EZINE
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Professional
Organizer
Donna D. McMillan
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http://www.organizer4me.com/ezine.htm
NATIONAL ARCHIVE
YOUR FILES MONTH
February is National Archive Your Files Month, and they (who is
"they"?) are giving you 28 days to clear out file cabinets,
closets and desks of all remnants of last year's tax-related
records. As your experienced Professional Organizers, we suggest
you contact your accountant or CPA, who already
knows your history. Ask how long you (or your business) are required to keep specific
documents. Also request a Retention Schedule and write those dates on
the outside of boxes.
This event is celebrated by the National Association of
Professional Organizers and numerous companies who sell
or manufacture organizing products.
NOW
IS THE
TIME
"Now is this time for all
good men (and women) to come to the aid of their" ... FILE
CABINETS. Do it sooner rather than later, we say.
While you're at it, there may be some other drawers and storage areas
filled to capacity with obsolete documents that should be either
tossed or stored in archive boxes. Don't forget to shred and
toss the oldest boxes of tax records and other "dead"
information. They are consuming your valuable storage real
estate.
SOLVING THE
PUZZLE
Use either cardboard or plastic storage boxes, depending on
if the destination is dry and safe from pests that destroy
paper. For tax records, businesses benefit by storing only
one-year's documents in each box, Letter/Legal Size, and labeling the
end, i.e "2005 Taxes." Individuals, who are not
business owners, only need to store records that are related to income
tax deductions claimed. That includes: W2's, investment 1099's,
etc. Again, contact your accountant or CPA if you have any
questions.
We recommend:
Perma® Stor-All® Storage Boxes
and
Sterilite®
Hinged Lid Storage Boxes
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FEATURE
ARTICLE
In
February, Celebrate "CLEAN OUT YOUR COMPUTER DAY"
by Karen Simon, PC Tech Associates, karen@yourpctech.com
The best advice that I can give someone who starts any task involving
erasing or moving computer files is:
BACKUP the computer's data FIRST!
If you’ve decided to
start by categorizing your documents by making folders and putting
like items together, first make a backup of the My Documents
folder. Either copy the
entire folder to a CD or use your backup software to do so. This
way, if you make a mistake or accidentally delete a file, you have an
original copy of your files and can restore any of them easily.
The CD that you create can also serve as an archive copy in
case you need it in the future. If
you make this a rule for yourself, you will tackle this cleaning task
more often and without FEAR!
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Remember
... "If you can't find something in 30 seconds, it's
in the wrong place!" Everything deserves a home.
And, you deserve an organized office, home and lifestyle.
We will help you solve the puzzle! Our Professional
Services
provide customized solutions for your specific needs.
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OTHER
ORGANIZING HOLIDAYS THIS MONTH
National Time
Management Month
Clean Out Your Pantry Month
For more ... click
here
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Your comments and questions
are always welcome. Also, you may share this with
others as long as the following copyright info is
included.
Until next time, Happy Organizing!! Donna
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