Taxes & Paper Management

/0 Comments/in /by

 
Helpful Organizer Newsletter – April 2014
Find me on FacebookView my profile on LinkedIn

Quick Links

My website
My Email address
My Blog
NAPO-NE 
Side Notes:

***    I’m currently reading a book about Feng Shui.  Did you know that a dirty stove can make you tired and depressed?  It can even make it harder for you to earn money.  So, please clean your stove, and visualize improved income.  I did and booked two clients!

***   Spring Organizing

Spring tends to be a busy month for homeowners.  They spruce up, clean out, lighten up, and prepare for a summer of fun and sun.  What do you do?  Please share your spring organizing tips with me.
Join Our Mailing ListPS:  What do you think of my caricature?
Hi,
Happy spring!  Do you associate spring with tax time?  I apologize if I just put that in your head.  Would it help if I provided you with a tax preparation list?  

The “T” word

What are you doing April 14th?  Do you find yourself hunting and scrambling to find all the documents you may need to file your taxes?  I created a list of all the documents my husband and I need to prepare our tax forms, which has made that process much easier.  We file jointly and very simply, but I thought our list may be helpful to you.

Here it is:
W2 forms
Mortgage documents – form 1098
Investment documents – form 1099
Excise tax yearly bills
Real estate tax yearly bills
IRA documents – form 5498
Interest from bank account – form 1099
Medical documents
Proof of health care insurance (MA residents)
Value of donations made throughout the year

Below are the additional documents I need to include from my business:
Estimated tax payments for the year – form 1040
Income total
Expenses total – including the following category totals: donations, electric, food, Internet, marketing/advertising, membership dues, mileage, networking, office supplies, phone, postage, training, and travel

Please note:  The above list is just a memory jogger.  If you have questions or concerns consult a tax specialist or CPA.  Janine Cavanaugh, CPO© can not be held accountable for any improper tax filing.

Never Ending TaskDid you know the one category that most of my clients want to address, even if it’s not the focus of our appointment?  Organizing paper!  Paper management is like dishes and laundry, a never ending task.  Paper can accumulate and pile up so quickly that it leaves you scratching your head, wondering where it all came from.  It helps if you create guidelines for yourself on what to keep, and for how long.  If you’d like a list of my paper retention guidelines, please email me.  I’d be happy to share my guidelines with you.
From,

Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®
(508)-699-6652

    If you’d like to share this email message with someone, please click on the Forward email button below.  Thank you and happy organizing in the spring of 2014!

Start Organizing

/0 Comments/in /by

Tip: Start any organizing project with sorting items or paper into general, borad categories.

Read more

Memory Value

/0 Comments/in /by

Organizing tip When downsizing or reducing, and making decisions on what to keep or not keep, take into consideration the real value of an item as well as the memory value.  Memory value is the sentimental value we personally place on belongings, either those owned by us, or by someone we know or knew.  The more personally significant an object is, the more valuable it appears to us.  Therefore, an item that may have a realistic value of $25.00 can be perceived as having a memory value of $125.00.  Come up with a maximum number for the quantity of high memory value items you can realistically hold on to.

Overwhelmed

/0 Comments/in /by

Tip:  Pushing past the overwhelming point when it comes to organizing takes motivation.  To motivate ourselves follow these steps:

  1. Come up with a game plan.  Organizing is a multi-step process not a simple one-time task.
  2. Schedule time to organize.  Carve out time on your calendar and do it.
  3. Ask for assistance, but please make sure the person helping is supportive and positive.
  4. Celebrate your achievements throughout the process of organizing and keep moving forward.

Get Organized Month

/0 Comments/in /by
Helpful Organizer Newsletter – January 2014
Find me on FacebookView my profile on LinkedIn

Quick Links

My website
My Email address
My Blog
NAPO-NE
Side Notes:

***    January 2014 marks my 6th year in business.  Thank you for your support.  I couldn’t have done it without you.

In those past 6 years, I’ve had 153 clients, of which 7 have been male, 136 have been female, and 10 have been couples.

Also in those past 6 years, I’ve given 70 presentations on organizing, and 797 individuals have attended those presentations.

In the coming year, I look forward to working with both new and existing clients, as well as present to individuals eager to learn what I have to share.

Thanks again for your support and please keep in touch

***  What is your favorite organizing product?  Please share.

***  I’ve started blogging!  Please check out my blog articles on my website.

***  Do you have a question on organizing that you’d like my advice or opinion on?  If so,  please ask, and if I think others would benefit from the question, I’ll post it on the  ‘Question of the Month’ section on my website

 
Join Our Mailing ListPS:  What do you think of my caricature?
Hi  Janine,
Happy New Year!  I hope that 2014 is off to a wonderful beginning for you and your family.  If you’ve made any new year’s resolutions that involve organizing, please share them with me.

Get Organized Month
Did you know that January is Get Organized Month (GO Month)?  Go Month was iniated by the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO).  It’s an annual national public awareness campaign promoting the benefits of getting organized.  On January 8, 2014 there was a presentation at the Massachusetts State House formally proclaiming January as Get Organized Massachusetts Month.  How cool is that?Here are 2 local Go Month events:1.  Organized Spaces Class by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO
Monday, January 13, 2014
6:30PM – 8:00PM
At the Learning Connection in Providence, RI
Pre-registration is required
FREE class pertaining to the 5 steps of organizing

2.  Organizing Expo & Conference by NAPO-New England
Saturday, January 25, 2014
10:00AM – 4:00PM
At Boston/Waltham Embassy Suites
550 Winter Street, Waltham, MA 02453
Pre-registration is required for seminars
FREE seminars on a variety of organizing topics; Drop-off site for
donations and recycled products; An Expo hall of vendors with
organizing-related products and services.

Healthy Habits

 

Forming organizing habits helps us spend less time and energy maintaining order.  Would you like to establish some organizing habits in 2014?  If so, practice these:
1.  Label where items belong and repeatedly put them back in the same spot.
2.  Spend 5 minutes a day per room removing items from floors, desktops, counter tops, table tops, and other horizontal surfaces.
3.  Toss junk mail immediately.
4.  Don’t print emails, recipes, or other information from your computer.  Instead create folders and file the information on your computer.
5.  Stop stockpiling groceries, cleaning supplies, and toiletries.  Establish a maximum number to have on hand that allows breathing room in your cupboards.Please share any habits that have been successful for you.

Upcoming Classes
Organizing Solutions & Products
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Learning Connection, Providence, RI
7:00PM to 9:00PM
401-274-9330Organizing in 5 Steps
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Tri-County RVTHS, Franklin, MA
7:00PM to 9:00PM
508-528-5400 x126Organizing Paper
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Learning Connection, Providence, RI
7:00PM to 9:00PM
401-274-9330

For a complete list of my classes check my website.
From,

Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®
(508)-699-6652

    If you’d like to share this email message with someone, please click on the Forward email button below.  Thank you and enjoy 2014!