New Year's chore, a household tradition

[jrb3]

My favorite New Year's Day tradition is an organizing task. Go figure. :|(

I keep a drawer in my filing cabinet for "this year's stuff", another for "last year's stuff", and a set of 8-10 file boxes with papers I need to save for 3-7 years for tax purposes. These need to cycle every year, so 1 January is the best time for that.

The oldest box gets cleared out, with a few items kept for historical purposes, and the rest thrown away. Last year's drawer gets culled and laid carefully into the now-empty file box, which I relabel and put away in the storage closet. This year's drawer gets moved into last year's drawer. I then fill the now-empty this year's drawer with new hanging folders, and fresh labelled manila folders, based on what got filed from the year just finished.

Two hours on New Year's morning, and I'm ready for the new year's filing!

What do others do, organizing-wise, to prepare for the new year?

[shadowmoss]

Title should be 'You are AN inspiration'. sigh.
You are where I've been trying to get for 10 years. >8) I did finally set up my scanning station this morning. Since I moved to Honduras everything was packed up. So, now I can continue to go through papers and scan them and either shred them so I don't have to ship them back, or if they are important I can go ahead and mail them to my Mom to keep for me till I'm back in the States. I'm putting things (encrypted) on a 'cloud' drive as a backup since who knows what electronics will survive down here to get back home.

I'm putting as much of my financial life as possible online. Again, in Honduras I can't just pick up a phone and call without it costing a lot. So, online statements and bill pay are my new way of life.

Another check of my recurring bills to see where I can cut down. Still have a couple of things I need to cancel.

Basically, just a going over my things and resorting to reflect my new reality this year.

[fidgiegirl]

A similar procedure, but on a smaller scale and later in the month once all the year-end statements come in. I have all the statements, etc. from the just-ended in one expanding file folder. I will take that our, bundle and label, and destroy the oldest of three packets of the same account's statement. Some things get kept longer, but mostly three years is my rule of thumb. The only accounts I have doubted are retirement accounts. We have thrown some retirement info and hope we don't regret it later. We won't keep credit card statements. We keep some receipts but have truthfully never needed them after the year is up.

[early morning]

Oh wow, are you for hire?? :) I am sooo disorganized paper-wise. Our tradition is taking down the tree. Which we aren't doing today, because it's too pretty. :|( But you inspire me - I may have to go off and do my August/September filing. (Please don't think I'm being flip - I really do admire people who have their paperwork all in order, and I'd like to do the same.) I have tried so many ideas, but it all comes down to I hate it, and put it off for far too long. I have a big house with no space, oddly enough. There are no closets for storage and no place for a home office that is at all convenient. There is no money set aside for filing cabinets that don't make me cry from their ugliness. My current filing cabinet (big heavy old metal ugly, but free) is under the front staircase, covered with a large tablecloth, topped with a basket of TP and the bread machine. I never know what to keep, what to pitch, whether to put the tractor parts receipts in a file that stays, permanently, or with stuff for the year. It's all a mess, and so I ignore it all. DH is much worse than I am- no help there. I'm really good about tracking spending in Quicken, but the papers - bah! Humbug!

[NancyAnne]

I go through the file cabinet and clean out once a year when the w-2 gets here and I am preparing taxes.

[herbgeek]

Today, I went through the 2 corner shelves near the stove where my spices and seasonings are kept. Even though I got rid of about half, its hard to tell since the shelves are still full. Most of what was thrown out were the samples that came with Penzey's spice orders that I never used.

I did find 3 unopened bottles of anise extract, and I don't even like anise that much. This was from back in the days when I was trying to learn to make pizzelles. They got tossed, since I know they were over 5 years old. I also found 3 bottles of vanilla, but I will use this up before it loses its flavor. A few years ago, I started marking the year I purchased on the top or side of the bottle, so its easier to purge knowing which are the older ones.

[loosechickens]

We have a similar procedure....living in a motorhome, we have to keep strict control of papers and files, so have a system of rotation that allows us to keep important records for several years (or forever), but most other stuff to be cycled through the system. I got my new files all ready this past week, so today, only have to transfer the new folders into my deskside file drawer, and consign the past year to the basement. Each year I get out the box of files in the basement, throw out enough of the oldest ones to fit the new ones in from the past year, so the rotation continues.

we also keep track of every cent of income or expense on accounting pages, that I still do on paper.....not always on the computer when I want to write an expense down, plus just used to our system. So I've got all my accounting pages ready to go for the new year.....regular budget, page for cash in banks over and above yearly budget amount, page for spirit/charity where we put 10% of everything coming in, and several others "windfall" account page where we stick all the unexpected little windfalls that come our way during the year, and which total is reserved for frivolous expenses, etc. All the money melds in the bank together, but the account pages help us keep track and keep separate money intended for charitable giving, frivolous expense, yearly budget and emergency money, etc.

It was different in years ago, but now that simple living, the wonders of accumulation and savings, etc., advancing age and no debt have made us financially independent, we handle our money differently. My BIG job today will be to add up every bank balance, portfolio, cash on hand in wallet, etc. because on January 1st every year, we add up all our assets, determine a "net worth of invested assets" (as we don't include the value of the motorhome, car, etc., only money invested and cash on hand) and set our yearly budget at 4% of that money. Out of that 4% we remove 10% of it to the "spirit/charity" account page, then the remainder is our "yearly budget".

We keep in cash enough money for a full year's expenses, plus charitable giving, and an emergency fund, so are able to do our budget on a yearly basis and know the money is already there, as our actual income goes up and down dizzyingly from month to month. All the income that comes into us during this year becomes the basis for next year's spending......sound confusing?

[rosarugosa]

Cleaning out my files has always been a New Years tradition for me too! I'm a little bit more laid back about it now, and work on it throughout January.

[razz]

Taking down the Christmas tree etc., and sorting through all the stuff that I want to keep and want to discard. Every year, the 'keeps' get fewer.

[Float On]

Last night as the countdown occured, I moved my 2010 files to a temporary file box (still have to catch up on QuickBooks before I turn everything into the accountant), printed my 2011 file labels and organized the file drawer to welcome the new year. Then I cleaned my office. (Such a party animal!) New Years Day and it's time to put away the Christmas decorations, give the house a quick cleaning, and start my 2011 financial goals/budget plan/business plan journal for the year. Sure hope 2011 is better for our business.

[Mrs-M]

Although DH tends to take care of all things "paper" in the way of office and account and statement info, everyone's ideas are so inspiring and helpful. I'll be passing on a few new ideas his way courtesy of you guys and this thread. Thanks a bunch!

[babr]

i also glean files and shred documents in the new year; i do one file a day; either shredding or gleaning
its a great feeling to see how little room we need for our files