Organizing Your Tax Papers

Tax time (and maybe spring) is right around the corner.

It is that time of year again, that many dread....tax time! 

This year you have until April 15, 2013 to file your taxes in the United States. Let's make 2013 the year that you do not have to file an extension.

For easy organizing of tax related paperwork, I recommend three basic files:

1) Annual Tax File

This can be as simple as a box or hanging file folder labeled "2012 Taxes". Employers and financial institutions are required to send financial statements (such as W2s and 1099s) by January 31st, while brokerage houses have a later deadline. While you are at it, make a file for 2013 as well, so you can place items inside (such as donation or property tax receipts) as they occur throughout the year.

2) Flexible Spending Account File

If you do not participate in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or similar program with your employer, skip ahead to item number 3. If you do participate in an FSA, be sure to organize and submit all of your claims before the grace period (typically 2.5 months) ends for your plan. This will prevent you from losing your pretax funds contributed to the account. 

3) Medical Expense File

This can be the most complex of the three tax files listed here, particularly if you have enough medical expenses to deduct from your taxes. There are many ways to organize a medical expense file. A three ring binder for each family member, organized by service date (i.e. the date you went to the doctor) is generally the easiest way. You can tally out of pocket expenses on paper in each binder or create an expense category using a computerized tool such as Microsoft Excel or Quicken.

If you have specific questions regarding taxes, always consult with a tax expert, such as a CPA. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Do you need to conquer the clutter in your closet? Carolyn will be presenting "Conquer Your Closet" through Ann Arbor Rec and Ed on Friday, March 15, 2013. Register with Ann Arbor Rec and Ed. 

Holiday Shopping Tips

With Valentine's Day tomorrow, I thought this was a great time to share these holiday shopping tips originally published on Valentine's Day 2006. 

Here are a few brief tips to avoid the stress and rush of last minute shopping:

1) Birthdays---Write all important birthdays of loved ones in your calendar. This can be done once a year if you purchase paper calendars. If you use an electronic calendar this only needs to be done once. Set a time once a month to shop for cards or gifts.

2) Weddings/Showers/Etc.---When you receive the invitation, take a moment to mark your calendar and RSVP. While you have your calendar handy, set a time to shop on-line or in store for a gift. For best selection on gift registries, shop soon after you receive the invitation.

3) Major Holidays (Christmas/Hanukkah/Etc.)---Shopping year round can be a great way to reduce stress and spread out the expense, but only if you keep the items in one place AND keep a detailed record of what you purchase for whom. I have worked with many clients that forgot about their year round purchases and ended up shopping at the last minute anyway.

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Do you need to conquer the clutter in your closet? Carolyn will be presenting "Conquer Your Closet" through Ann Arbor Rec and Ed on Friday, March 15, 2013. Register with Ann Arbor Rec and Ed. 

Organize Paper Clutter

Who among us does not struggle to keep on top of paper clutter? An IDC survey from 2007 discovered that 95% of all information is still processed in paper form; with 45 sheets of paper being printed on average each day per employee (source: www.napo.net). 

It takes a great deal of determination and a few simple habits to conquer paper clutter at home and at work. Here are your new habits to implement:

1) Sort Daily

Take 5 to 10 minutes every day to sort through any paper that has come into your space. In the workplace, I recommend doing this at a set interval such as first thing in the morning, at lunch time or in your last hour at work. At home, I like to sort through the mail and the kids papers around dinner time. The idea here is to eliminate all the unnecessary items (i.e. junk) and deal with anything that takes two minutes or less. 

2) File Immediately

If your sort has resulted in items to file, such as monthly statements, go ahead and file those items immediately. This should take two minutes or less if you have the files set up already. If you do not have files set up, setting up a file should be part of your next habit, act weekly.

3) Act Weekly

This habit is primarily for the home, as work items will typically need to be acted upon according to deadline and priority. Set aside 30 minutes to 1 hour at least once a week to work on and eliminate your action items. If your schedule is flexible, you might opt for 15 minutes several times a week. Your action time might include paying bills, sending an RSVP or setting up files. 

If you need a little extra help getting a hold on paper clutter, please contact Carolyn to schedule a complementary telephone consultation and be your best in 2013. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Would you like to learn how to keep your family organized? Carolyn will be presenting "Organize Your Family" through Ann Arbor Rec and Ed on Friday, February 8, 2013. Register with Ann Arbor Rec and Ed. 

Organize Your Medicine Cabinet

Be sure to dispose of expired medicine properly.

It is that time of year when illnesses are going around and I know too well how important it is to have the proper medications accessible. In the spirit of planning ahead and keeping your family safe, I encourage you to organized your medicines in three easy steps:

 

1) Gather All of Your Medicines in One Place

It is best to have one place where you can store all of your medications safely. Pharmacists recommend cool, dry, dark places that are out of reach of children and pets. The other advantage is not having to search all around when you are sick.

 

Time Yourself:  This step should take about 15 minutes depending on how scattered your medicines are.

 

2) Sort

Less is more. Keep only those medications that you currently use and have not expired. It is best to dispose of (see below for disposal guidelines) expired medicines as they loose their effectiveness over time. If you have a lot of medications you can sort them by type (i.e. pain reliever) or family member and place in simple labeled cardboard boxes or bins.

 

Time Yourself:  This step should take about 15 minutes depending on how many medications you have.

 

3) Dispose of Medications Properly

Because medications can get into our water supply and in the hands/paws of children/pets, proper disposal is a must. Many communities, including Washtenaw County, have "take back" programs where you can take both prescription and over the counter (OTC) medications to pharmacies for proper disposal. If your community does not have such a program it is currently recommended that medications be wrapped in duct tape and several layers of plastic bags to prevent crushing in garbage trucks.

 

Time Yourself:  This step should take about 15 minutes depending on how far you live from a participating pharmacy.

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Would you like to learn how to keep your family organized? Carolyn will be presenting "Organize Your Family" through Ann Arbor Rec and Ed on Friday, February 8, 2013. Register with Ann Arbor Rec and Ed. 

More Goal Setting Tips

Carolyn speaking to Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Academic studies have found that as many as 88% of people who make New Year's Resolutions will break them. While that statistic is rather discouraging, let's focus on how we can be part of the 12% who succeed in 2013. 

Here are some simple strategies to achieve your goals in 2013:

1) The Fewer the Better

Rather than setting several resolutions at once, it is better to focus on one or two obtainable goals at a time. 

2) Put it on Paper

Writing down our resolutions and viewing them daily keeps our attention on the task at hand. 

3) Break it Down

Break down your goal into doable tasks that can be scheduled on your calendar. 

Do you want 2013 to be your year for personal success? Through organization I help clients find the time to achieve their personal and professional goals. Please contact Carolyn to schedule a complementary telephone consultation and be your best in 2013. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Would you like to learn how to keep your family organized? Carolyn will be presenting "Organize Your Family" through Ann Arbor Rec and Ed on Friday, February 8, 2013. Register with Ann Arbor Rec and Ed.  

Goal Setting for the New Year

Carolyn presenting to MOMS of Northville, Michigan.

I love the fresh start that a new year offers. Over the last 12 months I have been writing a lot about goal setting, both in general and my own personal journey.

One year ago, I printed out the first page of this goal setting template from the blog Money Saving Mom and created goals for six areas of my life. Accomplishing many of the goals on that sheet has been a great source of happiness.

Speaking of happiness, in 2012 I read and was inspired by both of Gretchen Rubin's books on happiness. In 2013 I am excited to make my own "resolutions chart" breaking down my goals into daily, weekly and monthly tasks. So far, this is proving to be a great tool to move me toward my goals. 

When it comes to New Year's Resolutions, getting organized consistently ranks among the top 10. For the last 9 years, the National Association of ProfessionalOrganizers, which I am a Golden Circle Member, has sponsored Get Organized Month.

If you have resolved to "get organized" in 2013, I would love to have a conversation to discuss what that means to you. Getting and staying organized takes a bit of work, but with proper goal setting is easier than you might think. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Would you like to learn how to keep your family organized? Carolyn will be presenting "Organize Your Family" through Ann Arbor Rec and Ed on Friday, February 8, 2013. Register with Ann Arbor Rec and Ed.  

Holiday Tidy Up

Carolyn makes a holiday return at REI in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

A big part of being organized is planning ahead. I see planning ahead as a little gift to myself to make things easier in the future.

As we wrap up from the busy holiday season and look forward to the potential that a new year brings, here are a few things that you can do now to be more organized in 2013:

Holiday Tidy Up:

1. When you are ready, pack away holiday decorations in a manner that you would like to find them when it is time to decorate again.
2. Have you sent thank you notes for gifts received? Remember, done is better than perfect. So if you can only muster an e-mail thank you, that is better than no thank you at all. 
3. Did you travel over the holidays? If so, empty and pack away the luggage now.
4. If you have received gifts over the holidays, make sure each and every one of them has a home. Return (or thoughtfully re-gift) any items that were not just right and be sure that gift cards/certificates do not get lost in the shuffle.  

Here's to a happy (and organized) 2013!

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Would you like to learn 5 simple strategies to keep your New Year's Resolutions? Carolyn will be presenting "Simply Organize the New Year" at this year's Women's Health and Fitness Day, a free healthy lifestyle event on Saturday, January 12, 2013. Register at the Women's Health and Fitness Day website.  

Packing Up the Holidays

This is republished from an article originally posted on January 2, 2012. 

66 quart clear bins work great seasonal decorations.

In a previous post on accepting imperfection during the holidays, I mentioned that my husband is a get it done sort of guy. 

We used to leave our Christmas tree up beyond New Year's Day, but the last few years my husband likes getting a real tree earlier in the Advent season and by New Year's Day the tree is starting to look a little sad. I think he also likes to pack everything up during the holiday break when we feel less rushed with other every day tasks.  

No matter when you choose to pack up the holidays, here are some tips for packing and storing seasonal treasures such as Christmas ornaments, menorahs or other holiday items to avoid damage and allow for easy access. 

For seasonal decorations that will be stored in a basement, attic or garage I like to use 66 quart or smaller clear plastic storage totes (see above photo). If you already have similar sized totes or boxes, please use what you have before buying any additional items. I find that totes larger than 66 quarts become too heavy and do not fit easily on most shelving units. Cardboard boxes also work just fine, but will not protect from moisture, bugs or rodents. 

As you pack up from the holidays, wrap each item individually with bubble wrap, tissue paper or newspaper. Use what you have on hand. I like to reuse the boxes and bags that many of our ornaments came in. Always label both ends of the tote, preferably with a removable label so that the box can be re-purposed if need be in the future.

When you are packing up the holidays, think of Stephen Covey's Habit #2 from the bestseller 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,"Begin with the end in mind." Pack up your holiday decorations in a way that you want to find them when the holidays roll around again. 

Here's what Wendy Eggleston of Dexter, Michigan had to say about how we organized her holiday decorations:  "It was so nice going down to the basement and pulling out the organized, labeled bins to decorate with." 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Would you like to learn 5 simple strategies to keep your New Year's Resolutions? Carolyn will be presenting "Simply Organize the New Year" at this year's Women's Health and Fitness Day, a free healthy lifestyle event on Saturday, January 12, 2013. Register at the Women's Health and Fitness Day website.  

Christmas Break Bucket List

Remember to take time this holiday season to enjoy simple things.

This year I started a "Christmas Break 2012 Bucket List" in the notes feature of my phone. This includes things we must do (renew kid #1's passport) and things we want to do (visit area museums). 

Every year my husband and I look forward to the long break between Christmas and New Year. We have grandiose plans of how we will spend the time. And every year on January 2nd we look at each other and wonder where the time went.  

While I doubt we will accomplish everything on my list, my hope is that we can use it to prioritize our precious time with our family. My idea is to balance the "have to's" and the "want to's" by alternating our activities for each day. 

When the children go back to school in January, I can rename my list "Spring Break 2013 Bucket List" or slide the items to the list I have started for Summer 2013. 

Here's to being intentional in the way we spend our time this holiday season and every day.  

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Would you like to learn 5 simple strategies to keep your New Year's Resolutions? Carolyn will be presenting "Simply Organize the New Year" at this year's Women's Health and Fitness Day, a free healthy lifestyle event on Saturday, January 12, 2013. Register at the Women's Health and Fitness Day website.  

Clearing Kid Clutter

Telling Santa Christmas wishes. 

Back in February I provided some basic tips on the Simply Organized Life blog to Cut Kid Clutter. 

Here are some additional tips that are being employed in my household (see also last week's post) as we approach the holiday season.

1) Talk to Your Kids

For most kids, more is more. However, as parents or guardians, we know that a clean uncluttered environment is important to our kids' physical and mental well being.  

My children are quite young so we keep it simple. For example: "We need to let go of some stuff you no longer use to make room for new things." I hate to admit it, but we have also mentioned Santa in our conversations. 

2) Involve the Kids

Now that your children are aware of the fact that they cannot keep outgrown clothing or toys they no longer play with, involve them in the process in age appropriate ways. 

Because some items are sentimental to me too, I like to pick out things that I feel are ready to leave the home and give my kids a choice of what they want to sell or give away. They enjoy giving things to younger extended family members or earning some of the proceeds from the toys we sell. 

3) Set Clear Limits

Only you can decide how much is too much in your home. Setting clear limits (for both your kids and yourself) is a great way to keep clutter from taking over.

Most of us do well with some sort of container to limit our possessions. For example: Only own as many books as will fit in your bookcase or as many clothes as fit in your closet or dresser. Even very young children can understand that the toy box is full and there is not room for anything else. 

Sometimes kid clutter (and adult clutter) can be overwhelming. If you need help with the clutter in your life, please contact Carolyn to schedule a complementary telephone consultation. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. To receive a free copy of Carolyn's "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life"and a monthly subscription to the e-newsletter "Your Simply Organized Life" sign up here. 

Preparing for the Holidays

Bringing out the Christmas decorations. 

In my home, we are busy preparing for the Christmas holiday. This year we have chosen to take a slow and steady approach in order to involve the kids as much as possible. Every weekend, we pick a small decorating project and have one outing.  

Along with the traditional holiday preparations, I have been focused on clearing clutter in our home, particularly kid clutter. Last year, I was overwhelmed by the generosity of our family and friends toward our children. Even after taking care of holiday returns, we still had a lot of new stuff.

What does clearing clutter look like in a professional organizer's home? Any outgrown clothing or toys have been passed on to the younger child, given to extended family, taken to a local resale shop or donated to charity.

I have also been letting go of my unneeded clothing and household items, such as those blankets we never use and excess belongings stored in the basement. The website www.donatestuff.com is so easy to use that I have scheduled Purple Heart to come out twice in the last  three months.

All of this clutter clearing has been enriching my life, and I hope, that of my immediate family. 

If you are preparing for Christmas, in the midst of Hanukkah or celebrate another winter holiday, my wish is that these tips will help you be just a little more organized and a lot less stressed.

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. To receive a free copy of Carolyn's "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life"and a monthly subscription to the e-newsletter "Your Simply Organized Life" sign up here. 

Guest Post: Prioritizing You! (Part 2 of 2)

Last week, guest blogger, Anna Mae Trievel from Ann Arbor with Kids and Fun with Your Kid, shared her tips to make sure moms remember to make themselves a priority. Here is part 2 of 2. 

Based on the success of the coffee group mentioned in last week's post, I want to setup a regular event with another group of friends from my daughter’s school. 

I have talked with another mom about twice a month meetings: one week doing coffee and one week doing lunch. So far, we have not organized anything official, but have done coffee a few times, lunch once and a movie once. We also had an after-school outing with the kids.

My husband and I are fortunate to have family in the area who like to watch our daughter (and where she asks to sleep-over) so we are able to have date nights without arranging a babysitter. 

Date nights are also something that can be scheduled to make sure you have your own time. If finances are tight, you can arrange a routine trade-off with a friend so that you each get a date night once a month and once a month you watch the friend’s child(ren). 

Another option is to look for places that have a regular kids' night out event. Plan to take advantage of those when they are offered to have your regular date night. I have seen them offered at gymnastics centers, inflatable bounce places and my daughter’s school.

So when organizing your schedule, don’t forget the importance of scheduling your “me time”, “date night”, or even family game night.

Anna Mae Trievel writes the blog Ann Arbor with Kids about family events and activities in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She recently launched Fun with Your Kid to provide information about events happening across the country or region, product reviews, travel experiences and more.

Guest Post: Prioritizing You! (Part 1 of 2)

Guest blogger, Anna Mae Trievel from Ann Arbor with Kids and Fun with Your Kid, shares her tips to make sure moms remember to make themselves a priority. 

Our back to school schedule is finally set. The teacher has the classroom volunteer schedule completed and I have helped a few times. Soccer is nearly over, Girl Scouts has started and other after school activities have begun. Even if your child is not yet in school, back to school heralds a shift of weekday activities to focus on toddlers and preschoolers instead of kids home from school for the summer.

When setting your schedule, the required items always seem to make it on the calendar: school, sports, work and other commitments. But how often do “me time” events make it on the list? This is even more important when your me time activities include others or require child care, such as date night, mom’s (or dad’s) night out or lunch group.

  

Before my daughter was in kindergarten, we belonged to a twice a month playgroup for many years. Since she attended afternoon preschool, we were able to continue with the group until last fall. Last year, many of us had children headed off to school and were leaving the playgroup. We switched to a twice a month coffee group on the alternate weeks of the playgroup so that those who still had younger children could attend both coffee (with the younger kids) and playgroup. 

After taking a summer hiatus, we started back up in September. Our group is very casual in that you make it when you can. People drift in over the course of an hour and come on the weeks that they can. I love having this time on my calendar and knowing that we will get together regularly....unlike the hypothetical Mom’s Night Out that we have been discussing since our last one 15 months ago.

Anna Mae Trievel writes the blog Ann Arbor with Kids about family events and activities in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She recently launched Fun with Your Kid to provide information about events happening across the country or region, product reviews, travel experiences and more.

Organizing Mish Mash

Carolyn Presenting at Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor

Today's title is a bit of an oxymoron, but perfectly suits what I have been up to the last few weeks and why I missed posting to the blog in October 2012. 

Here's what has kept me busy in the last month and a half. I have included some tips for you to conquer your own organizing mish mash. 

Meeting with Clients:

Since founding Simply Organized Life in 2005, I always expect the month of September to be really busy with clients whose children are back in school. Realistically speaking, it takes folks a good month to get back into their new routines. Be aware of this trend when starting any new routine. 

As for the work accomplished with clients, we cleared out a long abandoned storage area, revamped a guest room full of clutter, tackled a shared girls' room and conquered lots of paper clutter. I also had the pleasure of visiting a client who hired me over a year ago as a consultant on her office remodel--before any demolition took place. The results were amazing!

Seminars and a New Product:

Preparing for and presenting several seminars also kept me busy this fall. My first on-line webinar titled "Tame the Paper Monster" took me outside of my comfort zone. In addition, I developed a unique routine worksheet for purchase and download on-line. For a replay of the webinar and to purchase the routine worksheet click here. 

On a Personal Note:

My life outside of Simply Organized Life is busy too. In October I chaperoned two field trips, one for each of my children. I have also been clearing some of my own clutter. My kids' art clutter all over the kitchen counter started to drive me crazy, so I cleared out two drawers in my kitchen for  their supplies. Habitat for Humanity's ReStore and Purple Heart came to take away some items  we no longer need. I organized my medicine cabinet, taking the expired items to our local pharmacy and went through my cleaning supplies. My unneeded cleaning supplies need to be taken to  the local home toxins collection center. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Carolyn will be presenting the hands on workshop "Tame the Paper Monster" at Ann Arbor Rec & Ed on December 7, 2012. Register with Ann Arbor Rec & Ed and bring your paper piles. 

Pesky Paper Clutter

Speaking at Multiple Births Canada National Conference, Oct. 2011

Since founding Simply Organized Life in 2005, the question I am most asked is "What to do with all those pesky paper piles?"

After a busy summer filled with lots of activities outside the home, I found myself with some sizable paper piles in my office. I made the piles go away and am only left with my current project folders on my desk. Here's what I did: 

1) Set Aside the Time

Being a professional organizer, I know how to handle paperwork and (gasp) actually enjoy it. However, several rounds of house guests and our busy summer schedule kept me away from my home office where the paper piled up. At the first opportunity, I scheduled time in my calendar to deal with the paper on my desk. 

2) Just Do It

Paper piles can be pretty intimidating. It is much easier (and more fun) to check your e-mail, surf Facebook or do just about anything other than sorting through the papers. What I find works for me is to set a timer for a short amount of time (say 15 minutes) and just starting dealing with the paper pile top down. If a bill appears, I pay it. If project papers appear, I schedule time in my calendar or create a project file. Most people can handle those types of action papers, but what about those pesky papers that you *might* need to refer to in the future? 

3) Put it Away 

Everyone needs a system for those little bits of paper that we want to refer to in the future. The thing is that if we cannot retrieve those papers when we need them, what is the point of keeping them? 

I utilize a combination of paper files, like the family binder I referred to in my "Get Organized for Back to School" post, and am slowly shifting to a paperless system for other things. For my children's artwork I either take a photograph or scan the items. These things are stored by month and year with our digital photos. For other things, like interesting magazine articles or websites, I scan and save to Evernote, which I can then search at a later date.  

Source:  www.evernote.com

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Carolyn will be presenting "5 Habits for an Organized Office" at Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. on October 12, 2012. Register now with Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. Please note that Carolyn was not compensated by any vendors for this blog post. 

Zero Waste Lunch

My child's zero waste lunchbox. 

When you are organized you can do so many things that you might not be able to do otherwise. One of the things that being organized allows me to do is pack zero waste lunches for my kids. It is a small thing that makes me happy. 

My main goal for my children's lunches is to have everything together in one package, so that they can focus on eating the (mostly) healthy food that I pack. 

The photo above shows the insulated lunchbox loaded up. The ice pack (on the left) is tucked in the pouch so it can stay put at lunch and not get lost. On the other side my child has a cloth napkin, a Nalgene bottle (BPA free and made in the USA), utensils and a two tiered bento box I found on sale at Old Navy last September (also BPA free).  

Of course, an organizer's kid has to have everything labeled. This is a great example of good, better, best labeling. I used a combination of Sharpie pen, Brother P-touch and Name Bubbles labels. Except for the napkin, everything has a label, even each individual utensil. 

Bento box using silicon cups to separate food.

The second photo is an example of a lunch I packed for my kids this summer. I use silicon cupcake cups to separate the food in the bottom tier of the bento box. The top tier is just thick enough for a sandwich. This lunch contained cucumbers, tomatoes and basil from our vegetable patch. The fresh mozzarella ball is store bought. 

Last week I volunteered at the school during one lunch hour. The parent volunteer's role is to help the young kids open containers, clean up trash, keep things together and on the particular day I volunteered, it seemed that half the class had to use the bathroom during lunch. 

Even if your goal is not a zero waste lunch, make sure your kids can easily open the containers or packages in their lunchboxes. While it may seem easy for us, I opened a lot of cheese stick packages last week. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Carolyn will be presenting "Easy Organizing for Busy Families" at My Urban Toddler in Saline, Michigan on September 26, 2012 (childcare is available, check with My Urban Toddler for details). Register with My Urban Toddler by Wednesday, September 19, 2012.