2006: EASIER ORGANIZING FOR YOUR NEW YEAR
Use these New Years Organizing tips whether you have a file 'system' - or not! If
Your business end-year falls in June, just use these same tips in July.
In January set up
a Tax Box to hold all your 2005 tax documentation. Set up an archive box (for a lot) or a file tray (for a little) marked Taxes 2005. While sorting your mail put all W-2's or 1099's, and any tax-related material in it.
You can set up colored file pocket folders in your Tax Box for Forms, and Personal, Business/Employer, or Investment/Real Estate documentation. Many people create His, Hers, Ours, and Internal Revenue Service folders in addition to their financial files.
If you have a filing system, but, you're bogged down in old records: Pull last year's financial files (e.g., bank statements) and business or employment expenses (e.g., receipts) and income (e.g., invoices) or any tax-related item. Sort prior years' tax and legal or financial documents into boxes marked by year.
As you are taking 2005 files out of your office system, make the replacement 2006 file folders for all of your regular home and personal business or financial (e.g., credit cards) and legal (e.g., insurance) documents.
Now, you have separate files for current financial documents in the New Year and a working Tax Box for April 15th that will automatically become your Tax Archives.
If you do not have a working file system for your Home, Small Business, or Business with Employees, let me recommend the shortest distance between chaos and a fully indexed color-coded file system.
75 % of all home and small business filing systems is the same. That's why I use the Home and Small Business file kits you'll find at
Organizer-Extraordinaire.com in my own personal productivity consulting practice. You'll spend more money driving to the store and buying blank labels and supplies than it costs you if you use the file kit that matches your needs.
I like quickly setting up the standard 75 %, and then customizing the blank labels for new titles in my client's file system. If you've had organizers before, you might be surprised that they didn't use File Kits. Your office file system project will take three times as long without them. Using these kits with (or without) an organizer makes it easy to save your time and money.
I recommend you select and set up the file kits for 2006 that fit your needs. Then, follow the same tax and archiving tips above for the working file system - because now you have one. Just setting up the Tax Box will help you start the New Year out right, but it's no substitute for an ongoing paper management system after April 15th.
Very best wishes on organizing the 2006 of your dreams!
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