by Lisa Volm | Feb 15, 2025 | Digital, Money & Paper Management, Organizing, Work & Home Office
Like many of us, getting your personal finances organized may have been one of your 2025 goals. Organizing personal finances in February (or any month) is a great way to stay on top of your money and work toward your financial goals. Top Shelf Home Organizing has ten items that will help you get on top of organizing your finances this year.
Reconcile Accounts: Ensure all transactions from January are accurately recorded.
Analyze Spending: Identify areas where you may have overspent or saved more than expected.
Check Progress: Compare your financial activity to your monthly or yearly budget.
Decide what you want to achieve this month: paying down debt, saving a specific amount, or spending less in certain categories.
Create realistic and measurable goals.
Adjust for February’s Unique Expenses: Plan for one-time costs like Valentine’s Day, tax preparation, or winter utilities.
Allocate Funds for Savings: Prioritize emergency funds or sinking funds for upcoming larger expenses.
List all bills due in February.
Automate payments when possible to avoid late fees.
Check for annual or semi-annual expenses due this month.
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Gather tax documents (W-2s, 1099s, childcare expenses, receipts for deductions).
Schedule time to start preparing or filing taxes.
Consider whether you’ll owe taxes or expect a refund and plan accordingly.
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Identify subscriptions or memberships you no longer use.
Opt for free or lower-cost alternatives for entertainment or dining.
Make at least the minimum payments on all debts.
Consider focusing on paying of the smallest debt to get the ball rolling.
Check the performance of your investment portfolio.
Contribute to retirement accounts (e.g., 401(k), IRA) if you haven’t yet.
Look for opportunities to invest spare cash if your emergency fund is solid.
Think about March expenses: spring break, quarterly bills, or seasonal changes.
Start saving now for any large March financial commitments.
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Check in with your budget at least once a week.
Adjust for unexpected expenses or changes in income.
Organizing your finances, planning where your money will go and tracking expenses will greatly help you feel more organized in your personal finances. Top Shelf Home Organizing can help you get organized to stay on top of your budget and finances. Contact Jayme to see how we can help.
by Jayme Radomski | Jan 9, 2025 | Cleaning, Digital, Money & Paper Management, Organizing, Self Care, Bathroom, Work & Home Office
The new year is a great time to organize various aspects of your life and start fresh. Here’s a list of ideas to help you get started. Don’t expect to tackle the entire list in January, but maybe pick one topic for each month. At the beginning of each month, develop a plan on how you will organize one area.
Set Resolutions: Define specific, achievable goals for the year.
Health & Fitness: Plan routines, set fitness goals, and book annual health check-ups.
Hobbies & Skills: Schedule time to learn something new or pursue interests.
Budget: Review last year’s expenses and create a budget for the new year.
Savings & Investments: Set savings goals and review your investment portfolio.
Taxes: Prepare for tax season by gathering necessary documents.
Debt Management: Plan repayments and track your progress.
Decluttering: Go through closets, pantry, and other spaces to donate or discard unused items.
Cleaning Schedule: Create a weekly or monthly plan to maintain your space.
Repairs & Upgrades: List and prioritize home maintenance tasks.
Career Goals: Identify skills to improve or new responsibilities to take on.
Networking: Connect with colleagues and expand your professional network.
Workspace: Organize your desk and digital files for efficiency.
Calendar: Coordinate birthdays, anniversaries, and important events.
Vacations & Trips: Plan holidays or weekends away (e.g., your March family trip).
Traditions: Set plans for family rituals or start new ones.
Mental Health: Schedule self-care routines or therapy sessions if needed.
Mindfulness Practices: Start journaling, meditation, or gratitude exercises.
Time Management: Assess priorities and set boundaries to avoid burnout.
Photos & Files: Organize digital photos and documents, and back them up.
Unsubscribe: Clear out email clutter and cancel unused subscriptions.
Password Update: Update passwords and enable two-factor authentication.
Volunteer: Choose causes to support with time or donations.
Social Engagements: Join local groups or participate in community events.
Top Shelf Home Organizing takes pride in helping busy families get organized. Reach out to Jayme to see how Top Shelf can help you plan and get organized in 2025.
by Jayme Radomski | Feb 12, 2024 | Cleaning, Closets, Digital, Eating & Kitchen, Money & Paper Management, Office, Organizing
Getting organized in February is a great idea as it can set a positive tone for the rest of the year. We love the idea of resetting your home before the warm spring air returns. Here are eight areas to focus on in February:
Declutter and organize your home office. File away paperwork, clean up your desk, and declutter digital files.
Declutter your digital life by organizing your computer files, emails, and apps. Delete unnecessary files and create a system for better organization.
Start organizing your financial documents for tax season. Create a system for keeping track of receipts, invoices, and important documents.
If you decorate for Valentine’s Day, take the time to organize and store those decorations once the holiday is over. Purge the decorations you don’t use.
Check the expiration dates of food items in your pantry and refrigerator. Discard any expired items and organize your shelves.
Straighten up your linen closet. Fold and organize towels and sheets, and discard any worn-out or mismatched items.
Tidy up your bedroom closet by decluttering clothes, shoes, and accessories. Donate or sell items you no longer need.
Sort through your winter wardrobe and donate or store items you won’t be needing for the remainder of the season. Organize coats, scarves, and gloves in a designated area for easy access.
Remember to take it one step at a time, and don’t be afraid to enlist the help of family members or roommates. Setting aside dedicated time each day or weekend can make the process more manageable and less overwhelming. The organizers at Top Shelf Home Organizing are happy to help. Reach out to Jayme for any questions you have on organizing your home and office.
by Jayme Radomski | Jan 8, 2024 | Bathroom, Cleaning, Closets, Clutter, Cooking & Kitchen, Digital, Eating & Kitchen, Office, Organizing, Pantry, Self Care, Bathroom
Organizing your home in January is a great way to start the year fresh and create a more comfortable and efficient living space. Here are some suggestions for areas you might consider organizing. Choose one or two impactful areas to start.
- Declutter by removing items that don’t belong or that you no longer need.
- Clean and organize entertainment centers, shelves, and tables. Wipe furniture down while it’s emptied.
- Clean out your pantry and discard expired items. Plan your meals based on remaining items.
- Organize kitchen cabinets and drawers. Consider using containers for loose items if it makes sense.
- Wipe down and clean appliances.
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Rotate and flip your mattress.
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Launder and store seasonal bedding and clothing.
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Declutter bedside tables and dressers.
- Go through your clothes and donate or sell items you no longer wear.
- Organize clothes by category (e.g., shirts, pants, dresses) and color.
- Consider investing in storage solutions like bins, baskets, or closet organizers after you have gone through your clothes.
- Dispose of expired medications, toiletries, and beauty products.
- Remove products you do not like. Donate unopened items you do not want.
- Organize cabinets and drawers, using containers or dividers.
- Wipe down cabinets and drawers for a fresh start.
- Scrub toilets and showers.
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- Declutter your workspace. Remove unnecessary items.
- Organize cables and cords.
- Clean your computer and backup important files.
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- Sort through important documents. File or scan items you need. Shred or recycle documents you don’t need.
- Set up an organized filing system for unopened mail, bills to pay, items to file and items to do. It is also good to have a tax file where you can dump any items you will need for preparing your taxes.
- Clean up your computer desktop and organize files.
- Back up important digital files and photos.
- Clear unused apps from your smartphone.
- Dust and clean all surfaces.
- Clean windows and curtains.
- Deep clean carpets, rugs, and upholstery.
Remember to set realistic goals and take it one step at a time. Breaking down the tasks into smaller, manageable steps can make the process less overwhelming. Consider involving other members of your household to make it a collaborative effort. Join an on-line decluttering group such as 30-Day Declutter Challenge to keep you motivated and accountable.
Being organized is a process, and it’s important to approach it at a pace that feels comfortable for you. Start small, plan one event at a time and develop systems to maintain organization. Gradually, you’ll experience the positive impact and being organized will come naturally. If organizing is daunting task, the professional organizers at Top Shelf Home Organizers are happy to help. Contact Jayme for a consultation.
by Jayme Radomski | Feb 7, 2023 | Clutter, Digital, Money & Paper Management, Organizing, Work & Home Office
Are you stressed by unmanaged paperwork around your home and office? Searching for important documents may seem hopeless. Interest charges and late fees can pile up quickly on misplaced bills. Deadlines are easily overlooked. Getting on top of your papers and developing a good paper management system will reduce stress. Here are some tips on how to get your paperwork organized, and regain control of your home and office.
Where you manage your paperwork should be convenient. Going to a secluded area of your home may not encourage you to manage your paperwork. If it is not an area you enjoy being in, you won’t go there.
The workspace should have ample surface area, basic office supplies (envelopes, pens, address labels), computer and printer, paper recycle bin and shredder.
Remove the
unnecessary, immediately
Sort your mail as soon as it comes in, with a recycle bin and shredder within an arm’s reach. Junk mail should be recycled immediately. Refer to a document retention guideline for guidance on what documents to keep and for how long.
Create a temporary, simple filing system for the initial sorting of your paperwork. This file system could include files labeled:
File – for files to be filed
Pay – for bills to be paid
To Do – for items that require attention within the next month
Read – for documents that will required your dedicated attention
Regularly go through and pay, sort and file
Set up a weekly time to go through the temporary files. Coordinate your bill paying with your pay dates. File papers from the ‘File’ file. Review your ‘To Do’ file for items needing attention within the next week. Take some time to read through the files from your ‘Read’ file.
It is important to always be aware of what papers, documents and receipts enter your home. Receipts can be sent via email or not retained at all. Be selective of what documents are collected at trade shows, conventions and seminars. Only accept the documents that are relevant to you. Be mindful of the mailing lists, marketing emails and promotional lists you sign up for.
Once your paperwork system is set up, plan to set aside time every week to maintain and manage your paperwork. Staying on top of your system will reduce stress and ensure you keep on top of your work and bills.
If setting up a paperwork management system is overwhelming, a professional organizer can help you started or guide you through the entire process. Top Shelf Home Organizing takes pride in working with people to organize and streamline their paperwork. Reach out to Jayme if you are ready to get your paperwork organized.
by Jayme | Sep 21, 2022 | Digital, Organizing
When planning to organize an entire home, keepsakes and photos are typically the last category. These items are the most sentimental and slowest to organize. Photos in particular take time as they bring back memories of life’s most cherished moments. To make photo organizing manageable, break the project down into basic organizing steps.
1. Gather
Gather all photos together into a work area that can be dedicated to photo organizing for a long period of time. For digital photos, keep a notebook record of all the devices, websites, disks, drives, and apps you have photos stored to. Digital photos will be gathered in the organizing step.
2. Sort
Sort photos by date. When dealing with a large quantity of photos, you may want to sort by decade to start. Each decade can then be sorted further into years and then months. If you prefer to keep photos organized by events or holidays, you will still want to keep them chronological, but consider adding extra labels to the organizing to flag these events. For digital photos this should be relatively easy as they can be sorted by the date the photo was taken or stored.
The challenge of sorting digital photos is the multiple locations they are stored. Refer to your notes on where you have photos stored and sort photos one location at a time. Physical photos will take some time. Have some photo boxes, shoe boxes, or small bins on hand for sorting.
3. Purge
Choosing which photos to purge will be challenging. Some people will keep just good photos that represent events. Most people will take time to closely look at each photo and may not want to reduce any. The easiest photos to get rid of are duplicate photos. You may also consider reducing photos that are poor quality or blurry. With digital photos, it is easy to take many photos of the same pose. Try your best to select one or two of the best photos to keep.
4. Organize
Organize photos in a way they can be viewed the easiest. For physical photos, they should be neatly organized chronologically with tabs to note dates (years and months) and events. Photo boxes or bins work well for physical organization.
Digital photos should be stored in a common place, chronologically. Consider cloud-based storage for a central location for all digital photos. Understand this will take time to move files from all locations into a central location. You may also consider digitizing your physical photos and storing with the digital photos. Back up your photos to an external hard drive or other non-cloud-based storage method.
Break the Project Down
Organizing photos is not a weekend organizing project. It is a process that will take months or years to complete. Breaking the project down into small pieces will make it easier and more enjoyable. Keep your eye on the goal of having all your photos organized, easy to retrieve, and easy to share with others.
