Would You Like A Receipt?

It's amazing how such small pieces of paper have a tremendous hold on people. Often times when I am helping clients get organized, we sort through piles of receipts. Here are some suggestions to help manage receipts before they manage you.

Put all new receipts in one place! Put receipts in a centralized location. One good place to keep them is close to where you sort your mail (for tips on organizing mail, see earlier post dated 2/22/09). Keep a manila folder or envelope handy for storing the receipts. This will prevent receipts from migrating into other places where they will quickly be forgotten. Make it a habit to empty receipts from your car, pockets and/or purse daily!

All receipts are not created equal! Purge your receipt file weekly. Toss receipts for groceries, dry cleaning etc. In this file, keep only the receipts for items recently purchased that may need to be returned (clothing, inexpensive household items). Store these in a separate smaller envelope or paper clip them together. After three months, it is usually safe to toss these.

Other receipts will need to be kept longer. These include: 1) Receipts for major purchases (appliances, household repairs) 2) Medical receipts 3) Receipts for bills (credit card, utilities, etc.) 4) Receipts for items you plan to deduct on your income taxes 5) Miscellaneous important receipts like those for jewelry or expensive children's toys. (keep these to a minimum or else you will find you are saving more receipts than necessary).

The receipts that you plan on keeping can be stored in your filing cabinet under the appropriate category (see post dated 2/25/09 for tips on organizing your files). Keep in mind that filing these receipts away does not mean you don't have to deal with them at a later date! Go through your files every couple of months and weed out the old receipts. In general, keep only one year's worth of receipts (with the exception of those pertaining to home and auto repair and other major purchases). Always check with an accountant about which receipts you need to keep for income tax purposes (as well as how long).

Go online! These days a lot of information is stored electronically, making it unnecessary to keep paper copies. I have learned to let go of keeping my paper bank and credit card statements. In fact, many companies are now offering paperless billing options! Not only does this reduce paper clutter, but it is better for the environment!

Unleash Your Organized Me!

A Spoonful of Preparation Makes the Doctor Visit Go Smoother!

Everybody's time is precious, but let's face it, doctors are some of the busiest people we know. The average length of a doctor visit is about 15 minutes. Communicating all your needs and questions in this time frame is a daunting task. That is why it is imperative to spend some time preparing ahead of time. A little preparation goes a long way and can prevent unnecessary repeat visits and phone calls. Here are some things you can do to be prepared for your doctor appointment.

Write down your medications! Make a list of all prescription and over the counter medications you take regularly as well as any vitamin and herbal supplements. What I like to do is to separate the prescription medications and over the counter medications, vitamins, etc, into two separate lists. For all prescription medications, I include the name of the medication, dosage, date it was started and the medical condition for which it was prescribed (as some medications are prescribed for purposes other than their main usage). Include your name and date of birth on the list. Also, write the current date on the list so you will know when it was last updated. Type up lists for yourself and family members and save them on your computer so you can print out copies as needed. Keep copies in your wallet and in the main communication center of your home (I put mine in the kitchen drawer) so that they can be accessed quickly in the event of an emergency. Always give your doctor a copy of your current list so they can keep it with your records. Being prepared with a list saves the doctor the frustration of having to record each medication and ensures that the appointment time will be spent efficiently.

Write down questions! I can't tell you how important this is! Try to limit it to three questions. Also, think of possible solutions. The doctor-patient relationship is a collaborative effort! Doctors like to see that you are taking personal responsibility for your health. For example, if you want to lose weight, research diet and exercise plans ahead of time so that you can discuss these with your doctor. If you have a chronic medical condition, research options on the internet. Although the internet is no substitute for a doctor's medical advice, it can help you become more informed. There are a variety of online support groups for various medical conditions. By joining one of these, you can see what works for other individuals in addition to getting emotional support (one website to try is yahoo.com).

Bring someone with you! Two sets of ears are better than one! Bring along a family member or friend and have them take notes. If you are going to the doctor for a reason other than a well visit, negative emotions can arise. These can affect our ability to be objective. Having another person along can make sure our interpretation of the visit is accurate. It also can't hurt to have much needed emotional support.

Unleash Your Organized Me!

Quick Post...Tax Time is Over, Be Prepared for Next Year!

Today a lot of people are breathing a sigh of relief now that another tax season is coming to a close. It never fails, but each year I hear so many stories of people racing around last minute to gather essential documents and receipts for their tax returns. Here is a tip that might prevent this from happening next year. Each January, designate a folder for tax information for the year (ex. "Taxes 2009"). I put this folder in the section of my filing cabinet set aside for tax information. If needed, this folder can be subdivided into categories such as property taxes, medical receipts, donations, etc. As I come across items that I know I will need for taxes, I file them in this folder. Then, when I am ready to do my return, everything I need is at my fingertips!

Recipe Roundup!

If you home is like most, kitchen space is limited. This is a place where unwanted clutter can become quite the problem. Here are some ways to prevent those cookbooks and loose recipes from turning into a recipe for disaster!

Keep it Simple! Go through all those cookbooks and weed out the ones that you don't use often. Do you really need five books on Italian cuisine? If a particular cookbook has a recipe you like, write it down instead of keeping the whole book. Recycle or donate those cookbooks you can do without.

Go Online! There are many websites that offer a variety of recipes. This helps resist the impulse to save every recipe you find on food labels and in magazines: limiting the potential for these to become clutter. Also, the internet puts unlimited variety at your fingertips. Here are a couple of my favorite recipe websites: http://www.recipesource.com/, http://www.cooks.com/, and http://www.allrecipes.com/ (this website lets you adjust the recipe yield easily by providing an online calculation of ingredient amounts).

Write your favorites down! What I like to do is to keep all my recipes in one card box. In this box I keep all my cherished family recipes as well as favorites that I have tried and want to make again. When I see a recipe in a magazine or on a label that I want to try, I put it in a folder. If it is a keeper, I then write it on a recipe card and place it in my box. That way, all the recipes I use regularly are in one place. Even if a recipe I like can be found in one of my cookbooks, I still write it on a card. That way, if the book gets misplaced, I still have the recipe! Here is a great website where you can print out your own recipe cards: http://www.kayskreations.net/special/recipe.html.

A Quick Post: Tips to Keeping A Dirty Dog Clean!

April showers bring May flowers, but they sure make it hard to keep a dog clean! I have a wonderful white dog named Echo. Keeping her white is a challenge especially this time of year! What I like to do is keep unscented baby wipes handy in the front hall closet for quick clean ups right after her morning walk. I also like to keep other grooming essentials handy in the closet. I have a container with a brush for her fur, her toothbrush and toothpaste, and baby powder (which makes her smell nice in between baths). Here is a picture of her and my little cat Puff!

Getting Rid of Emotional Clutter

When most people think of organizing, the image of physical tasks come to mind. Clutter can also be emotional. Negativity from thoughts, self talk and toxic relationships use unnecessary energy.

Never use the words "I can't"! I always say that perception is everything. Using the words "I can't" sets people up for failure. Instead, say "I am not able to do ______ at this time". This creates a positive mind set and leaves open the possibility for change. You will be surprised at the powerful effect words have on your emotions.

Get Rid of Toxic Relationships. These are those relationships that make you feel "weighed down". Does seeing a particular person's phone number on the caller ID make you cringe? Do you feel drained after talking with that person? Is it a one sided relationship? These are all clues that you may have a toxic relationship with that person. Try to end the relationship if possible. At bare minimum, limit the time spent with them. Negative energy not only causes stress, but can cause physical and emotional illness.

Clarify Your Lifelong Goals. Write down the goals you want to accomplish in your life (raising well adjusted children, starting a business, furthering your education, buying a house). View each behavior in your life in relation to these goals. If a particular behavior in your life is not helpful in meeting these goals, seek to change it. Is having the biggest house on the block going to help you achieve inner peace? Will buying the kids designer clothes help them learn to be better people?

Be A Forward Thinker! Try not to dwell on the past. Change is only possible in the present and future. We can only change ourselves and our response to situations: not others.

It's Okay to Have A Junk Drawer!

There are mixed opinions about junk drawers. Most people are shocked when I actually recommend having one. Sometimes things don't fit so perfectly! Organizing is not a perfect science. Don't let those magazine pictures fool you!


I do think junk drawers are useful and actually quite necessary. I prefer to call them miscellaneous drawers and recommend that people limit them to a few per household. Limiting the number of miscellaneous drawers is the key to making them work well for you. Having a miscellaneous drawer gives you permission to be a little disorganized. This is similar to being on a diet and allowing a cheat day. Giving in to temptation periodically helps prevent a sense of deprivation or the sense that everything has to be in perfect order.

One good place for a miscellaneous drawer is in the kitchen. In fact, I have one myself. This drawer holds bag clips, wine openers, pastry bags, and other assorted odds and ends that are typically hard to organize. Another place where a junk drawer makes sense is in the office: for assorted office supplies. Ziploc bags are great for containing small items within a miscellaneous drawer. I like these because they fit just about anywhere. If you want to get fancy, you can purchase special drawer dividers that can accommodate different shapes and sizes. Spacesavers.com offers expandable drawer organizers which are great for customizing drawers.

Warning! Be careful not to use the miscellaneous drawer as a quick fix. If you find that you have a large amount of one type of item, this is a cue that storage needs to be created elsewhere.

Happy Organizing!