Entries by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

Organizing Tax Documents

Keep one tax document folder labeled with the current year, and add papers to it as they collect throughout the year.  Once your taxes have been filed for this year, transfer the documents to a bin labeled past tax documents, and write the specific years that are included in the bin.  Include with your past tax […]

Clutter Excuses

According to a National Association of Professional Organizers survey, 54% of Americans are overwhelmed by their clutter, and 78% find it too complicated to deal with.  Are you felling overwhelmed by clutter?  I understand that making decisions about what to keep and not keep can be difficult.  I also understand that when we don’t want […]

Preventing Paper Clutter

Even the most organized people have some amount of paper clutter. It’s difficult not to, because paper comes into our space on a steady, regular basis. Practically every time we walk into our home, we bring more paper into it, either intentionally or unintentionally. So, how can we prevent that paper from taking over and […]

Prioritizing to be Productive

Prioritize!  List the top three things that must be finished by the end of the day in order for you to feel happy and productive, and do them first thing in the morning.  I list my top three priorities in my date book, and tackle my number one priority before I read or respond to […]

6 Lists Everyone Should Use

Are you a list maker?  I am.  I make lists for a large variety of things, because they help me stay organized.  Besides being a great way to document the information that collects in my head, lists are helpful in prioritizing information and providing visual queues for what needs to be done.  Below are 6 […]