Doing your taxes forces you to gather all your important financial papers into one place. When you get your tax return that is a good time to go through all the financial papers you have saved from last year and shred everything you don’t need to keep. You can shred anything that can be found online: Bank statements, utility bills, owner manuals, etc.
Remember to keep tax documents for 7 years and then shred them.
If you keep your files purged it’s much easier to find the important things because they’re not hidden among all the extra papers.
**Medical Papers**
It’s good to keep a detailed history of medical conditions, but that doesn’t mean that you keep every paper you get from the doctor. Create a document that acts as a summary of that person’s medical history. Include surgery dates, diagnosis, Dr. names, medication, and any other pertinent information. It will be much easier to find the information you need if it’s all in one place. You can toss medical bills that have been paid and have shown up on your statements.
You can read more about decluttering papers Organizing Papers and Organizing your Home Office.
If you want one-on-one help organizing a space, call me at 208.736.3306 for a free consultation. I’d love to help you on your organizational journey. Virtual options are also available.