Spring Clean Your Financial Documents

With tax season behind us it’s time to take a long, honest look at the state of your office. The whirlwind of taxes often leaves us feeling a bit like we’ve just somehow managed to keep our feet on the ground through a tornado, and the repercussions of the storm are teetering stacks of paper, receipts spread over multiple surfaces, and multiple coffee cups strewn about your desk. Gather up the mugs, put them in the sink, and then roll up your sleeves; it’s time to spring clean your finances.



Clear out your documents. We all have the filing cabinet (or cardboard box) that has gotten fat and unkempt over the last year. Go through the papers and statements to see what can go and what needs to stay for your records. Anything that can go should be shredded immediately, for your protection and so it doesn’t simply start another pile of documents in your office. Get rid of ‘em.

Clear out your electronic documents. The same process applies to your email and desktop folders; we live in an age of digital files and they take up room on your hard drive and in your brain. If you no longer need to save them drag them into the trash and empty the bin. Additionally, make sure you’re not keeping any papers or statements that you have duplicates of e-filed on your computer!

Check for any paper statements/documents you’re getting that you can switch to electronic. This way you can begin to minimize future physical clutter and disarray in your office. Make the switch right away.

If you’re feeling really motivated you can scan the documents that you need to keep onto your computer and eliminate that bulky clutter all together!

Back. It. Up. No matter how many or few files you have on your computer, make sure they’re backed up and secured on an external hard drive, Google drive, Dropbox, or other systems. Especially take care to do this if you end up converting all of your files to electronic files!