Top 10 Ways to Stay Organized

1. Get your financial records in shape. Healthy bookkeeping contributes to a healthier life style, and organization means less emotional stress and a greater ability to think more clearly without the distractions of anxiety, frustration, and guilt.
2. “Sweep” your desk, office, and kitchen counter on a regular basis. Whether you clean them daily, weekly, or monthly, a clutter-free work surface contributes to a clutterfree mind.
3. Use financial software wisely. Programs like Quicken can give you a better handle on your finances, as long as you don’t over-categorize and create a system that is too complicated.
4. Open mail every day. Read it once and then act on it by filing or discarding by shredding or recycling. A home office shredder can help you get rid of mail with sensitive personal information like your social security number, bank account numbers, or other confidential information.
5. Follow the 90-10 rule. As you sort and clean up, throw away 90 percent and keep just 10 percent. Make three piles – put away, give away, and throw away. As you pick up each item, ask yourself the following: Do I need it or do I love it? Do the memories associated with it justify keeping it? Is it worth storing? Is it worth repairing?
6. Develop your own personal filing system. But don’t get hung up on what method to use; it’s more important is that you use one. Consider something as simple as a monthly accordion file or file folders marked with categories such as travel, entertainment, expenses, auto, healthcare, household, merchandise and education. Buy a small label maker for tagging the files -- You will feel more organized when your files look neat.
7. Check your credit reports and clear up mistakes. You are entitled to one free report per year from each credit reporting agency.
8. Review your bank statements and bills. If you don’t reconcile your bank statements, you’re not alone. But banks make mistakes and you could be missing thousands of dollars. Also check phone and utility bills, as well as credit card statements.
9. Shred old records. Keep tax returns and tax-related credit card statements for seven years, paycheck stubs for one year, brokerage statements until you sell the securities, records of major purchases in the event of a loss, home and condo records for as long as you own the property, and IRA contributions permanently.
10. Take a look at all your insurance policies. Make sure that your auto insurance policy is covering the correct number of cars, your life insurance policies are adequate, and your homeowner’s policy adequately covers you in the event of a loss.

Judy Heft, Principal, Judy Heft & Associates is a professional and personal financial organizer with offices in Greenwich and Stamford. She can be contacted via email at judy@judithheft.com or by phone
203-978-1858.