FEATURED STORY
Is Self Storage the Right Answer for You?
Did you inherit a bunch of furniture and memorabilia as part of a relative’s estate and need a place to store it safely? Maybe you recently downsized and need to “shelve” that overflow stuff until you can find a place for it or sell it. Or perhaps you are moving, renovating or divorcing and need […]
TALES FROM THE CLOSET
Tales from the Closet brings you all the reading material you need to become and expert at organizing.
ORGANIZING WEBSITES
Use the list of resources below when its time to organize your things. No matter how big or small the job is, you’ll find any one of these websites helpful.
Hoarders Help
It's time to remove the emotional value from the items you never use and the ones that clutter up your home. Remove the clutter and get organizational advice.
Quick Tips
Declutter to Increase Storage Space
Keep Paperwork Long After You File
Valuing Donated Goods for Tax Deduction
At Tax Time, Decluttering Is Its Own Reward
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Declutter to Increase Storage Space
The curse of having too much stuff is common among Americans. And if you don’t keep that stuff organized, it becomes #clutter — and clutter can cloud the mind. That’s why the first step in any plan to get yourself, your storage space and your home organized should be to #declutter. Go room by room, the Spruce says, “and if rooms are large or complicated, you should start by breaking them up into zones. Work quickly and decide which items to toss and which to keep.” As you eliminate junk and free up space, donate any castoffs that may still be useful to someone else to ClothingDonations.org.
Keep Paperwork Long After You File
The Organizing Blog urges you to do a little bit of #decluttering every day, except when it comes to financial documents. The IRS asks that you keep tax returns and supporting documentation for three years after you file, meaning you should still have all of your 2015 paperwork on file today. If there was a year in which you weren’t required to file, document the circumstances and keep the proof indefinitely. Other “forever” paperwork includes loan documents and payoff confirmations; divorce, child support and alimony papers; and birth certificates, Social Security cards and military discharge papers.
Valuing Donated Goods for Tax Deduction
Major tax-preparation programs and applications from companies such as H&R Block, TaxAct and TurboTax offer valuation guides for used goods like those you often #donate to ClothingDonations.org, offering a range of values based on condition. Each pair of pants, for example, is worth about $5–$12 at resale, and that amount is deductible. Be forewarned, however, that the threshold for deductible donations of lightly used clothing and goods is typically $500, so try to #declutter often. If you would like to make a larger charitable donation, consult IRS Publication 526 for information.
At Tax Time, Decluttering Is Its Own Reward
Your 2018 tax returns won’t reward charitable #donations quite as much due to reforms included in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which boosts the standard #deduction and makes itemizing less favorable for many taxpayers. But #donating used clothing, household goods, furniture, books and other items to ClothingDonations.org can at least encourage peace of mind and boost productivity by #organizing and #decluttering your home. Once you #declutter, you’ll have more time and energy to accomplish other to-dos such as exercising and cleaning, says Let’s Reach Success.