A good first step is to find a single container (a basket or shoe box works well) to hold receipts for anything that is purchased. Whether it's a new blanket, groceries or a birthday gift, put the receipt in the container as soon as you get home. That way, it's easy to just toss in the receipts as purchases are unpacked and you only have to hunt through that one container to find a receipt. When the container gets full, spend a few minutes to sort through and toss out the receipts you know you won't need to keep.

     Now, set up a filing system for your financial paper work. A box or filing crate and just a few file folders may be enough to fit your needs. One folder, usually kept at the front, is for the bills that need to be paid. When a bill comes in, stick it in that folder so you don’t spend a lot of time searching for the bill. Include folders for insurance policies and papers, warranties and instruction booklets, anything related to taxes, and medical/dental care. This system makes it easy to find when you got your last tetanus shot or your pneumonia vaccination and even how long it has been since your last physical examination. You may need a file for utilities bills, lease agreements, mortgage payments, and other repetitive bills. After you have paid a bill, you can file the statement in the proper folder in case you need to check it in the future. And it is also a good idea to have a file set up for each person in your household for important documents related just to that individual.

     Once your filing system is set up, it takes just a few minutes each month to file your important papers. And for your efforts you will be much less frustrated when you need to locate important documents in the future.