amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

Little4estKaren · 04-11-2004, 06:35 PM

Just taking a break this afternoon during my decluttering. I chose to tackle the box of papers that needed to be filed (bill stubs, bank statements, EOB's etc). Since I moved and have started school, I haven't had a lot of free time so the stack just got bigger and bigger. Today, I wanted to tackle that box! I tidied up the filing cabinet, too (sorting thru and seeing what could be shredded).

Just need to plug the shredder in ... and go to town! LOL

Karen

organicmama · 04-12-2004, 11:29 AM

Soon I will be able to get this done

It is a monster, isn't it.

I am a paper piler<sigh>

Please post at how good you feel once you get this done to get the rest of us in gear

klg723 · 04-12-2004, 04:39 PM

Good for you! I need to do this, too. I'm sure we have 4 year old phone bills & stuff...

Any how-to suggestions? how old was old enough to toss by your standards?

Karen

Little4estKaren · 04-13-2004, 01:32 AM

Organic Mama - I am SO a paper piler ... thinking that by putting off dealing with it ... will somehow make it better ... hahaha...(sigh)

KLG - I got a list from Suze Orman a few years ago that had the following suggestions for "time line". I printed it out and keep it on the filing cabinet for reference:

KEEP TILL WARRANTY EXPIRES: or can no longer return or exchange -

sales receipts (unless needed for tax purposes and then keep for 3 years)

WHAT TO KEEP FOR ONE MONTH:

ATM printouts (when you balance your checkbook each month, throw out the ATM receipts)

WHAT TO KEEP FOR ONE YEAR:

Paycheck stubs (you can get rid of once you have compared to your W2 and annual social secruity statement)

Utility Bills (you can throw out after one year, unless you're using these as a deduction like a home office - then you need to keep them or 3 years after you've filed that tax return)

Canceled Checks (unless needed for tax purposes and then you need to keep for 3 years)

Credit Card Receipts (unless needed for taxes)

Quarterly Investment Statements (hold on to until you get your annual statement)

Bank Statements (unless needed for taxes)

WHAT TO KEEP FOR 3 YEARS:

Income Tax Return (please keep in mind that you can be audited by the IRS for no reason up to 3 years after you filed a return. If you omit 25 % of your gross income that goes up to 6 years and if you don't file a tax return at all there is no statute of limitations)

Medical Bills and canceled insurance policies

Records of selling a house & Records of Selling a stock (documentation for capital gains tax)

Receipts, canceled checks and other documents that support income or a deduction on your tax return

Annual Investment Statement (hold onto 3 years after you sell your investment)

WHAT TO KEEP FOR 7 YEARS

Records of satisfied loans

WHAT TO HOLD WHILE ACTIVE:

Contracts
insurance documents
stock certificates
property records
stock records
records of pensions and retirement pland
property tax records disputed bills (keep the bill until the dispute is resolved)
home improvement records (hold for at least 3 years after the due date for the tax return that includes the income or loss on the asset when it's sold)

KEEP FOREVER:

Marriage licenses
birth certificates
wills
adoption papers
death certificates
records of paid mortgages

(keep these documents in a very safe place like a safety deposit box)

HTH -

and of course: SHRED !!! don't just throw away ...

Karen

MamaShine · 04-15-2004, 09:12 PM

today was desk day for me too!
I did a mini-sweep
15 minutes on the egg timer to remove everything from just the desk area (not the whole room!) and pile on kitchen table - even the desk drawers; dusted, vac'd just the desk area ...
ding-ding
okay
15 minutes to put back only the stuff I love to see or need on/in the desk...
ok then the rest of the day going thru the rest of the stuff and filing.ripping.tossing.paying very overdue bills.

next time I hope it wpn't take so long

There is now one small clean spot in my house and I am proud to sit here

Tomorrow I might do something similar with another small area (suggestions?) craft table? laundry room? pantry? hmmm...