Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Spring Cleaning
Spring is a wonderful time to go through closets and drawers and clear out all those old, worn and never-used items. Not only do many of us experience a burst of energy and optimism at this time of year, but the change of seasons is a perfect time to go through winter clothes and say: If I didn’t wear it this past winter, I’m never going to wear it. Likewise, look at your spring/summer clothes and say: I never felt good in this, time for the Salvation Army. Or, this is looking way too 1980’s, out it goes. Once your closet is clear you can really see what you might need for the upcoming warm weather. Better yet, now that you can see what you have, you may realize that you don’t really need anything.
Client tip: Pamela Miles paints the inside of her closets glossy white – including the floor – this reflects whatever light there is and make it easier to see—Brilliant Idea!
Spring is also a great time to clear out toiletries and makeup. Get rid of anything goopy, gloppy or that you just don’t use anymore. Likewise, pitch any expired prescriptions or over-the-counter medications. Eliminate that orange lipstick you bought on impulse. Winnowing down makeup can help simplify your morning routine. Get rid of the expensive skin care routine that you always think you should do, but never find time to do. All that guilt is probably giving you more wrinkles than the mask will take away.
TIP: I arbitrarily chose November and May as the months to buy myself new mascara and eyeliner. These items should be replaced every six months anyway, and by sticking with these months I always know when it is time. Also, because these months coincide with a change in season, I can also buy new fall/spring lip and cheek colors at this time and resist dangerous impulse purchases.
Take this opportunity to look at your calendar and put things in so you don’t forget. Here are some items you might want to enter:
- Estimated Taxes (put in a week before they are due)
- Any other quarterly or bi-yearly payments (school, insurance etc.)
- Medical/Dental Appointments
Four Steps to a Less Overwhelming Tax Season
If you didn’t get organized in January, the time for procrastination is over, and your tax deadline is nigh. Here a four steps to help you breakdown this process into manageable steps:
- Gather all income information into one file, including:
- job earnings
- investment income
- interest income etc.
- Gather all documentation for any estimated taxes you may have paid, as well as last year’s returns into another file.
- Gather receipts for tax deductible items such as (Not all of these categories may apply to you, and you may need some others that aren’t listed here, but this is a good jumping off point.):
- Charitable contributions (including donations to Goodwill etc.)
- Transportation
- Education
- Periodicals & books
- Medical
- Entertainment
- Childcare
- Now that you have these three files (or piles), things should seem more manageable. I use Excel to add up all my columns, but some people use adding machines or plain old calculators.
Don’t be like the woman I saw in my accountant’s office carrying a floral hatbox overflowing with tiny, wadded-up receipts. No wonder my accountant always seems happy to see me! Ask your accountant for a preparation worksheet; these can be great guidelines and they can really help you remember things.