File Cabinet System Update

My FCS has changed alot since I started it here....

It is still pretty close to the revamp I did last year.

With the new year I made a few changes. I moved the 2012 folders to the back, which brought the 2013 folders to the front.  I also added a "business taxes" folder to the tax folder.  I think we have determined that I am an independent contracted nanny- since I am responsible for my own taxes, but I can still count as business expenses any supplies and materials I buy... I think... we are still working through this, but I wanted to have the folder ready to put receipts in so I am ready if I need them. 

Also, I am not sure if I mentioned it already or  not, but I moved all the monthly/yearly folders to the top drawer where they will stay  (if they fit).  The bottom drawer has my folder with the address labels and a printed copy of our address list, then holday and seasonal stuff behind it- printables, advent stuff, special activities, etc.  Anything printed that I can use with my Holidays/Special Occasions Binder.  When I do my monthly seasons planning, I will add what I plan to use to the Binder so its there, but any extras or stuff I choose not to use this year, but might the next, will go in the files.  Actual decorations are in boxes and totes.  But the files will be used for paper products, printables, possible activity instructions, etc.  I also keep extra hanging folders in the back of this drawer- I bought a lot at a estate sale and needed a place to store them till they get used.

Other than that my FCS has remained the same.  I am really happy with the set up. Everything is right where I need it.  My Desktop organization has changed some, but I will share that in a latter post!

Feel free to ask any questions about organizing, my FCS, or anything else in the comments section, I would love to answer them.

Binder Series- Blog Binder

 This binder is in a plain white binder, with this cute, bright cover from Nest Effect. (see this post for links to my main printables sites.)

The first thing in this binder is this blogger's prayer that I got from here.  Seeing this helps me remember that my blog will only be as successful, as God wishes it.  It is His to do with what he pleases.

Behind that is a HTML cheat sheet.  I got it from Life your Way.  I don't use much HTML right now, but I have been known to use it in the past and this helps me remember all the codes.

Next is a blogging goals sheet, also from life your way.  I fill a new one of these out each year.  This binder is for 2013, which is why it is blank still.  Filling this sheet out each year helps me think about what I want my Blog's purpose and vision to be and what goals I want to accomplish that year.

Next is a blogging resources page.  Helps me keep track of passwords and site information from sites I use for my blog- hosting site, image hosting site, etc.

Next is an affiliate page.  I don't have affiliates yet, but it something I hope to change in 2013.
Behind that is a social media info sheet that looks pretty much like these two pages.  It is where I can keep passwords for the different social media sites I use for my blog.

Next is a plain purple divider (it does not have pockets like my finance binder, I didn't think I needed them here, there isn't many sections.)

My first sections is my blog planning pages.  First, there is this annual planner, also from Nest Effect (I think the rest of my pages are from that site.)  Here I can put each series for the year, and other special posts.

Behind this is a blank monthly calender where I can plan for each month.  This is really an overview sheet for the month.

The overview sheet is followed by another monthly planning sheet.  This one has space for inspirations and to do lists.

Next I have enough of these weekly planning sheets for each week of the month.  Here I can break down my week for each day.  I can get really in depth with what will be the post for the day, what links I will need, and category ideas.  I then repeat the above three documents for each month of the year.

Behind the next divider is this page.  It is a planning page for series.  I have 12- one for each month.  I plan to do a series each month, which will be the main topic of focus for my blog that month.  These sheets help me write down all my ideas for that post.

Behind the last divider are these two sheets.  One is for expenses and one is for income, related to my blog.  This year I haven't had either, but that might change soon and I wanted to be ready.

I do all my blog planning the month before.  With this binder I just have to pull it out and fill out the different pages, and then when it comes down to writing my posts (which I try to do at least a week ahead of time, but doesn't always work) I just have to pull out the binder and write.  I already know the topic and have done all my research- I just go.

If you are a blogger- What kind of planning do you do for your posts?  Do you do any planning or do you just write as you go along?


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Binder Series- Finances- Part 2

Welcome Back!

Still to cover- Bills and Debt!

See Part 1 here.  

1. Bill payment Checklist.  From Clean Mama.  Nest Effect has a great one too... I just like the vertical one from Clean Mama better than the horizontal one from Nest Effect.
 Here you can keep track of how much you pay on each bill and when, each month.  I love checking off a paid bill!

2. Irregular payments from Nest Effect.  This is great for keeping track of annual and semi annual payments.  Or subscriptions that need to be renewed at certain times.

This is probably my biggest section of my binder, I am sad to say.  But not for long.  We are doing Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace Plan.  Step 1 is an emergency fund, we had one, but after being unemployed for 18 months, it disappeared.  That will change hopefully before the end of 2012.  Step 2 is Debt Snowball.  That is where this section of my binder will start to disappear!

1. Is Debt repayment plan from Nest Effect.  Here you can keep track of all debts along with minimum payments, current payments (if your doing debt snowball this will be different than minimum payments for your lowest debt) and estimated payoff date.

2. I also have loan repayment logs from Nest Effect for each of our medical debts, or debts that don't fit into the other categories (coming soon).

1.  Credit Card Overview from nest effect.  keep track of all your credit cards, with balances and due dates and contact info.
2. Credit Card repayment logs for each credit cards we have balances on... only 2 thanksfully, one being a health care card.

This section makes me physically sick.  We have so many student loans.
1. Student loan overview from Nest Effect.  Keep track of each loan with balance, due dates, and contact info.
2. Student Loan Repayment log from Nest Effect.  One for each student loan

1. Loan Overview sheet for due dates, balance, and contact info
2. Loan repayment log for each loan.  Only 1 in this section, but most of our debt is student loans or medical bills

Well that is my finance binder.  I am very happy with it and really think it will help me be more organized in 2013.

I am always looking for suggestions... Do you think I am missing anything from my finance binder?  What would you add?

Binder Series: Finance Binder- Part 1

I am so excited to start this series, it has been something I have wanted to do all year.... it has just taken me this long to get it going.  Every since I started my File Cabinet System, I have wanted to revamp how I handle my current papers- papers that I need right now and that can't be filed away.  I originally used my file cabinet for these papers, but the system just was not working for me... so now I introduce you to my Binders.  I LOVE THEM!!!

Here is all of them!  At least the ones I have done.  Still have 4 to do (I believe).  I also want to do side binder banners.  I just haven't had the time.

Each one was pretty easy to create. I got some different binders from Office Depot (plus what I had already).  I choose some different colors one to give the space some color and to help tell them apart.  I got the binders that have the pockets on the front, back and side, to put a cover page and banner so I can know what binder it is.  I also got dividers with pockets.  Then I printed my documents from the sites and set to putting them together.

Printables:

Most of my printables come from Nest Effect, Clean Mama, or Life Your Way.I will try and tell you where I got the printable from and the name of it to help you find it on their sites.  I do plan over the next few years to create my own.  I do like the ones I am using- these sites do a great job- but I am very particular and it will be nice for my printables to fit what I need exactly.

Here is the one for this week. (Sorry its on it's size, I took them with my Iphone and it wouldn't rotate it once I got it to the computer).  I chose yellow to help cheer me up- money saddens me!

My tabs, in order are:

Budget

Income

Spending

Savings

Bills

Debt (broken down into general debt, credit card debt, student loans, and other loans)

My cover sheets are from Nest Effect.

1. My monthly budget sheet.  Right now I have a generic one from Nest Effect in here, but I actually use one that I have on Excel.  I won't print it and put it in there a few days before the new month. (These binders are for 2013, I am using my old system till the end of the year.)  I do this because if I need to add categories or some categories are no longer relevant I am not wasting paper by printing them now and then having to reprint them to change what I need.  Example: Right now we don't need a rent category... we are living rent free right now... But towards the end of 2013 that will (hopefully) change.  But I don't want to have categories in my monthly budgets that I don't need, so that category won't be added till I need it.
2 Yearly Budget Sheet.  Again, right now there is a generic one from Nest Effect, but this is just holding space till I print my 2013 Excel document I use.  I use this sheet to keep track of budget totals from month to month.  This helps me plan for the next month (if I am continually spending 300 dollars a month on gas, I know to budget that much each month.  If for some reason we are continually under budgeting a certain category I can add to it for the next month.  Etc.).

3. Next is a Gift Tracking & Budgeting list.  This is from Nest Effect.  Here, I can keep track of how much I spend on gifts- birthday, Christmas, etc.  This is good to help me plan how much to budget for gifts and know what I can spend for each occasion.

4. Health Care Costs.  I have two copies of this sheet.  It is from Life Your Way.  I am not thrilled with this sheet, it will be one of the first I replace with my own creations.  It just doesn't do what I need it to, but it is the closest I have found.  I have a deductible for my insurance- separate for in-network and out of network.  On these sheets I keep track of my portion of health insurance costs, so I know how much of my deductible I am using.  

1. Income Sources.  This is a printable from Nest Effect.  I keep track of every single income source- stuff that I know about.  Why?  It helps me get an idea of how much income I will get each month- which is useful for creating my budget.  Plus if all of a sudden one month we have income that is much higher than normal I can look here and see what it is.

2. Total income for the month.  Nest Effect.  This is where I put down an income or deposit for the month and the type (C income, K income, gift etc.).  I have one for each month.
3.Total income for the year.  Nest Effect.  Help me plan for next year.  I can also see our income trends.

1. Spending Log.  Nest Effect.  Basically a check register, but I use it for every penny we spend- credit card, cash, check, debit, etc. It has a category column so it helps me figure out my budget

2.  I love this sheet...Online Deals Purchased. Nest Effect.  A place to keep track of items you get from groupon.com or livingsocial.com or other such places.  You can write when they expire and check it off when you use them... Never waste the money again!

1. Savings log... keep track of your balances in your different savings account.  We only have one right now- emergency fund.  But we do plan to start another in 2013 to start saving for rent and having our own place again... and anything else we want to save for (vacation, car, etc.)  I plan to use these sheets to keep track of my breakdown of that account too (200 in rent category, 55 for vacation, etc.)


Come back on Thursday to see my last two categories- bills and debt.

Read Part 2 here!

How do you organize your finances?  Do you have a great system in place or does your need
 some work?


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My favorite Printables

I am currently working on my home binders (will do a series when done).  I started with just 1- the Home Management Binder.  However, it was just too big to really use every day.  So I changed it up.  Here are the binders I am currently working on:

Finance Binder-  all things finances... budgets, bill paying schedule, debt reduction paperwork etc.
Blog Binder- everything for my 2 blogs- series ideas, posting schedules, etc.
Business Binder- everything for the Elite Estate Business- schedules, item sales, etc.
Holiday/Season Binder- Monthly themes, traditions, recipes, decoration ideas for each season/holiday, etc,
Home Binder- emergency preparedness stuff, anything that doesn't fit in the other binders
Daily Binder- planner, schedules, fitness stuff, etc.
Menu Binder- Menus, Grocery List, that month's recipes, freezer inventory, pantry inventory, etc.
Recipe Binder(s)ecipes, etc.  this will be more than one depending on how big they get... I know there will be one for crock pot meals, and then 1 or 2 for the other categories.
Printables Binder- A place to keep all those printables I have and stuff from pinterest- so I have it there when I need it.

I know it seems like a lot, and it probably is, but it will be nice to have everything organized and right where I need it.  I moved the cat bed that is on the dresser in my office area- the cats didn't use it much, and plan to put the binders there.  I already have the manual binder and coupon/shopping binder there, so they will all be in one place.

With that in mind... Here are some of my favorite places to get printables that I will be using in my binders.

THE NEST EFFECT ETSY SHOP AND BLOG

Tiffany's blog and shop are excellent!  She always has great organization ideas.  And her printables are awesome.  She has everything you need for a great home management system!

THE CLEAN MAMA ETSY SHOP AND BLOG

Becky's blog and shop are a recent find for me, but I love them.  She has lots of great ideas and her printables are amazing as well. 

MY COMPUTER IS MY CANVAS BLOG

Colette always has some great printables on her blog.  She has an etsy shop to, I believe, but I haven't made it over there yet.  A lot of these printables make it up on our door for a little inspiration before we head out for the day.

LIFE YOUR WAY PRINTABLES

This site is great, it has everything- recipes, printables, tips, and so much more.  Awhile back I bought all the printables and each month I get an email link for all the new ones they released that month, I am always finding good ones to use from here.

WORD LABEL BLOG

Lots of free labels and things on this site. They just released this awesome calender that I am going to use in our calender frames for 2013 I think.  I am always finding things to use for my craft projects as well.

I have alot of other blogs and sites I keep an eye on for printables, but these are probably the top sites. 

What about you?  Do you have a favorite blog, website or shop you get printables from?  If so, I would love to hear about it.  Share it in a comment!

Be on the lookout for my Binder series coming soon!

File System Redo

So awhile back I posted that I wanted to change my filing system (this is what it originally was).  I am happy to say, I am finally done and super super super happy with the results.  I have also re-designed my desk and items on my desk.  The old system worked, but the new system works perfectly. I have also been tweeking my financial system, but that will be a different post.

First the big file cabinet was moved over by the tv.  I will show you why it moved in a bit.  Because it was going to be farther away I changed the drawers to hold stuff that I do not need every day.  More long term files.  The top drawer has family stuff- this includes previous years tax papers, car paperwork, titles and certificates (which will move to the safe soon).  The next drawer down is my stuff- school paperwork and other keepsakes, the third drawer is Chad's- his school paperwork etc.  The bottom drawer is our Articles drawer- this holds articles we have printed for papers and such or book reviews, bible studies, etc.  On the side we have pictures in little plastic frames.

On top of the file cabinet sits my purse when its not with me.  Along with things I need to take to my parents (currently a star trek book to return to dad).  Behind it is our photo albums and my past 2 clippings journals.  I started the clipping journals this year, currently on my third.  In it I put the magazine articles I clip and other things I like.  I also keep track of my sleeping patterns, eating patters, exercise, water consumed, stress, and migraine notes in here.  Maybe I will write another post about them for some day.  At some point these will need a new one because I will run out of room here, but for now this is where they live when completed.

On top of the dresser in my office area (we use it to hold office supplies, swim stuff, misc electronics, bags, and extra sheets) is misc things.  The wire rack holds computer disc that contain games or photos, as well as extra paper, notebooks, and sheet protectors)  The blue binder holds all of our manuals.  I need a bigger binder for this, but this is what I had so it will work for now.  In the little holder is my loan repayment binder, coupon binder, and an extra binder that I haven't found a use yet.  Of course next to it is Prince's bed.  I had to have this there because he has to be near me when I am at my desk and it is just to hard to get work done with him in my lap, so I put him here (sometimes he stays).

 

The little file cabinet sits between the dresser and the computer side of my desk.  I love this cabinet. LOL.  In the top drawer is my monthly folders.  The weekly folders I was using before just weren't getting used, it was a waste.  I already have the next four years of folders set up.  For each set the first folder is the tax folder, where I can immediately put tax related papers after I am done with them so they are easily found during tax time.  Then I have six hanging folders, with two month of manilla folders inside.  The current month goes in the wire rack above the file cabinet (more about that in a minute). Why four years?  Well most papers can be thrown away either at the end of the year, or after 7 years.  I didn't want to overcrowd the drawer by doing all 7 years (plus knowing me I could change the system before then) and 4 years worth fit with enough room to hold super full files.    If I continue to use the file I will expand up to 8 years... 7 years of stuff to keep and the current year.  I always do one more year than needed so that you can be working on cleaning out the oldest year (which is past its 7 year mark) during the current year.... In these files goes anything that needs to be filed- bill receipts, loan documents we get, bank statements, that months financial papers, ticket stubs, event stubs, anything that is not tax related.

The bottom drawer is fairly empty right now.  It will be used for overflow of my 8 years, if needed.  But right now it has a folder for address labels and address lists.  This was over in the Family drawer, but I needed the labels every time I paid bills and I didn't like having to go over to the other file cabinet, so I moved it here.  Behind that is 4 folders to go with my seasons Jan-Feb-march; April-may-june; July-aug-sept;Oct-nov-dec.  In  these hanging folders I am putting anything that will be used in that month almost every year.  For instance the advent stuff we used last year, plus the one we want to use this year has been placed in the dec section.  Printables that I had displayed during Valentine's day have been been placed in the Feb section.  That is all for now.  I will be adding to it as the years progress.  I will have activities to do during certain times of the year, or Easter devotional will be added after Easter, special recipes for certain times of the year.  Stuff that I want to save for when we have kids to do.  ETC.  This way when I go to set up the months calendar and decorations ( I do different decorations each month--- currently Easter decorations will remain up all April).  I can look and see what I got for that month and its all in one place... I don't have to look through each years files to see what we did the previous years.  

 

Here is another picture of whats on top of the cabinet (although a few months old).  Here I have the current months calendar... that has everything on it- birthdays, anniversary, events, work schedules, school schedules, bills due dates, etc.  I don't need this as everything is in my planner.  This was more for Chad, so he could easily see what was going on, without me telling him all the time or him asking.  Though I am not sure how much he actually looks at it, since he still asks, but at least when he asks I don't have to flip through the planner to look, its right here.  (need to work on getting him to look though!).  The first section holds current bills.  Any bills that are due this month, go here.  Every Sunday, I pull this out when I pay bills.  It also holds things that I have ordered that haven't arrived yet.  This is so I can track their status each weekend.  Once a bill is pay, or the item arrives, the paper moves to the monthly file which sits in the very back.  The middle section holds future month's bills or things we are saving for (new tires for Chad's car, etc).  It also holds other items for future months, such as my summer school schedule (since I already registered).

The bottom 3 horizontal shelfs hold: bills, reciepts, etc that haven't been filed yet in the top part.  I do all my sorting and filing on sunday.  One day a week.  So when I open mail, if its not something I have to take care of right then (like Chad's loan company sending us a letter saying he is no longer in school and his payments will start soon- which is incorrect) it gets placed in this top slot till sunday.  I found doing things once a week has helped me manage my time and stress.  I don't have to spend time every day doing these tasks and I don't have to stress about missing deadlines either.  For instance we have a bill due on the 8th of this month, I paid it on the 1st when I paid bills, a week ahead of when it is due.  Happy to say we have gotten our finances under control enough to do this.  The second slot holds recipes that I need to put on my food blog.  Not to many of these currently, because we have been cooking out of some books I got and we keep using the same books so they don't have a chance to make it here.  The bottom shelf holds extra computer paper.

You can't see it here (but you can in the picture above) but behind the rack is where my cricuit sits (my mom got a bigger one so she sold me her first one, I don't use it much now, but hopefully I will when I get a teaching job next year).  On top of that is my card box.  I have started sending out birthday/anniversary cards to family and friends every month.  These were somewhere else, but I like having everything within reach on Sundays when I sit down to do everything.  the last Sunday of the month i will fill out all the cards for the next month.  Any that are before the 15th get mailed out right away, any after the 15th get mailed around the 15th.  Right now I only have immediate family, Chads dad's side of the family (they gave out calendars at Christmas with everyone's birthdays and anniversary's listed), and people I am facebook friends with, but I am working on getting the rest of the ones we need this year.  My grandma used to send out cards to everyone, and I remember loving getting them in the mail, so I am hoping it brings a little joy to the people who receive them. 

I keep my desk fairly cleaned off.  This is the computer side.  In that little magazine rack is label and specialty paper for the printer.  The top shelf where my monitor sits may look disorganized, but its not.  It has a baby food container that I plan to put some paper around to make it look better.  This holds my pens and such.  Then my tap and white out are here.  Along with the coupons I got from Chad for Valentines Day.  They weren't here, but I wasn't using him, so I put them here so I can see them.  There is also a container of binder clips, a watch I need to return

A stapler and a lighter for candles.  Along with some misc things.  Those hole punches and CDs are under the shelf so they are accessible but not in the work space.  Usually that book isn't there, but I need to read a chapter of that today to study for my Elementary Education Praxis I am taking later this month, so it is out.  The camera is out  because I took these pictures today. 

On the printer you can see the little book I have that I keep special days in (birthdays, anniversarys, etc.) Normally it has a home in my home binder, but I am trying to work on a list of dates I still need to track down, so it is sitting here so I can work on it when I can.  You can't see it, but next to that are the cards I need to mail around the 15th.

This is normally more cleared off too.  This is my work space part of the desk.  That blue binder is my home binder that is still a work in progress, but this is its home.  My planner sits in front of it, when I am home.  That Signing book is for class today, and I had to finish my homework so thats why its out (normally that and the Praxis book go on top of the dresser when not in use, since I need them frequently right now, otherwise they would be put away under the bed).  That red notebook is my current clippings journal.  Sometimes it sits here, or by my bed, or in the magazine holder I will show you soon.  Usually before I go to bed, I get out stuff I need for the next day, which is why the journal and 2 books are out right now.  As I finish what I need to that day with them, they get put in their home. Under this part of the desk is my recipe bag (which I went through and pulled out a bunch to put with the rest of the cook books till we have time to try them.  I use whats in here to create our monthly menus... at some point they will be more organized, just no time.)  Under that is my box of file folders and a box of computer paper. My trash can is here, that always seems to be filled no matter if Chad just did the trash or not.  Which I guess is good... I throw stuff away immediately.

This was the main reason for the file cabinets moving... my mom gave me this craft table that I put at the end of my desk.  In the drawers are my crafting paper and supplies.  The one side has a table I can put up to do some small crafts.  On top (besides the glue, scissors, and markers that are there) I put things I need to either put away, need close by but don't want on my desk (like my cell phone and the book I am currently reading that you see above) as well as mail that needs to be taken to the post office, stuff that needs to be taken upstairs.  Etc.

 The other side has a magazine rack... Here I put book and recipes needed for this months menu (but not necessarily this week).  Also when I get a magazine in the mail, it goes here till I have time to go through it and pull out what I want to keep.  Sometimes my clipping journal goes here, if I plan to work on it soon.

 That is pretty much my new system.  I really like how it has all turned out and I really love that I only pay bills and files etc one day a week.  It has really helped my stress level.  I can't always do everything on Sunday.  For instance, Friday Chad and I went to a credit union to open an emergency fund.  (Yay, for finishing Dave Ramsey's baby step 1).  Banks aren't open on Sundays, so we had to find time during the week for this.  Also, yesterday I had to call to pay some bills, hospital billing departments aren't open on Sunday's either.  (Yay for paying off 4/25 debts we have.... our Dave Ramsey baby step 2 is rolling!)  But mostly I do things on Sunday. Sunday tends to be a quiet day for us.  Bill and Sharon (Chad's parents who we live with) are gone most of the day with church activities and Chad sometimes has to work too.  Usually the only thing we do is church.  I have been working on making the weekend meals on thursday or friday so I don't have to worry about cooking over the weekend.  Usually I have to make Monday's meal sometime Sunday too... but other than that, Sundays are open.  So it worked out nice to have that my work day.  I use my time to get the financials and filing done along with getting ready for the new week.  Usually this takes me at most 2 hours and then I relax the rest of the day.

My main reason for writing this loooooooong post was to say this.... When it comes to filing, bill paying, orgazination etc... it is important to find a system that works for you.  I have been pretty organized the last 10 years, but my system wasn't working perfectly, so I changed it.  Find what works best for you, and if your needs change, change your system.  You don't have to pick one system and stick with it.  As I said early, I have also changed my financial system and hopefully I can post about that later.  If the system is working for you... change it.  Yes, it will take time to change it, but after its done you will be much less stressed about it and probably spend alot less time using it.

Now, I must run... I need to leave for school in the next 5 minutes or I will be late... YIKES!


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