Tax season can be stressful on many levels. While this article won’t help you pay any potential bill, it will help to alleviate the stress that comes along with tax preparation. Do you find yourself in a mountain of paperwork this time of year or running around trying to find receipts or figure out miles that you can deduct? If so, follow these easy steps to making the tax preparation go more smoothly you and/or your accountant:
1. Set up a tax file. If you own a business or have business related expenses, you should have two sub folders for home and business. Everything tax related will go in this file.
2. Put envelopes inside these folders. The envelopes should be labeled with items that you claim on your taxes. Examples of this would be medical deductions, advertising expenses, donations, etc.
3. Throughout the year, file your receipts as they come in. Having them organized in such a manner will make it easy to prepare them. It will save you time and money (if you are paying your accountant to organize them).
4. If you are able to deduct miles (volunteer, business, medical, etc), put a small notebook in your car right next to the drivers seat. Attach a pen to it so you always have it ready. Use sticky notes to make dividers in the notebook for all the categories that you get to deduct. For example, I have a volunteer miles section and a business miles section. Every time you drive for one of these purposes, record the miles. When tax season rolls around, all you will have to do is tally the total.
Following these easy steps will save you time, money and anxiety. Tax preparation does not need to be stressful or overly time consuming. Refuse to be that person who has to drive to the post office at midnight on tax day.
Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/
Friday, February 13, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Economical and Eco-Friendly Organizing
One of the biggest mistakes that people make in trying to get organized is by purchasing organizational supplies before reducing what they have. Another catch in this process is the price of all those cute and handy supplies. If you have ever really looked at how much all that stuff costs, you know what I mean. In this economic climate, being creative can save you big money, yet still achieve the same organizational result. You can be economical and eco-friendly by reusing household items to organize your space.
Gallon Milk Jug – I still get the plastic grocery bags because I re-use them for picking up dog waste. They can be neatly stored in a washed out gallon milk jug or orange juice jug. Make sure it is clean and dry and then stuff it with plastic bags and easily pull them out when you need them.
Empty Egg Carton – this can be used to house anything small. Some ideas are jewelry, hair clips, nails, screws, etc.
Shoe Box – A large shoe box is the perfect size to hold your extra supply of greeting cards. You can even take it a step farther and make cardboard dividers to really keep those cards organized.
Behind the door shoe holder – these have multiple uses. While they are great to organize shoes, they also make a great office supply organizer, kids art supply divider or Barbie holder. Don’t throw it away – re-use it!
Coffee Canisters – These are perfect for holding things like tapes, hooks, seed packets, etc in the garage. They stack well too. Just keep them neatly labeled so you remember what you have.
I hope these ideas inspire you to get organized, save money and re-use what you already have. We all benefit from this practice.
Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/
Gallon Milk Jug – I still get the plastic grocery bags because I re-use them for picking up dog waste. They can be neatly stored in a washed out gallon milk jug or orange juice jug. Make sure it is clean and dry and then stuff it with plastic bags and easily pull them out when you need them.
Empty Egg Carton – this can be used to house anything small. Some ideas are jewelry, hair clips, nails, screws, etc.
Shoe Box – A large shoe box is the perfect size to hold your extra supply of greeting cards. You can even take it a step farther and make cardboard dividers to really keep those cards organized.
Behind the door shoe holder – these have multiple uses. While they are great to organize shoes, they also make a great office supply organizer, kids art supply divider or Barbie holder. Don’t throw it away – re-use it!
Coffee Canisters – These are perfect for holding things like tapes, hooks, seed packets, etc in the garage. They stack well too. Just keep them neatly labeled so you remember what you have.
I hope these ideas inspire you to get organized, save money and re-use what you already have. We all benefit from this practice.
Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Organizing your bathroom
Even bathrooms need to be kept organized. Here are some tips on how to do it:
• Take regular inventory of medications. Medications have an expiration date which should be followed. When they expire, be sure to put them in the trash and not down the toilet.
• Keep inventory organized. All your extra tubes of tooth paste should be next to each other as should the extra toilet paper, shampoo, etc. This will help you to know at a glance how much you have of everything. When you are down to your last shampoo, put it on the list to get more. This keeps you from running out or having too much in stock.
• Throw away old make up. Make up has a shelf life. If you haven’t used it in a while, toss it. Or if you have been using the same mascara for a year, it may be time to replace it. Keep your skin healthy by using fresh make up. Keep your bathroom organized by throwing away what you don’t use.
• If you aren’t sure about certain items, use the box trick. Get a box and put all the items you aren’t sure about in it. If you have to go into the box to use something, put it back into its proper place (do not put it back in the box). After one month, whatever is left in the box is unnecessary. It can be donated or thrown out (if expired or old).
• Have you been collecting hotel soaps, shampoos and lotions? Or do you have several make up samples that you will never use? If so, either use them now or donate them to a women’s shelter. They are always in need of toiletries.
Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/
• Take regular inventory of medications. Medications have an expiration date which should be followed. When they expire, be sure to put them in the trash and not down the toilet.
• Keep inventory organized. All your extra tubes of tooth paste should be next to each other as should the extra toilet paper, shampoo, etc. This will help you to know at a glance how much you have of everything. When you are down to your last shampoo, put it on the list to get more. This keeps you from running out or having too much in stock.
• Throw away old make up. Make up has a shelf life. If you haven’t used it in a while, toss it. Or if you have been using the same mascara for a year, it may be time to replace it. Keep your skin healthy by using fresh make up. Keep your bathroom organized by throwing away what you don’t use.
• If you aren’t sure about certain items, use the box trick. Get a box and put all the items you aren’t sure about in it. If you have to go into the box to use something, put it back into its proper place (do not put it back in the box). After one month, whatever is left in the box is unnecessary. It can be donated or thrown out (if expired or old).
• Have you been collecting hotel soaps, shampoos and lotions? Or do you have several make up samples that you will never use? If so, either use them now or donate them to a women’s shelter. They are always in need of toiletries.
Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/
Friday, January 9, 2009
Keeping Clutter Out
How about this for a New Year’s resolution – keep the clutter out. You should guard your home against clutter like you guard it against dirt. People worry about keeping their home clean, yet they don’t hesitate to fill it full of un-necessary stuff. Here are some tips for safeguarding your home:
1- Don’t buy it. How often do you find yourself in a store’s clearance aisle thinking “I am not sure what I could do with this, but at this price, I will think of something!” Stop right there. Why are you willing to pay (even if it is only 75 cents) to add to your clutter??? Walk away.
2- Don’t keep it. It is during the holidays that we get so much stuff – often stuff we don’t need, won’t use or just don’t like. Return it if you can. Give it to Goodwill or have a garage sale. Or you can even make it fun and have an exchange with friends where everyone brings stuff they don’t want and swap with each other. No matter how you do it, get it out of your house. If you put it away, chances are really high that it will stay there, taking up valuable storage space and a small piece of your sanity.
3- Give it a temporary home. If you get a gift that you just don’t want/need, but you feel like you owe it to the giver to hold on to it, give it a temporary space in your home. For example, if your mother-in-law gave you a sweater that you just don’t like/doesn’t fit, but you feel like you need to keep it, only do so for the season. After sweater season is over, you can clean out your sweaters and let it go. She won’t expect to see you in it in July and by the following year, she will be focused on what she gave you this year, not last.
The bottom line is that you are in charge of what lives in your home and takes up your valuable space. Don’t be afraid to be selective.
Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/
1- Don’t buy it. How often do you find yourself in a store’s clearance aisle thinking “I am not sure what I could do with this, but at this price, I will think of something!” Stop right there. Why are you willing to pay (even if it is only 75 cents) to add to your clutter??? Walk away.
2- Don’t keep it. It is during the holidays that we get so much stuff – often stuff we don’t need, won’t use or just don’t like. Return it if you can. Give it to Goodwill or have a garage sale. Or you can even make it fun and have an exchange with friends where everyone brings stuff they don’t want and swap with each other. No matter how you do it, get it out of your house. If you put it away, chances are really high that it will stay there, taking up valuable storage space and a small piece of your sanity.
3- Give it a temporary home. If you get a gift that you just don’t want/need, but you feel like you owe it to the giver to hold on to it, give it a temporary space in your home. For example, if your mother-in-law gave you a sweater that you just don’t like/doesn’t fit, but you feel like you need to keep it, only do so for the season. After sweater season is over, you can clean out your sweaters and let it go. She won’t expect to see you in it in July and by the following year, she will be focused on what she gave you this year, not last.
The bottom line is that you are in charge of what lives in your home and takes up your valuable space. Don’t be afraid to be selective.
Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Purchasing Organizing Products
As the new year approaches, our focus turns to getting organized. What to do with all the newly acquired stuff?? Well, here is a tip - before you go to your favorite store to stock up on organizing supplies, focus your attention on the elimination process. Downsize before you buy. Once you go through all your stuff and get rid of what you no longer need, you may be surprised to find that you actually don't need any organizing supplies at all.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Dividing Up Chores
Chore charts are not just for kids. They are also a great idea for spouses or roommates too. Create a basic chore chart on your computer. Make a grid with each participants name and each chore that needs to be done each week. At the beginning of the week, allow all participants to choose their chores. If this is a hassle, write each chore on a popsicle stick and put that in a jar. Have participants take turns picking chores until all are doled out. Mark the assignments on the chore chart and put it up for all to see. This will keep both adults and kids on task.
Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/
Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/
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