10 Ways to Get Organized for the New Year

1) Finances

Don’t you hate the feeling when you overdraft at the bank? Or realizing that you spent too much on treats this month and now you’re a little short on cash for bills? Taking a look at your finances can make a huge difference!

You can create a spreadsheet or use software like Mint (it’s free!) to track what you’re spending. To create a very simple budget, take a look at what you spend for a few months on things like gas, bills, groceries, rent or mortgage, and your pets and decide how much of your budget needs to go toward those expenses. From there, you can decide how much you want to put in savings each month, and whatever it left over is your funny money for treats like eating out or clothes shopping.

Going through all of those bills can be pretty stressful, so make sure you take a kitten break once in a while to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed!

Up Next: Get those piles of paperwork in order

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Kathy P.

8:20AM PDT on Apr 25, 2013

I already do all of this except meal planning, My medicine cabinet could probably use some love

April 25
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Spirit S.

3:24AM PST on Jan 15, 2013

Good advice :-)

January 15
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Alison A.

7:33AM PST on Jan 14, 2013

Thanks for posting.

January 14
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Sarah M.

7:42PM PST on Jan 13, 2013

thanks

January 13
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Christina B.

4:51PM PST on Jan 13, 2013

Articles like this one are my absolute favorite, since I love organizing stuff. Once a year, on January, I go through all the pens and markers in the house, making sure they still work and getting rid of the ones that don't.

The medicine cabinet is sorted through at least twice a year: packages are recycled and medicines that have expired get sent back to the pharmacy for handling.

Valerie A.

10:14AM PST on Jan 13, 2013

Thanks

Elizabeth O.

10:02AM PST on Jan 13, 2013

Thanks for the article.

Inari T.

3:54AM PST on Jan 13, 2013

Timely advice - would you believe, just before I logged on I'd decided I should clear up my space, beginning with a complete review/reorganisation of my pantry! :-D

Celia D.

12:27AM PST on Jan 9, 2013

I have several pencil cups around the house--by the phone, the computer, the desk, in the kitchen. Each one has a few pens and pencils in it, plus a Sharpie marker, a small pai rof scissor, a nail file, and nail clippers. This really helps me not search all over the house looking for a nail clipper or scissors in a hurry. And if someone in the family or a visitor asks for one of these I can just say--find a pencil cup!