy for you to get organized, no matter where you live! Visit her Web site at www.perfectlyplaced.org or call her at (623) 202-9199.
February 1, 2011
For even less clutter, try digital storage! Neat Receipts makes it easy.
Saving important receipts can actually save you money. Saving unnecessary ones only compounds your clutter.
Clothing receipts- a must if that new shirt you purchased last week, shrinks after wearing it only one time!
If you have to repair a major appliance, and the part is guaranteed for three years, you’ll need that receipt to prove it is still within that time frame. Unfortunately, the appliance companies do not usually keep those records for you-they tell you to “just keep the receipt”.
Expensive items, art work, jewelry or furniture receipts should be kept for resale purpose, inheritance value or theft.
Receipts used for tax purposes might be needed to prove deductible items, should you be audited.
Checking your receipts against your charge purchases will alert you if there are any fraudulent charges on your account. Sometimes a thief will charge small things to your account for months to see if you notice, before they make start making larger purchases. The easiest way to keep receipts is to use an accordion folder, or binder type with 12 month slots. Just drop your receipts in the proper month. Once a month after you’ve checked the slips to your charge cards, you can file a copy in your specific folders with the original paperwork for appliances or furniture purchases, etc.
Warning! Some receipts fade over time, so make a copy before you file it away. Keeping your receipts organized can also help you stay true to your budget and keep track of where your money is going… especially in these tough times!
Thanks to Organized A to Z partner Joann Guariglia for contributing this article. Joann is a Professional Organizer and Senior Move Manager who owns and operates Total Organizing Solutions. For more information go to the Web site www.HelpYouToOrganize.com Also, you may reach Joann at 941-628-6957 or Joann@HelpYouToOrganize.com.
September 15, 2010
Try MyVitalFiles to keep important paperwork organized and easily accessible.
As of 2005, South Florida was impacted by 8 hurricanes in 13 months. New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana and Mississippi were literally wiped out by a hurricane. Earthquakes decimated other parts of the world while brush fires threatened homes in California. Emergencies can also include flood, fire, tornado, burglary and other unforeseen events.
As with most aspects of life, emergencies can be handled efficiently and effectively when done in an organized manner. Organizing instills confidence and peace of mind.
Checklists and supplies arranged in advanced are key to emergency preparation. Supply preparation is heavily covered by the media prior to a hurricane. The focus of this article is for your valuable papers.
Motivation
Is it worth taking the time to make plans and preparations in case everything you owned was destroyed? No doubt that the victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi (or any of us for that matter) ever imagined being in the predicament in which they found themselves. Being caught unprepared only adds to the long term effect of a crisis.
Insurance statistics show that policyholders who are prepared with an inventory of their belongings recover up to 25% more when their claims are settled, than those not prepared. The claims process may go faster, more smoothly and with less stress. (As a familiar commercial indicates, these benefits are “priceless”).
Check with your insurance agent to determine if you have purchased replacement cost coverage on your home and personal property. Some homeowners’ insurance policies provide coverage for only actual cash value “ACV”. Your loss will be adjusted on an “ACV-actual cash value” basis, which means the insurance company will depreciate your damaged items, including your house, depending on their age.
The policy limit for “personal property/contents” coverage is customarily one-half (1/2) the value of your home (structure) coverage. The full value of contents coverage is not paid automatically. The insurance company will investigate to determine if the dollar amount of contents you claim is reasonable and provable. You must be prepared to prove to your insurance carrier that you in fact did own certain property if challenged.
Documents and Documentation
It is recommended that you prepare a written inventory of your contents (room by room) and take photographs or videotape to back up the list. Receipts should be maintained for your major belongings to help speed the claim process.
The front page or “declaration sheet” of your insurance policies, home, flood, health, auto and life, with policy numbers and your agent’s contact information is critical to have available.
Other valuable documents and items you could need include: the deed to your home, birth certificates, stock certificates, credit card and bank account numbers, passports, jewelry invoices and of course insurance policies (with policy numbers and company or agency contact information).
If circumstances require evacuation, additionally you may want to bring items such as jewelry, PDA, passwords for online accounts, computer back ups, photographs (especially current ones of your family for identification purposes in case you get separated), personal address book and important memorabilia along with you.
If you are forced to relocate, resumes, college transcripts and degrees may be needed. Military records and discharge papers will be useful if applying for military and veteran’s benefits.
Immunization records and health records regarding health conditions will be needed for your children to enroll in a new school.
Marriage licenses and divorce certificates may be needed to set up bank accounts or establish residency.
Copies of mortgage documents may be necessary as well.
Instead of carrying bank statements with you, a copy of your credit report contains all your account numbers, names and addresses for all your credit cards and other lenders. You can obtain a free credit report annually at www.annualcreditreport.com.
Copies of wills and trusts, power of attorneys and medical directives, in addition to the above documents are safest if kept in a bank vault.
Did you know that even if you lose your home, you are still expected to keep up the payments?
Safe Keeping
If you keep any of the aforementioned in a safe deposit box (at a bank), no worries. Next best is a waterproof, fire proof safe in your home. However, safes are rated as to what temperature they can withstand from fire and can melt. You will need to remove the contents of the safe to take with you in case of evacuation.
Inventory the above items on your check list (including location by room) so you can round them up quickly. Even better, all these items, including the inventory list should be kept together in one place, in a zip lock (water proof) bag for easy retrieval, in case of the need to evacuate your home in a hurry. Keep extra copies of each paper in your filing system for easy reference throughout the year.
Since all of this documentation could be too cumbersome to carry along, in case of an emergency, keeping them in a bank vault, or sending them to a relative in another part of the country are viable alternatives. It is suggested they can be saved in advance on a scanner then burned onto a CD or DVD for portability.
This article is intended to bring your awareness to detailed information and to help you START the organizing process. Further research or action may be required on your part in order to complete the details necessary to accomplish them. This includes discussion with your insurance agent and Time-Savers Professional Organizing Services to get your business or house ready.
The point is, to quote another familiar commercial, “Just do it!”
Thanks to Organized A to Z.com partner Diane Hatcher for contributing this article. Diane, CPO®, is a Certified Professional Organizer and owner of Time-Savers Professional Organizing Services, Inc. in S. Florida. Contact her via www.timesaversusa.com or 954.252.7511.
September 1, 2010
Last week we covered two parts of the P-L-A-N© process: Prepare and launch into action. This now brings us to the third piece of the puzzle, “A”, for ADJUST AND ADAPT!
Remember to control what comes onto your desk, into your work space, by having designated “homes” for everything.
Set up a routine maintenance plan to help you establish new habits. When you receive your daily mail, handle it all at a time that allows you to complete it as much as possible, from making necessary phone calls to filing. Sort and purge constantly. If things creep back in that you just weeded out, you now know how to handle them!
Fine tune and monitor your systems to stay in control. Any system you use for your organizing efforts must have ongoing evaluation and maintenance to “tweak” it so it remains workable for you, as mentioned earlier. As times change, your abilities and circumstances also change, so paper management must change, too. Otherwise, you are just adding to the chaos of whatever is going on at the time and you become even more overwhelmed.
Remember, nothing is perfect and this is a continual learning experience: what you like, don’t like, what you are able to handle. Then, if a crisis does arise, you will be under less stress and not so distracted, enabling you to handle it better.
The last little trick: “N” is for N-JOY!
Dealing with all this paper will make you feel more effective, efficient, confident and in control! So, relax/reward/repeat for the next project! Make it fun and be sure to celebrate your success!
Now is the time to attack a paper project that’s been driving you crazy, get a start-date on the calendar and get set for planning that accomplishment! Trust me: you will find that now you have more confidence to get the job done, more energy, are happy doing it and will revel in the peace of mind that completing each project gives you!
Keep on organizing – one step at a time:
• If you see a pile, deal with it!
• Watch out for flat surfaces – they have a tendency to collect anything & everything!
• If you’re done with something, put it away!
• If you don’t have any more room for certain items, it’s time to begin the process of sorting and purging again!
I hope you have gleaned some ideas here for changes you can make in your office space so that you will be the boss of that microcosm of your world. If you can get some of what we’ve talked about under control, you can regain your peace of mind. Your reward? A more focused, more productive work day. You will receive more respect and recognition if you look organized! You’ll leave your office each day knowing that you did your absolute best, and with that confidence and energy, pick up your personal life with a big smile as you walk out that door each evening.
I know you want to do better immediately, but it does take time to instill new habits. Set your top priorities and go from there. Hit the “Reset Button” and get a fresh start!
Be generous to those who work around you. Many of you may be stuffed into little cubicles, using shared equipment and we all have little quirks we have to put up with. If you are a neat-nick, have some compassion for the office-clutterer. If you are the office-clutterer, keep in mind that common spaces, shared spaces should be considered “sacred ground” and you need to keep your mess to yourself. Also, so much of the paper we deal with in our work lives is of a confidential nature, and if you aren’t getting that filed away appropriately, that confidentiality is being compromised, with all sorts of ramifications.
Albert Einstein said, “There are three rules of work: 1. Out of clutter, find simplicity. 2. From discord, find harmony. 3. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Are YOU ready to accept the opportunity to be successful in eliminating a trouble spot in your office that’s driving you crazy? I know you are!
Rhonda McNett is a Professional Organizer, member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and owner of Sensible Organizing Strategies. Her company is committed to providing a supportive and rewarding organizing experience through client education, cooperative involvement and ongoing personal encouragement. Please visit http://www.sosbyrhonda.com to learn more about how Rhonda can help you!
May 31, 2010
Over the years, I have experienced productive and nonproductive work scenarios and know what it feels like to come into the office and heave a huge sigh because of all the paper piles surrounding me – and not necessarily mine! With downsizing, planned attrition and entire departments closing, you must be more efficient now than ever before; not only to get the job done, but to get it done well and keep your sanity!
How many of you feel like your work day is spent running around like a chicken with no head? OR, work near someone who experiences this sort of work day? This is something that we run into all the time – whether it’s due to too much multitasking, poor organizational habits or just plain “too much!” What does it mean to be organized? It’s not necessarily “neat and tidy,” but finding what you need when you need it AND getting done what you need to when you need to. All around our offices we see the clutter of unmade decisions, where items have no “home”, and paper is a particular nemesis. It can suck the life right out of you, but it IS what we deal with, so we need to learn to control it! It is NOT going away – the Paperless Society does not exist. In fact, we are creating more all the time, by printing everything we have emailed to us or email to others, for “proof,” documentation or whatever reason.
Think a moment about the following questions. These will give you a starting point in thinking what you want to initially spend some time on in finding the productivity you are looking for in your work life, and to do it with calm, clarity and purpose.
1. What’s working in your office right now? What’s NOT working?
- Post-its everywhere of “things to do” but no master list of priorities?
- An In-box so deep with papers that you can’t see over the top?
- Files so full that you can’t put another thing in them?
- “Living” at your desk, with too many coffee cups and too much food debris everywhere?
- Are you such a queen of multi-tasking that you just jump around all day and get nothing substantial done?
- Or, NOT…which of these things are just fine?
2. Who are you, in the paper world – a “piler” or a “filer?” That will make a difference as to how you approach your desk’s “abundance.” Organizational habits vary, just as personalities do, so don’t go against the grain of your natural tendencies or you’ll be setting yourself up for failure.
3. Do you want to see everything you have to work with or work on (the “out of sight, out of mind” thought), OR do you want to hide it, knowing where it is when you are ready for it?
I have an acronym to help you work through this lesson and that can be used in almost any organizing situation: P-L-A-N. Planning is at the forefront of accomplishing anything in an orderly, successful manner. Yes, we’re talking about good, old-fashioned time management!
WHERE TO START? “P” is for PREPARE!
Hopefully those questions gave you an idea of where your stumbling blocks may be with regard to finding that degree of organization which will help you get through your hectic days more successfully. You know, you can’t hit a target you can’t see, or, to put it another way, you can’t get from Point A to a new Point B without a road map. So, define what that target is, what your goal is or all your best intentions won’t get you there. You need to focus on where you want to be and where you need to be.
So, project in mind? Set a date, make an appointment with yourself to start working on what you identified as a problem area: is it your desktop? A particular drawer? No where for incoming mail to be housed? No system for getting papers off your desk and into file cabinets? Prioritize based on what will make the biggest change for you the quickest – that way you’ll have the energy and confidence to continue down the path to complete organization of your office space.
Don’t be paralyzed by over-thinking the process or waiting to plan out the “perfect” solution – there is no such thing. Aim for “good enough” because you will be tweaking your new systems as you see if they work for you or not. Procrastinating, waiting to get it all planned perfectly, just let’s the mess continue on and on. So forget that: start small if you wish, but start! Know that any amount of reorganization you make in this regard is going to change your workspace so much for the positive, that this will be fun!
So, now, the time has arrived, and we are going to “L”, LAUNCH INTO ACTION!
Here, I’m going to give you some ideas of where to focus, how to focus on creating a more organized work space.
• Unlike dealing with our homes, we often don’t have a choice about what ends up on our desk or in our inboxes. You do, however, still need a place, known to all who give you work or share projects with you, for that incoming paperwork. Don’t just say, “Oh, just put it there. I’ll get to it in a minute.” Define this space so that if you aren’t at your desk, any one sharing these papers with you will know where they go.
• Define a system for prioritizing your paperwork, keeping in mind, of course, that you may not have much choice in the work flow here. You still need a way to track all this, whether you use a stand-up, tiered divider system on your desk, slotted trays or temporary piles. Speaking of piles, there are products for the “pilers” among us, or for those hot-button projects you’re working on, such as colored clips or stick-on labels. These will help you keep in mind that you still need to sort a pile in order to have any success in working with it, even if you are just rearranging it into various action categories, such as “To Read,” “To File,” “To Do,” etc.
• There are so many organizing products out there now, in all types of materials, colors and styles! Use these on your desk and in your desk. Little dividers can make a huge difference in getting what you need when you need it. But remember: you don’t need to buy lots of stuff; you can repurpose business card boxes, check boxes, even candy boxes to act as drawer dividers. But…if you see a new organizing gadget on the market and it’s not too expensive, it might just be fun to play with it. Remember, though: before you buy it, make sure you’ll really use it. Otherwise, it just becomes another future garage sale item!
• You do need a filing system, some sort of methodology for controlling all the paper. Remember that it needs to be simple or you won’t use it, no matter how pretty, or color-coded or fancy it is. It needs to be functional for you, because each of us operates under different parameters. Again, remember that there is no such thing as perfection – aim for “good enough.” Now, I’m not saying to be sloppy about what you do when I say this. Just know that what “good enough” is changes throughout your life: you can be organized one moment, go through a period of disorganization, get back to speed, etc., all dependent upon the degree and intensity of life’s challenges and what strategies you have for regrouping and getting back “into the groove.” I’m not just talking about your personal life’s changes; I’m talking also about downsizing, mergers, RIFs, etc.
• How about doing some sorting and purging of those piles on your desk that you haven’t dug into for eons? Initially do a Quick Sort: here, again, there are many acronyms for getting this job done: FAT – File/Act/Toss or RAT – Retain/Act/Toss. It doesn’t matter – just get rolling. If it’s been there for any length of time, untouched, you will probably be able to trash or set to file 2/3 of that stack. Anything that looks important but doesn’t have a date on it? Jot the date on the upper corner so if you do run into it again, you’ll know how long you’ve had it, and feel more comfortable getting rid of it. With each document, ask pertinent questions, such as:
- Is this time sensitive?
- Are there legal or tax considerations regarding this?
- Is this something I need to refer to regularly?
- Does this pertain to a major project I’m working on?
- Is it available elsewhere or is this the only copy?
- And…would my life, my job change if I didn’t save this piece of paper?
• Concentrate on about 1″ of paper in an area that you really want cleaned up at a time, or set a timer for a specific period. Then, focus, focus, focus. Don’t pause to take any actions at this time: no phone calls, no emails, no reading, no leaving the area! Easy to say in the home scenario, but the reality of this, in an office setting? Probably nil, so, it might be worth it to do some of this before or after regularly scheduled hours. This is your peace of mind and productivity we’re talking about!
• Now…the storing of all this paper! Keeping in mind that the purpose of a filing system is not storage, but retrieval, please be aware that only 20% of the papers you file will ever be accessed again! Filing cabinets or drawers don’t have to be “black holes” where things go in, never to be found again! Basics, such as “like with like” are paramount for making sense out of any system. You want it to be easy and efficient, where everything is close at hand, so you can just swivel, roll or reach your way to it. If you are not using what you currently have set up, there is something wrong with it and you need to revamp it! Maybe you simply need to change tab positions; add some more files; delete some files; label files differently. Whatever it is, you may need to try several variations to find the right one that works for you…and I’m referring to the plural “you”, since in an office situation you generally need a consensus of what that system will be.
• You can save yourself a lot of printing and filing merely by being extra cautious about what you print. Keep your copies for backup, but keep them on the computer or backup hard drive, if possible.
• Spend the last 15 minutes of each day clearing your desk, checking your calendar for the next day to see that you are prepared and filing what needs to be filed. You will start the next day on a super note when you arrive to that sort of desk, trust me!
Tune in next week for the remaining pieces of the puzzle!
Thanks to Organized A to Z partner Rhonda McNett for contributing this article. Rhonda is a Professional Organizer, member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and owner of Sensible Organizing Strategies. Her company is committed to providing a supportive and rewarding organizing experience through client education, cooperative involvement and ongoing personal encouragement. Please visit http://www.sosbyrhonda.com to learn more about how Rhonda can help you!
May 24, 2010
With tax season often comes the though that, if I had a good filing system, this would be SO much easier! Here’s one that might appeal to you!
The Fast-Filing Method is the “play at home version” of professional organizer Heidi DeCoux’s renowned home office filing system, which she has successfully set up for thousands of clients. This one-of-a-kind, efficient system will eliminate piles of papers on your counter tops, desk, and tables. You will save time, money, and GAIN piece of mind! After implementing this simple filing method you will be able to put away and locate any paper document or file in 30 seconds or less, guaranteed!
“With this program you WILL conquer your paperwork, once and for all!”
You will discover…
- The secret to ELIMINATING PILES OF PAPERS on your counter tops, tables, and desk with the “Active Paper System”.
- How to MAKE FAST DECISIONS on what to keep and what you can let go of.
- The secret to dealing with all of your incoming mail and bills in just minutes each day.
- How to create an organized and SELF-CLEANSING system for receipts!
- A super simple method for organizing your INCOME TAX PAPERS and receipts. You will be prepared for tax time each year, NO STRESS, NO FUSS!
- How to have your COUPONS available when you need them, which will SAVE YOU MONEY!
- One mistake that most people make when setting up filing systems, which is why it is almost impossible to find anything quickly…you’ll be surprised how EASY it is to fix.
- The key element that is missing in most filing systems.
- How to put your hands on important documents, such as, insurance policies and investment accounts, WITHIN SECONDS.
- A SELF-CLEANSING system for your magazines and newspapers.
- An EASY way to organize greeting cards and stationery.
- And much, much more!
How it Works:
- You will get the Audio CD of the program that walks you through the simple set-up, step-by-step as you create an efficient easy-to-use and maintain filing system.
- Printed on your CD will be a web page and a password you can use to get access to an online transcript of the CD, full color handouts and several bonus features (listed below). The handouts outline the filing categories and methodology and contain color photos. And the transcript is helpful if you like to read, highlight, and underline, or if you simply prefer to read versus listen.
This system has been put together so it is SUPER SIMPLE to implement, regardless of what your learning style is.
“You will get a complete step-by-step, simple and effective filing method that’s ready to go.”
March 29, 2010
Try our Tax.filer for all your tax organizing needs!
Make tax time a breeze by using these tips to set up a simple and effective filing system. You’ll be able to slip in important papers throughout the year and tackle next year’s taxes with ease.
Create categories: Use standard file folders or large 9×12 envelopes to create categories. You’ll need several for deductions; depending upon your circumstances, they might include charitable donations, medical expenses, child care credits, education expenses, mortgage interest, etc. You’ll also need a folder for income-related papers, such as pay stubs. Create another folder for investments, so you can track taxable interest you’ve earned on savings accounts or investments. Also, create a general tax file to store W-2 or 1099 forms. If you have a home-based business, consult your tax advisor for additional documents to save.
Store them: Either place the folders all together in a section of your filing cabinet using hanging file folders, or purchase a plastic file box or expandable wallet to hold all the folders. Keep it conveniently located in your home.
Collect the papers: Throughout the year, add receipts and documents to the appropriate file folders as soon as you can.
You’re set: When tax time rolls around, pull out all the folders and use them as you prepare your tax documents. Or, take the whole shebang to your accountant’s office. She will be impressed!
Plan ahead: Create new files with the same category names so you’re ready to start collecting the next year’s tax papers.
Thanks to Organized A to Z partner Sara Pedersen for contributing this article! Sara is a professional organizer and career coach at Time to Organize® LLC. She enjoys sharing her passion for organizing not only with her clients, but with prospective and new professional organizers as well. Visit her website at www.time2organize.net.
March 15, 2010
Our Captio TaxCase Organizer is a great way to keep track of important tax information
If you’re like most people, you’ve been procrastinating on getting your taxes done and are feeling the weight of it on your shoulders. If you don’t have any systems in place, the weight is even greater. Here are a couple of tips to make your tax preparation a little more bearable.
Receipts you don’t need to save: If you itemize your medical expenses, you may be trying to keep track of all those pesky prescription drug receipts. An easier way to deal with prescription receipts is to go to your pharmacy and ask for a printout of your 2009 year prescriptions. They can do one of each member of your family and the entire year will be calculated for you. Now you have one less thing to file all year long!
Tracking vehicle mileage: Most people aren’t real motivated to write down their mileage every time they travel for a business or charity event. Here are a couple of other options you may find appealing. I write all my appointments down on my calendar (Lord knows I’d never be able to keep track of them all if I didn’t). At the end of the month, I add up my mileage with the assistance of my calendar and GPS. It takes me about 15-20 minutes to add it up for the month.
Another option for technology lovers is downloading a mileage app like milebug to your phone. Milebug is available for iphones and costs $3.99.
Self purging folders: Most accountants agree that you need to save documentation and receipts for 7 years in case of an audit. Here’s an easy way to stay on top of that. Buy 7 identical poly expanding wallets . Using a label maker, label each one for 7 years. On the eighth year, pull the label off the first file and shred it’s contents. Replace with a new label and paperwork for the current year. Continue the process year after year.
Thanks to Organized A to Z partner Susan Stewart of Perfectly Placed for contributing this article!
March 1, 2010
Organized A to Z’s new Mail.Sorter will help you keep your desk, table, and countertops clutter free and neatly organized. It’s a simple concept, but without the right tool, it can be hard to properly distribute the mail in your household and keep track of the important bills and paperwork that demand your attention. With this handy solution, you’ll eliminate lost mail and save yourself from digging through piles of papers.
Features of our Mail.Sorter include:
- 4 pre-labeled slots: notice me, respond to me, read me, pay me
- side compartment for magazines, catalogs, or miscellaneous paperwork
- wide format that holds mail of all shapes and sizes
Perfect for your office or at home! Let us know how well this works for you and the systems you use to go along with it – we’ll share your tips on our blog!
January 18, 2010
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