Spring is almost here and to many, springtime equals clean time. Some may look upon this time with dread but don’t fret, cleaning can free your mind when you get rid of unnecessary clutter. Don’t think you have time to do a worthy spring clean?
Here’s how to sneak in some spring cleaning when you don’t have the time:
Focus on one room at a time and if that still seems overwhelming, divide the room into sections.
Get up 10 minutes earlier and dedicate that time to a section of a room that needs to be cleaned and organized.
Use the time during commercials to clean.
Invest in plastic containers (think milk crates and other smaller sized containers) to keep areas organized. I use milk crates to hold my laundry soap and also use them to organize my under-the-sink kitchen and bathroom areas.
If laundry day seems overwhelming, divide laundry and complete it twice weekly instead of once. You may find doing a smaller load of laundry twice a week it more manageable than an all-day fest of laundry on the weekend.
Dedicate a box for donations. When you come across something too good to throw away, but you haven’t used in awhile, donate it!
Make it a habit to clean up clutter on a regular basis before it piles up into an unmanageable mess.
Clean out your fridge whenever you unload new groceries.
Heat up a bowl of water and lemon juice in the microwave for 5 minutes while you clean another part of the house. When you come back to clean it, the dried on gunk will have loosened making it easier to clean and your microwave will smell lemony fresh!
Lastly, if you’d rather just get your spring cleaning knocked out then dedicate a day to cleaning and organizing your home. Make it fun and enlist the help of family members to make the day (and chores!) go by quicker.
After all is said and done, sit back, relax, and enjoy your clean home!
In addition to working as a RN, Nachole Johnson is a freelance copywriter and an author with her first book, You’re a Nurse and Want to Start Your Own Business? The Complete Guide, available on Amazon. Visit her ReNursing blog at http://renursing.wordpress.com
Although the deadline to file your taxes isn’t until April 15th you should prepare early. Preparing early can alleviate stress and potentially get you more of a tax refund when you file.
Employers are required by law to send out W-2 and 1099 forms by January 31st of each year. Take the next few weeks to organize your tax documents to make it easier when you do decide to file.
Here are a few tips I’ve learned over the past few years that save me time and help maximize my tax return:
Make a list. Make a list of any anticipated deductions you had over the past year and would like to discuss with your accountant. Try to be as through as possible. Review these deductions with your accountant. If you have a good accountant he or she may find deductions you may have overlooked.
Gather all documentation. Find relevant documentation of anticipated deductions and place them in a manila envelope, separated by paper clips. Relevant documentation may be receipts, W-2 forms, interest payment statements, etc. Your accountant will love you for being so organized!
Use your bank to your advantage. Some banks have an “end-of-year statement” listing all of your purchases in specific categories like home, food, and car expenses over the previous year. Use these statements to save even more time when organizing your tax documents.
Get documents early online. Some companies allow you to get your W-2 forms or interest payment statements online. This means the statements may be available earlier than January 31st.
Spend wisely. Use your tax return wisely if you are entitled to one. Some may see income tax time as a spending holiday, but it would be wise to budget this money and pay down any debt you may have before blowing through your refund. Think of you refund money as a bonus. Divide your money between spending as you choose, saving, and paying down debt.
I hope these tips help you as much as they help me each year.
Do you have any specific tax refund tips? Comment below and share them with us!
In addition to working as a RN, Nachole Johnson is a freelance copywriter and an author with her first book, You’re a Nurse and Want to Start Your Own Business? The Complete Guide, available on Amazon. Visit her ReNursing blog at http://renursing.wordpress.com.
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