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"Picture Yourself Organized!"
Details By Shelly Fletcher - Organizing e-News
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 Issue: #26 |
February 2010 |
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Hello
 Yikes! When will Winter end? About this time of year I get itchin' for Spring and Summer. Some of my camellias and gardenias have started to sprout new buds. Not quite there yet, but a promise of color in an otherwise drab yard. The camellias are over 40 years old and 20 feet tall, planted by my grandmother. The baby iris are just popping through under the azaleas.
Dreaming of a colorful yard and a warm breeze,
Shelly |
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GETTING ORGANIZED in 2010 |
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In 2010 I will be offering you ways to make changes in your life, home and office. Now it's your job to try something new each month. Are you ready? Since I'm into tax preparation mode now, this month I'm providing you with...
Tips for Organizing Tax Papers
Using an Accordion File
Determine your tax categories (e.g.: income, interest paid, contributions, mileage)
- Usually you will find these on last year's filing, or in a template from your tax advisor
- Write down all the categories, you can combine some if there are very few documents collected or if it just makes sense.
- Create a label for each tax category
- Separate home from business if necessary
- Sample categories: Income, Investments, Interest Paid, Interest Earned, Charitable Gifts, Tax Prep Expenses, Home Expenses, Medical/Dental Expenses, Taxes Paid, Credits or Other Deductions, Bank Statements, Other.
 Purchase an accordion file to hold your papers
- I recommending using two (or more) accordion files to separate business from home and from trusts, real estate ventures, corporations, etc.
- Usually a 12-13 pocket file will suffice; if it's too big it becomes awkward
- Letter size is usually sufficient; legal papers can be folded
- You will cover up any pre-labeling (Mon-Fri, Jan-Dec) with labels
- The accordion file shown here is a Globe-Weis 13-pocket Stand File (#17125). You can use any type of accordion file, or even file folders or large envelopes if you want.
Put a category label on each pocket in the accordion file
- You may need to use a larger (or several) accordion files depending on the number of categories you identify - note that fewer is better for staying on top of the filing
- Consolidate categories into one pocket if the contents will be small
- Put your labels over any categories that were printed on the accordion file
- It doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to work for you.
When receipts or documents come across your desk, file them into the appropriate tax category
- If you use Turbo Tax or some other tax recording software you might want to collect all the receipts into a common box first, then enter the financial details into your program. Make a notation on the receipt that you did the entry, and then file the papers into the accordion file by tax category. A simple three-drawer plastic file units works well for holding papers; sort by income, expenses, everything else, or whatever general categories work for your software.
At tax time you will have all your backup papers in one place, sorted by tax category.
- Label this accordion file with the TAX YEAR (not the year prepared) and file with your completed tax returns.
- You may also want to keep other supporting documentation with these files such as calendars, receipt books, misc. notes, or other non-taxable papers for that tax year.
- Each January start a new accordion file for the next tax year
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GOOD TIPS, READS & LEADS |
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Some of my best tips come from my friends and clients. Here are some keen ideas from my friend Horti Davis. She attended one of my workshops and keeps me posted on how she is staying organized.
"I like using old glass ashtrays, sometimes turned upside down, to place pillar candles on to protect table surfaces from the wax rings candles can make."
"And of course toilet paper cardboard centers, covered in attractive paper (or not), make great cord organizers for rechargers, etc."
Thank you Horti.
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SPECIAL ORGANIZING EVENTS |
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Adult Education Classes about Organizing
I will be holding my two organizing classes this spring through the Placer School for Adults in Auburn. You can register now by going to the "Special Interest" category on www.placeronline.org You can also call the school at (530) 885-8585 to register.
SIGN UP NOW BECAUSE SPACE IS LIMITED!!
General organizing techniques for getting rid of the clutter. In this class you will learn the five steps to organize anything! We will also discuss how people get disorganized in the first place and why they don't do anything about it; the "red flags" to watch for; and how to get started. I'll be showing lots of photos with tool and container ideas for organizing home spaces.
Saturday, March 20th from 9:00 am - Noon $35
#3600400 - Creating a Productive Office
Strategies to improve work flow and time management in the home or business office. This class will cover time management through use of calendars, "to do" lists and brain dumps; solutions to making good decisions; and ways to effectively control the flow of paper coming into your office. These solutions are appropriate for both home and business office spaces. We will also briefly cover the five steps to getting organized from the February 20th class.
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Sharing ideas and creating solutions for you,
Shelly Fletcher
Details by Shelly Fletcher
Personal note: If you are interested in how John and I are doing, please follow our journey through our CaringBridge webpage. Click here.
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