Ask:
Okay I don't know how to find order in all of it! It gets shoved in this place or that place, put in a walmart bag and shoved in the closet when we get sudden company, with the idea that I'll get it back out later and put it away. I can't get a hold on it! I've decided that aside from our cleaning challenge today, I'm going to sort through & try to organize all the papers that I have. When storing past documents, what do you keep and how far back do you save to? Does anyone have a good solution to storing current paperwork? It's out of sight, out of mind for me. Which only leads to a lot of trouble after it finally comes back into sight days, weeks, months later. I know I need help - step one is admitting it right?!?! so... HELP!
Answer:
I have had a system for years it works great for me.....
I have one small accordion file box that I keep the 12 months of bills in it.
As soon as they are paid I mark paid and the date and then go month to month at the first of the year or around when I do my taxes I gather them all together put a huge rubber band around it put the year and put it in a file box same with my taxes. I have since 99
You would be surprised how much you might need that stuff, trying to buy a house etc.
I also have a shredder that I use all the time as soon as the mail comes.
And one folder for need to do things like write people letters and so on.
Hope this helps and isn't too confusing.
Answer:
I use a system I picked up from "smart Couples finish Rich" by david Bach. If nothing else it keeps me organized. It is a system of 12 files folders with sub folders
1. Tax returns for the last 7 years
2. Retirement accounts
3. Social Security
4. Investment Accounts
5. Saving and Checking accounts
6. Household (house title, home improvements, Home morgage)
7. Credit Card DEBT
8. Other Liablities
9. Insurance
10. Family will or trust
11. Childrens accounts.
12. Worksheets from the book
Thats the main list and then you put sub folders in your files. It helped get us organized
Answer:
I put all the bills that need to be paid in one spot, after the bill is paid, I file it in a file folder according to category. After that year is over, I store them in our basement and start again. I have mine from 1997 on...
Answer:
I have a filing cabinet with files labeled for each month. First thing is through away junk mail and envelopes as soon as they come in the house. I have a calendar organizer where I keep bills. checkbooks and etc. When a bill comes in I put the statement in the filing cabinet and the bill in the calendar organizer. When my dh's paycheck comes in I sit down with my organizer and do the bills. At the end of the year I empty the files into a gift bag usually left from christmas label it with the date and put it in the basement.
Answer:
I have one of those little desktop plastic 3 drawer organizers. I put the bills I need to pay ASAP in the top drawer, bills that can wait till a later payday in the second. I use the bottom drawer to store stuff that needs filed. When it is full I file stuff in my file drawer - I have seperate files for everything.
Every payday i get the bills from the top drawer out and pay them, then I go through the ones in the second drawer selecting what I want to pay next time. Lately I have been able to pay everything within a week of it's arrival (woohoo!)
I go through the mail every day, put the junk and waste in the office waste basket to be recycled and the bills I put in the drawers. Everything else that needs my attention I put in my "in" box on the desk.