Spring Organizing
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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 documents, all your supporting tax papers, financial records for that year, and proof of tax payment. Store the bin in a remote area. Start a new tax folder for the next year.
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 to make decisions it’s easy to come up with excuses as to why we can’t let go of something. I call them clutter excuses, and the best way to deal with them is to ask thought provoking questions, and to answer them honestly. This helps determine if it’s time to stop making clutter excuses and let it go.
One of the most common clutter excuse I here is, “I might need it someday.” We all have those tools, gadgets, and products that we can’t seem to let go of, even thought we haven’t touched them in years. Answer these five questions truthfully to determine if it’s time to let it go.
Another common clutter excuse I here is, “I paid a lot for it.” We all have those items that we spent a bunch of money on, but they just didn’t work out, and we can’t seem to let them go. That stinks, doesn’t it? Answer these five questions truthfully to determine if it’s time to let it go.
“It’s valuable,” is another clutter excuse. An amazing statistic is the average dollar amount of unopened, new merchandise in a typical American household is $7000.00 (Real Simple magazine 11-2012). Answer these five questions truthfully to determine if it’s time to let it go.
Clutter happens, but if we don’t allow ourselves to use clutter excuses we can keep it under control. Use these questions and let me know the outcome.
©March 2015 Janine Cavanaugh, CPO® All rights reserved
The simplest way to reduce paper clutter is to stop paper from coming into our space in the first place. One way to accomplish this is to go paperless with bank and credit card statements, and don’t print them out. Another suggestion is to not print emails, recipes, or other information from your computer, instead store and organize the information on your computer. A few other suggestions are to remove you name from as many mailing lists as you can, stop mail on all magazines and catalogs you don’t read, read the newspaper on-line, use your phone or another device for coupons and tickets instead of printing them, and have a paper recycle bin in the garage and toss as much paper as you can before entering the house.
Another way to reduce paper clutter is to allow each piece of paper to be in your home for the shortest possible time-frame. One way to accomplish this is to immediately recycle or shred junk mail. Another suggestion is to recycle boxes, wrapping paper, envelopes, and other paper items that we intend to reuse but never do. A few other suggestions are to shred ATM slips after you’ve reconciled your bank account, jot down event details on your calendar and toss the invitation, send the greeting cards that you have on hand, and recycle catalogs and magazines after you receive the next issue.
One more way to reduce paper clutter is to have an exit strategy for paper files and stored information. An exit strategy is a predetermined guideline that you’ve established for particular papers, files or information. One exit strategy may be to recycle or shred your utility bills after you view the confirmed payment on the next bill. Another exit strategy may be to shred pay stubs after you receive your W2. Please keep in mind that the guidelines need to fall within your own personal comfort zone. If you have questions on how long to keep particular papers, files or information, please consult a Certified Public Account or an attorney.
©March 2015 Janine Cavanaugh,CPO® All rights reserved.
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 any emails, or answer any phone calls. This helps me prevent distraction and procrastination.
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