Keeping orderly records for tax-filing purposes is perhaps just as important as making sure you claim the appropriate tax credits, deductions or filing status. Without the right paperwork, you could miss out on important money-saving benefits for the 2017 tax season such as tax benefits for businesses.
 
Step 1: Designate a place for all your tax documents
Disorganized rooms, desks and filing drawers can be distracting and lead to lost documents and wasted time looking for them. (The shoe box method is inadequate and your accountant probably charges you extra to sort it out for you).

Step 2: Sort, file, save
For each potential tax record, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I need to keep this? Yes, if it is tax related or a business deduction.
• If I need to keep it, where would its home be? A Special folder or file box would do.
• Retention Guide:  For the IRS description of what documents to keep and for how long go to:
  https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/what-kind-of-records-should-i-kee

Step 3: Categorize your records for tax purposes

• Be sure to keep records and a separate file for papers you‘ll need for your tax return. Don’t miss out on claiming expenses and deductions because you misplaced them or don’t have a copy of a key invoice.
• Sort your paid bills by subject, such as office expenses, home improvements, Health expenses, donations, credit cards, investments, etc. (See Schedules A and C for a more complete list of allowed deductions that apply to you).

 
Step 4: Assemble your records for this year's return
With your files in order, it’s much easier to gather what you need for your 2017 return - whether you are preparing the return yourself, or sending your documents to a tax preparer. Use the worksheet your preparer provides.
 
Step 5: Schedule time to stay organized for future tax seasons
The best way to get and stay organized is to schedule a regular time and day each month or one hour a week to sort through new documents and organize your record keeping. (Using prepared software such as Quicken or Quick-books makes it even easier once you have it set up properly).

Step 6: Hire a Professional Organizer: 
A professional organizer can help you create a file system and help you keep it organized so that your tax records are ready to be filed.

So if you are still struggling with this year's tax, lets make sure your 2018 taxes are ready to file.
Happy organizing!                        

Isn't there always a time in the year when you wish you were more organized?

It might be that time when a hurricane approaches and you wish you had de-cluttered the garage before hand, so you could fit in your car. Or when a leak destroys your ceiling and you cannot find your insurance papers. Maybe you're searching for those Halloween costumes that you were so sure to have on top of that cupboard but can't find. Or your mother in law surprises you for a visit and your guest room looks more like a storage room. Inevitably any or all of those situations will leave you frustrated and stressed out, as you're trying to fit in the time to do things on an already busy schedule. They might also end up costing you money as you're replacing the items you can't find. 

So when is the best time to get organized you might ask...?? 

Let’s consider winter. With Halloween approaching, Thanksgiving, cooking, company and more cleaning, maybe not such a good time to be organizing...
Along come the major winter holidays, shopping, cooking, wrapping, company, maybe traveling and the kids are home from school.
​The New Year always seems like a good time to start anew. Losing weight or getting fit tops the list of New Year’s resolution favorites. But remarkably, according to some surveys, getting organized has become the number two most popular resolution in recent years for both men and women. Unfortunately, studies also show that most New Year’s resolutions aren’t always followed through...

Spring cleaning you say? That could bring some motivation for getting organized. You are going to clean from top to bottom, including every room in the house, so that may be a perfect time to organize, you may be thinking. Yet, cleaning the whole house takes time, as does organizing. So trying to fit it all in may seem overwhelming.
And our taxes have to get ready which leaves little time for organizing... 

How about waiting until summer? Let’s wait until the kids are out of school, have no homework, go to camp for extended hours, or can even chip in and help! When summer comes, mom may want a break too. Maybe you and your family like to spend more time outdoors in summer. Then there’s shopping, packing and planning for going on vacation, traveling, then unpacking, washing, putting it all away, and so it goes.  Before you know it, summer is over.
 
So what is the answer to when IS the best time to organize? The answer is unequivocally NOW!  A bit confused? If the aforementioned reasons manage to interfere with organizing plans, how can you get started now?
 
It’s simple. You don’t have to do it all at once. Every organizing project should be broken down into smaller tasks. Each task should have a beginning and an end. Choose one room in which to start. Focus on just the closet. If the room is in shambles, start with the floor. Then move to one drawer, one shelf and on and on depending on how much time and stamina you have. It’s a proven fact that many small parts equal a whole. Before you know it, the entire room will be completed and you are ready to move on to another. There is no time limit for organizing. It may take you a few hours, or a full day. It may take two or three days, depending on your available time. It’s okay. Just don’t give up and don’t try to do it all at once.
 
If papers are your biggest concern, start with the desk. Move on to the shelves. Don’t forget to purge old or useless papers from files, one drawer at a time. Again, it doesn’t all have to be done in one session.
 
The key is to plan your organizing sessions into your day and allot as much time as you feel comfortable. 
 
The sooner you start, the sooner you will benefit.
 
Happy Organizing!
 
Sophie Bent: Professional Organizer®, Bent On Organizing, LLC  is a NAPO Specialist in Residential Organizing in S. Florida and has been organizing businesses and homes since 2008. Contact her at 561-404-7181 or www.bentonorganizing.com   
 
 
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Need some organizing support?
For tools, books and professional organizers,
try these resources:
www.organizedatoz.com
www.napo.net