It's that time of the year again... tax season. We know this can often times be a dreaded season for a lot of people, especially business owners, so for this month's blog post, we thought we'd share some great tips to help you be the family hero this tax season!
{Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.}
You may be asking, "why is a professional organizer talking about taxes?" We have a one word answer for you... paperwork. As a professional organizer, I have spent many hours helping client get a handle on their overflowing amounts of paperwork. Getting a handle on your paperwork, whether it's personal or business, is a great way to stay ahead of the game, especially at tax season.
Managing Paperwork
The most common issue we see when a client is overwhelmed with paperwork is that they are keeping every paper that comes across their desk for too long. While this doesn't apply to EVERY piece of paperwork, the general rule of thumb is that you can throw receipts and such away after 3 years. Some paperwork you keep longer, and some for a shorter amount of time. While this isn't an all-encompassing list, we created a general chart for you to follow. **Remember! This is a general list! Definitely consult an accountant when in doubt**
Another common problem we see with our clients is that they are not storing their paperwork in an orderly fashion. Our general rule is to have some form of filing system. You can use binders, filing cabinets, or, for the common person or small business, a file tote. There are three things you need to create your very own paperwork organizing system: the file tote, hanging folders, and manilla folders.
After you have your supplies, the next thing to do is to divide the paperwork into categories, such as utility bills, insurances, banks, etc. Those will be your hanging folders. Within each hanging folder, divide the category by year and you're all set! You can get as detailed or as generic as you'd like.
Everyday Paperwork
We also understand it can be difficult to manage the day-to-day flow of paperwork as well, so we wanted to give you some solutions for managing that as well. Our go-to option for daily paperwork organization is the three section wall organizer. This is great for sorting mail by person, keeping a "to do", "done & file", and "shred" system, or just an organized place to store paperwork or take-out menus, etc. It's great for creating a "drop-zone" area as well. There is also a desktop version of this, if that's more your speed.
We also recommend a paper shredder. This is perfect for getting rid of all of those papers you just went through and determined you kept for way too long!
Label Everything
Our final tip for being the hero this tax season is to label everything! Label all of those manilla folders and the hanging folders. Label the different sections of your paper organizers so it's easy for anyone to find the needed paper. We get a lot of questions about what label maker we use, so we thought we'd share our go-to label maker and a more budget-friendly option for those just starting out!
And, if you'd like to avoid all of the "paper" of paperwork in general, go digital! We offer paperwork services where we can convert all of your paperwork into digital folders on your computer! Contact Amanda for your free consultation HERE!
Post-Paperwork Stress Relief
After you've gone through all the stress of paperwork and tax preparation we recommend some self love. We've chosen a couple of great items to either relieve the stress that the paperwork caused or to treat yourself since you just became the paperwork hero! Relieve some stress with the adult coloring book filled with fun language (we're sure you may have said a couple of these throughout the process). Treat yourself (or relieve some stress) with the shower bombs or soy candles.
We are also huge proponents of essential oils which are super helpful in so many areas of your life. They are especially great at relieving stress and helping you focus. We actually have a go-to girl for this, Allie Phillips! Check out her website HERE or shoot her an email and she will give you great recommendations for Young Living Essential Oils.