Put Your Paper Shredders and File Cabinets to Work

Decide which paperwork to pitch, scan, shred or save

Creating an organized system for household documents is a great way to reduce clutter and keep important files close at hand. Before tackling your paperwork, first determine which documents to keep, toss or shred.

Pitch It

The first step in organizing paperwork is throwing away unnecessary documents. Items like old birthday and holiday cards, newspapers, magazines, catalogs, invitations, desktop calendars from previous years and thank you notes can go directly into your recycling or waste receptacles. Items with sensitive information, such as bank and credit card statements, should be put into paper shredders before disposing. Paperwork that can be immediately thrown into waste receptacles includes:

– Receipts from everyday purchases

– Expired coupons

– Warranties from products no longer used

– Schoolwork from the kids (only special assignments should be kept)

– Outdated information like old contact lists

Save It

You might want to hang on to some papers for the short term, but other papers should be kept indefinitely. Invest in file cabinets   and labeled manila file folders   to create an efficient storage system for your saved papers. Then, sort your files according to the length of time you need to keep them. The following guidelines can help you determine what needs to be included in your long-term files.

Keep for the duration of ownership:

– Investment purchases

– Loan documents

– Vehicle records

– Product warranties

Keep for a year:

– Financial statements and year-end summaries

– Pay stubs

– Bills and bank records

Keep for seven years:

– Tax documents, including W2s and 1099s

Keep forever:

– Birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates

– Social security cards and passports

– Military discharge papers

– Retirement plan information

– Life insurance policies

Scan It

Electronic files are a convenient way to keep permanent records without the hassle of paper clutter. You may want to scan important paperwork with a document scanner and keep the electronic copy as back up. Then, save it on a hard drive, thumb drive, burned CD or an external hard drive. Some items to scan with a documents scanner include:

– Tax records

– W2s and 1099s

Shred It

Be careful throwing away any paperwork with personal information—especially anything that could be used to steal your identity. Even credit card solicitations can contain the valuable personal information identity thieves seek. Rather than throwing these sensitive documents in waste receptacles, where your information could be stolen, the safest plan is to destroy these documents with paper shredders. Paper shredders allow you to quickly dispose of confidential documents in seconds, including:

– Financial statements

– Medical records

– Credit reports

– Cancelled checks

Understanding what to do with paperwork can save you a lot of hassle and help you to better organize your home or office. Sort through papers a few times a year to determine what to save, throw away, scan or shred. Either utilize manila file folders to store documents in file cabinets or discard of unnecessary paper to keep your filing systems organized, consistent and efficient.

Read Full Post »

Use File Folders and a Fire Safe to Protect Important Family Paperwork

Organize Documents to Save Your Family Time and Avoid Confusion

If you’re surrounded by a flurry of important family paperwork like birth certificates, wills and insurance policies, creating a document storage system is the key to keeping them organized. Many people begin to organize documents only to find themselves confused about what to keep, what to discard and which method of organization can keep them on track. With these five helpful steps, you can make sense of important paperwork and create a system that will work for you and your family.

1. Put one person in charge

When it comes to organization, putting one person in charge is the ticket to success. This doesn’t mean one person has to do all of the work, but whoever steps up to the plate should be responsible for delegating tasks, making sure the document storage system gets used and ensuring everyone knows how it works. This will help keep files in order and ensure nearly everything stays in place.

2. Create separate file folder solutions for active and permanent files

To maintain your organized documents, separate files your family will need to access frequently (active files) from the ones that will only be needed in the event of an emergency or major life event (permanent files).

Active files

Active files can be stored using manila file folders and a filing cabinet. Place these file cabinets in a centralized location—typically the kitchen or home office. Active files include:

– Employment information

– School paperwork

– Bank statements

– Annual tax documentation

– Receipts

– Cancelled checks

– Home improvement records

– Paid and unpaid bills

– Insurance information (home, auto and health)

– Warranty information and receipts for items under warranty

Permanent files

Permanent files should be stored inside a fire safe in a secure location. Include documents that would be difficult or costly to replace and would need to be easily found in the event of an emergency A fireproof safe with a lock will help protect these important documents in the event of fire or burglary. Permanent files include:

– Birth certificates

– Social security numbers

– Wedding certificates

– Proof of ownership documentation (including home, automobile, vacation properties and copyrights)

– Legal papers and contracts (wills, divorce paperwork, custody agreements, adoption paperwork, proof of citizenship and durable powers of attorney)

– Passports

– Long-term investments (stocks, bonds and savings certificates)

3. Designate file folders to organize documents you want to keep

If a document doesn’t get put away in a designated manila file folder, you might be more inclined to lose it in the shuffle. To keep track of these miscellaneous papers, first, sort through your incoming mail and any stacks of paper in your home. Make and label file folders for everything you want to keep, even if you end up with a couple of file folders with very few documents in them. It’s better to have a lightly used folder than to lose something important.

4. Archive files annually

Sort through your file folders once a year and transfer old paperwork into an archive file system or file cabinets. This helps free up space and keeps current documents simple to find. Or, choose file boxes for a portable, organized system that’ll help you store and transport archived documents.

5. Be open to upgrading your document storage system

It can be challenging to create a flawless document storage system on your first try. If you want to create a system that’ll work for the long haul, feel free to modify it as needed. The ideal system should be helpful—not frustrating. So, use what works what works for you and fix what doesn’t.

With a little time and a flexible, organized system, your family will be able to quickly find important information and eliminate paper clutter for good.

Read Full Post »

Go Green With Your Printing Needs

 Go Green: How to Refill & Recycle Printer Ink & Toner Cartridges

Looking for ways to work responsibly to better our environment? There are many things you can do on a daily basis to become more environmentally conscious, especially when it comes to printer usage. Consider recycling your empty toner cartridge at office supply retailers. Or, think about using an ink refill kit to refill your old printer ink and toner cartridges yourself. Some ink manufacturers even offer buy-back incentive programs. However you choose to recycle, doing so helps keep ink and toner cartridges out of landfills.

 Refilling used printer ink and toner cartridges

If you are the do-it-yourself type, try a refill kit to reuse your empty ink cartridges. Is manual labor not your style?  Consider finding a local print shop that can do it for you for a small fee. If you choose to use the do-it-yourself route, refilling your own cartridges can be fairly straightforward and can help you save some money along the way. However, toner and ink cartridges can only be refilled a limited number of times. Their parts, such as nozzles, are not designed for a lifetime of continued refilling. The plus side of refilled printer toner and ink cartridges is that using them will not void the warranty on your inkjet or laser printer. So, you can still achieve quality printing results—even on recycled paper.

 Recycling programs for used printer ink and toner cartridges

According to thedailygreen.com, if you stacked the number of discarded printer ink and toner cartridges worldwide in a single year, there would be enough cartridges to circle the Earth more than three times. The site also states that would take nearly a gallon of oil just to make one new laser toner cartridge. To reduce such waste, many office supply retailers and ink and toner cartridge manufacturers now offer incentive programs to collect empty printer toner and ink cartridges for recycling. Often, you can earn store credit towards extra office supplies you need for your home or workplace. These recycling programs collect, clean, refill, test and resell as remanufactured ink and toner cartridges. Or the materials from the cartridges are recycled and reused for various other purposes.

Not sure what to do with your empty ink or toner cartridges? Whether you choose to recycle them or refill them, you are doing your part to work responsibly.  Consider visiting your closest office supply retailer and inquire about the recycling programs they have to offer or the types of refill kits available to help you decide what to do with your empty printer ink cartridges.

Read Full Post »

Using shipping supplies and mailroom equipment

Using shipping supplies and mailroom equipment

Sending and receiving mail is a crucial part of doing business, and handling it in the most efficient and cost effective way is a must. Sometimes employees aren’t clear which mailroom equipment and shipping supplies to use. That’s why it’s important to have plenty of materials on hand, in one organized space, so everyone has to proper options to choose from when preparing a shipment. Below are some must-haves for every mailroom.  

Postage

One essential piece of mailroom equipment is a digital postage meter. With this machine you can automatically calculate postage costs, taking the guess work out of payments and saving you a trip to the post office. Many postage meters also offer the added convenience of pre-payment and reordering with a credit card. Plus, with features like a built-in scale and automatic letter feeder, these machines can handle all mail types including letters, parcels and bulk mailings. Each employee should be trained on how to use the digital postage meter. It’s also a good idea to hang written instructions on the wall as a reminder.

Envelopes, mailers and boxes

Another must-have for any mailroom is a full supply of shipping supplies. It’s a good idea to keep all of these supplies in large file cabinets such as office storage cabinets. Essential supplies include envelopes, padded mailers, mailing tubes, bubble-lined mailers and shipping boxes. These shipping supplies should be available in various sizes to accommodate your office needs. You may also have rules about which packages need tracking confirmation and which shipments require a signature upon delivery. Create a chart showing employees which shipping supplies and shipping carriers should be used for specific items to alleviate any confusion.

Packing supplies

In addition to proper postage and shipping supplies, you’ll also need packing supplies to ensure your deliveries make it to their destination in one piece. Packaging supplies that keep your shipment from being damaged include bubble wrap, foam wrap and packaging peanut fillers. You should also have plenty of packaging tape on-hand to secure boxes. Employees should be trained on when to use the various packaging supplies, both to prevent overuse and waste and to ensure that deliveries are packed securely.

Stock your mailroom with essential shipping supplies

Educating your employees on how to use mailroom equipment will help prevent waste and ensure shipments and letters have correct posting and are properly packed. Office supply retailers can help you stock your mailroom with necessary shipping supplies to store in file cabinets in your mailroom. It’s also a good idea to keep manila file folders on hand to quickly store and organize shipping slips or any other expense reports.

Read Full Post »

Freight And Truck Broking : Know The Facts!

Brokers in any field are the people who work as a middleman between the customer and the company involved. In the transport field too there are many brokers.

Truck Freight Brokers: Know the Facts

Truck Freight Brokers are the people who have complete knowledge about carrier business and all kinds of shipping issues. Truck Freight Brokers generally have experience in sales or transportation business.  They have an in depth knowledge about geography since they have to calculate the time of shipping goods from one location to another. Truck Freight Brokers are also well accustomed with the equipments required to transfer the goods from place to place. They develop good technical knowledge about the usage of the equipments.

Freight Broker: Who are they?

Freight Broker is a person who works as a liaison between the companies who needs shipping services along with transportation. A Freight Broker identifies the requirements of a shipper and then assigns a suitable carrier which can transport the goods at an affordable price. A Freight Broker obtains license from Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. He is never liable for the possession of goods being shipped. He earns experience by working in shipping process. There are also training courses for freight broking. Brokers start their career as agents. He is an independent contractor working as brokers. The startup cost is usually affordable. The equipments required to carry on the business are computer, telephone and a fax machine.

The freight business deals with a lot of risk and has to be handled by a professional. To know more, log on to TruckFreightBrokersUSA.com.

Read Full Post »

Impress Potential Customers and Employees with Corporate gifts Cape Town

Stiff competition in the market has forced companies to find various creative ways to market products and services. To reap rewards in the long run, it is essential to maintain good customer relationship. The lifeblood of any business is to built rapport with customers, businesses cannot sustain customers for the long run unless they are completely satisfied.

Intense competition among business counterparts during the recent years has made various businesses to look for different innovative marketing practices. Corporate gifts have become popular and it is one of the best ways to promote business.

When it comes to corporate gifts there are plenty of gifts, right from back packs to jogging shoes and mobile phones to latest notebooks. Corporate gifts can be easily customized using logo and company name. A customized corporate gift adds a personal touch and helps to maintain a better relationship with customers and employees. It is essential to choose the right corporate gift for the person the company wants to gift. Printed T-shirts and jerseys are the best ways to express the importance of a person in the company’s business world.

“Corporate gift is an effective marketing tool which can easily bring back old customers, unless you bring back them you will not be able to get profit on the long run. Corporate gifts are not only for customers however these gifts can also be provided to employees on achievements and as gift during anniversaries. Rewarding employees and customers with promotional gifts South Africa is a better way to say ‘thank you’ for their contribution towards the growth of business,” says a spokesperson for Mukase Promotions.

Mukase corporate gifts are made from high quality materials, partners of the company have been selected carefully to make sure corporate gifts South Africa are reliable and worth the money. Clothing is found to be the most popular gift among corporate. Promotion companies in Cape Town provide different clothing including T-shirts, golf shirts, lounge shirts, rugby shirts, jackets, etc. All corporate clothing are available in different sizes and colors. T-shirts and other sports clothing are made from 100% polyester, it helps anyone to stay cool even in the sweltering heat of summer.

About Us:

We provide different types of corporate gifts based upon your need. We have sales office in Great Britain and South Africa. You can know more about corporate gifts Cape Town at http://www.mukasepromotions.co.za

Read Full Post »

Just Office Now Offers Ready-to-Use Offices for Businesses

Just Office, a Singapore based company provides with some of the best office spaces for smooth operation of businesses. Just Office has been rendering its exceptional service in this area for past several years and has created magic when it comes to locating the best office space possible for any type of business. The company makes things easy for businesses by offering cost-effective solutions.

Finding a good looking, accessible, perfect and serviced office space is quite a difficult task and needs lot of time and attention. The company helps one out by directing them towards the best office space in a locality that is convenient for running a perfect business. Just Office understands the needs of a good office set up as it has been providing Singapore serviced office for many years now. Though it may look easy to get an office, it is not and requires a lot of time and money to get it done the way wanted.

“We offer you the only Serviced Offices in an International Grade-A building in a prime location. Our absolute promise to a quality company like yours: prestigious image, Grade-A office environment and ready-to-use business space, all at a competitive price”, says the spokesperson of Justoffice.com.sg.

The location factor is yet another important area that needs to be looked into when taking an office. Having the office in a prime location is of utmost importance in order to derive good results out of the business. Just Office offers several options to choose from and always finds good offices in apt locations to help businesses to grow well.

Its competitive price offering on serviced office Singapore is the best in the industry and it caters to all business sizes. Michael, one of the clients of Just Office, says, “Just Office helped us to find a great office for our business and it takes care of all our needs. This is simply too good a deal as I could get it done at affordable rates with Just Office.”

Just Office is a great place to find best office spaces for running businesses smoothly. It’s for sure business owners’ would derive great value out of using them. For more information, visit the website: http://www.justoffice.com.sg/

 

Read Full Post »

Business Forms: Order the Right Small Business Forms & Software

Find Out Which Business Forms & Small Business Software You Need For Daily Activities

Make sure you have the right small business forms for daily records and tax season filing. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow your business, maintaining proper documentation is key to your success in the small business market. From human resource forms to small business software, you’ll find the right forms for your business.

1. Small Business Forms

If you have a great idea for a new restaurant or you’re looking to start a retail shop, you’ll need to have the right forms from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Depending on your industry and location, different start-up forms are required. Consider finding a mentor within your community who can help walk you through the process and make sure you have the right business forms. Take advantage of your mentor’s expertise when it comes to applying for financing and taxes, then speak to a lender and tax expert. The SBA also has small business forms for growing and managing your business or for incorporating, selling or creating a franchise.

2. Human Resource Forms

When you’re just starting out, you may want to stick with standardized human resource (HR) forms. As you become more experienced, you can create custom job applications and separation reports for your company, but ordering HR forms in bulk may be a good way to cut costs. Look for:

– I-9 forms that verify your employees are allowed to work in the United States

– Affirmative Action forms to ensure you’re complying with federal reporting

– Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) forms to accurately record employee illnesses or injuries

3. Legal Forms for Business

Start-ups often need to complete legal forms for their business. Whether it means drawing up a partnership agreement, creating a non-disclosure or non-compete for employees, or drawing up contracts to work with individuals outside your company, you’ll want to make sure you have the correct legal forms. It’s probably wise to have a lawyer review or help create documentation for copyrights, franchise rights and more. Your attorney can also help you draw up more than legal forms for business, which may include a draft of your will to ensure your business and its assets are handled properly in the event of your passing.

4. Small Business Software

Small business software is designed to make daily business management simple. From managing your time clock to transitioning to paperless records, small business software is an important asset. Consider using these tools:

– QuickBooks software to help you with your taxes

– Payroll software to create checks and manage finances

– Form tool software to customize small business forms efficiently

5. Tax Forms

Get ready for tax time by gathering up everything you’ll need to complete your filing. Keep stock of income tax forms including W-2 forms for new employees and 1099 forms for clear and thorough miscellaneous income reporting. Whether you choose an income tax software solution or tax kits compatible with laser printers, both systems can help you effortlessly prepare tax reports. And depending on the number of employees you have, small business software may be the right fit for you.

Explore Other Small Business Forms

To find out more about the various business forms you need, speak with other small business owners in your community. They can tell you what the start-up process was like for them and which business forms they needed most. You may need shipping and receiving forms, sales and ordering forms or receipt books, but it’s best to first speak with a lawyer and a tax professional. They can help guide you to the right to HR forms, legal forms for business and tax forms. The SBA is another great resource for small business owners looking to start, expand or sell their businesses. You may ask them to help you identify the forms you’ll need for your business.

Read Full Post »

Personal Statement Now a Few Clicks Away

The importance of the statement can be best understood by taking into consideration that the grades received by many students who apply for UCAS are the same therefore competition is high. Thus, the criteria of selection of candidates in such a situation are mostly the personal statements. There are many universities which do not accept any application without personal statement; hence you should make sure that you submit the best of these personal essays to your universities.

There is a lot of patience as well as research, which is required to write these statements in an accurate and precise format. Lots of your chance of getting an admission depends on these personal statements. Hence you can take help of Personal statement samples in order to get the idea of how these statements should be written. You can also make use of Personal Statement template in order to enhance the quality of your statement.

There are many online firms, which have come up with these writing services and deliver high quality statements as well. They have a bunch of highly qualified writers, who specializes in UCAS Personal Statement writing and hence one can take their services in order to increase chances of getting admission in UCAS colleges and Universities. Thus, you should take these services if you want to get accepted into any of the top colleges of UK.

There are many websites, which you can refer in order to learn about these statements and you can also find out how they should be written. If you want you can also research various types of writing services. Thus internet is the best option, if you are looking for Personal Statement help. These websites give you a wide range of information about statements therefore you should check out these websites in order to ensure your place in your favorite college.

Read Full Post »

The Many Advantages of Home Based Business

Are you thinking to switch to a home based business? But you are confused whether it will be a right decision or not. Well I think if you know what you want actually and have the enough confidence to fulfill the dream, home based business would definitely be a perfect option.

These following points will show you how that a home based business carries a lot of advantages with it.

• The first and foremost advantage of this type of business is that you can enjoy a personal freedom. There will be no boss, no bound schedule, no dress code, and no office politics. You just have to have time management skills and self discipline.

• When you conduct your own business from your home you don’t have to spend hours in traffic. You can also save a lot of money which you had to spend for fuel. So this is quite money saving as well as time saving option.

• When you have your own business at home, you don’t need to bother about promotion or hike. The fact is very simple. The harder you work online, the more you make money from home. So it’s totally up to you how much you would produce.

• You don’t need to spend much for starting up such business. From this aspect, this is quite inexpensive as compared to a freestanding business. Once your business is up and successfully running, you will find it much cheaper and easier to maintain indeed.

Are you ready to jump for such option? If yes, then you should visit http://www.workathomecareers.com/

Read Full Post »