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Same Time Next Year ~ and I don’t mean the movie!

Posted by Jane Woolsey on April 1, 2011

Tax Time!

Here are a couple of quick organizing tips that will help you this tax year and then appreciate them even more next year…..

Flag your files, find it fast. One of the easiest ways to get started is probably sitting right in your home office to review your records. We’re referring to your tax records from last year! Unless you’ve had significant changes over the year (such as a new baby, investments or home), your past records can provide a good start on what information you’ll need to gather this year. As you review your files, flag items and the files so you can locate them quickly next year. Consider using Avery NoteTabs for this purpose - if things change, you can remove them from the file or item easily and reuse them and they are color coded if you want to categorize your tax information.

Spend less time looking for loose receipts. Americans spend nine million hours a day looking for lost or misplaced items, according to the American Demographics Society. Develop a system to organize your receipts now and then use it for next year. There are a variety of options but I love to use the Avery PocketTabs™. Use the convenient pocket to store receipts for all your deductible expenses you collect throughout the year. The removable, repositionable pocket can be attached easily inside your file folders, and has a closeable flap to keep your contents secure. You could also create a tax receipt binder and attach the pocket tabs to card stock in the binder. Take it one step further, categorize each pocket tab – gas, meals, parking, medical, donations…etc. You can find out more about these products by visiting your office supply retailer such as Staples or visiting www.avery.ca or www.avery.com.

If you need help getting organized for tax time, send us an email at jane@productivitysquared.com.

Filed Under: Business Organization, Business Planning, Organizing Products, Organizing Strategies, Paper Management, Records Management, Time Management Tools Tagged: Avery, organizing, receipts, records management, taxes, taxtime, time management

About Jane

With over 25 years in business having held senior executive postions with a number of corporations, Jane left the corporate world in 2000 to start her own business. Since that time she has worked with a variety of clients across diverse industry sectors. Jane now owns two companies, An Organized Vision which provides business organizing services, focusing mostly on records and information management, and NADUM, a corporate training company specializing in facilitation and effective meeting management skills training.

She is a former President of The Professional Organizers in Canada Association, one of the first few in Canada to achieve the designation of CPO® ~ Certified Professional Organizer, and winner of the 2009 Harold Taylor Award which recognizes an individual’s contribution to the organizing industry. In addition, she was the spokesperson for Avery Dennison Canada. Some of Jane’s media appearances, speaking on organization and training, include CBC National Morning News, CTV Newsnet, CTV Noon news, Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Rogers Cable and Reader's Digest.

Jane is passionate about helping others to develop and improve their business skills and businesses to improve their bottom line. The combination of her business education at York University and her years of business and training experience provides a powerful resource to any organization.