Fan of the Week 25 April 2012

Congratulations Sharyn and to claim your surprise, please email maryanne@paperflow.com.au with FAN of the WEEK in the subject line by 28 April 2012.

At present my major goal is to get fitter, trimmer, tauter and more terrific! So I joined a gym and I get up at 5.30am so I can work out at least 4 times a week. The results so far = a very sore body! My muscles are screeming at me and I have to drag myself out of bed each morning. But each morning I am finding it easier to get up and am more motivated to achieve my goal knowing I have carved out an extra hour in my day to achieve it.

When I was studying for my Bachelor of Education, I had three primary aged children. So again I carved out time in the wee small hours to get my assignments and study done. My days were consumed with work and children and my nights were manic. But my goal was strong and going to bed a little earlier and getting up earlier worked for me.

No goal is necessarily easy, but every goal needs time. Setting up your paper flow system is a goal which takes time. Carving out specific blocks of time ensures you get it done. So what are you waiting for? Set your goal and then carve out your time! Make an appointment with yourself, one that is just as important as an appointment you make with your dentist or accountant. It cannot be broken or interrupted!

I hope you take the time to make the time to achieve your goals and dreams! Carpe diem. Seize the Day

Join the Paper Flow 28 Day Challenge Facebook group
and share your paperwork questions
and successes with others on the same path!

This article was written by MaryAnne Bennie BEd MBus is Australia’s organising guru, founder of in8 home office and life organising and creator of the Paper Flow® and in8®steps systems. She wrote Paper Flow your ultimate guide to making paperwork easy with Brigitte Hinneberg and her new book From Stuffed to Sorted is out now.

MaryAnne is an engaging speaker and trainer and can be contacted at maryanne@paperflow.com.au or +61 (0)418 597 297

Paper Flow® is the registered trademark of MaryAnne Bennie and in8® is the registered trademark of in8 Pty Ltd. Copyright© 2012

Please feel free to share this article in its entirety, complete with credits.

Is this something you have thought about?

Have you planned your own funeral or expressed your final wishes? Does anyone know some of the stories your possessions could tell? Is your important paperwork in one spot and does your family know where it is?

Here are a few tips for leaving a legacy for your family:

• Tell your family the stories behind your things and ask them if there is anything they particularly would like to have when you are gone (keep a list and pop a note on the bottom or back of the article, if possible)
• Take photographs of jewellery and note who gets what on the photos
• Discuss your funeral and death wishes with your family and then take the necessary steps to ensure they occur
• Keep all your important documents together and let a trusted family member or your lawyer have a copy too
• Write important details on the backs of photographs, if you are not around would others know who is in the photos?
• Tell your loved ones how much you care about them every day. There is no better legacy than for your family to know they are loved.

If you would like to purchase a copy of my Important Document Kit, it is only $9.95 for a limited time only. It has a workbook showing you how to assemble and store your important documents and checklists of typical documents you should have. Templates are in word or excel so you can adapt them easily to your circumstances.

Make time next weekend to your assemble all your important documents.

Cheers MaryAnne xx

Join the Paper Flow 28 Day Challenge Facebook group
and share your paperwork questions
and successes with others on the same path!

This article was written by MaryAnne Bennie BEd MBus is Australia’s organising guru, founder of in8 home office and life organising and creator of the Paper Flow® and in8®steps systems. She wrote Paper Flow your ultimate guide to making paperwork easy with Brigitte Hinneberg and her new book From Stuffed to Sorted is out now.

MaryAnne is an engaging speaker and trainer and can be contacted at maryanne@paperflow.com.au or +61 (0)418 597 297

Paper Flow® is the registered trademark of MaryAnne Bennie and in8® is the registered trademark of in8 Pty Ltd. Copyright© 2012

Please feel free to share this article in its entirety, complete with credits.

Do you know where your receipts are?

 It’s still under warranty, but can you find the receipt?

You bought your vacuum cleaner a while ago and it was working perfectly until today! Now it’s not working at all!

‘Phew, lucky it’s still under warranty!’ you think, just as you begin to wonder where the heck you put the receipt. You can remember the store, you know you bought it just after last year’s birthday. You know you used your birthday cash to pay for it.

The receipt is one of those little cash register ones that oh-so-easily gets lost. If you don’ t find the receipt the chances of getting a new vacuum cleaner are totally dashed!

Paper Flow System to the rescue!

Follow these 8 steps every time  you purchase something new and be sure your warranties are always honoured:

1. Open box and remove all contents
2. Use a date stamp to date every piece of paperwork including the receipt
3. Staple your receipt to the warranty card and fill in any details – scan these if you like
4. Place all your paperwork into a plastic pocket
5. Label the spine of your plastic pocket
6. Place plastic pocket into your Warranties and Manuals magazine box
7. Place your Warranties and Manuals magazine box with your Reference Files
8. Label all other components including cables

Easy when you know how! Let us know how you resolve the “where’s the receipt’ dilemma!

Join the Paper Flow 28 Day Challenge Facebook group
and share your paperwork questions
and successes with others on the same path!

This article was written by MaryAnne Bennie BEd MBus is Australia’s organising guru, founder of in8 home office and life organising and creator of the Paper Flow® and in8®steps systems. She wrote Paper Flow your ultimate guide to making paperwork easy with Brigitte Hinneberg and her new book From Stuffed to Sorted is out now.

MaryAnne is an engaging speaker and trainer and can be contacted at maryanne@paperflow.com.au or +61 (0)418 597 297

Paper Flow® is the registered trademark of MaryAnne Bennie and in8® is the registered trademark of in8 Pty Ltd. Copyright© 2012

Please feel free to share this article in its entirety, complete with credits.

These 5 tips will serve parents of children from Kindergarten to Year 12:
Tip 1 Cull it!
Decide on how much you are going to keep on an annual basis. Six pieces per year, 10? It doesn’t matter the amount as long as you have a space to keep it! Pop it into a folio and you’re good to go.

Tip 2 Label it!
You will think you will remember who did what, but trust me as a mum of 3 and grandmother to 5, it all forms a blur in your mind and trying to recall this information can be exasperating. So label artwork with your clild’s name, age and of course the date! Also write what the picture represents if it is not obvious if you know what I mean.

Max Smith (age 6) Feb 2012 Picture of a giraffe

Tip 3 Frame it!
Some of the artwork will be frame-worthy, so find some appropriate frames and hang special pieces for all to admire. I know parents who commission artwork from their children, suggesting a theme, colours or object to be worked on.

Tip 4 Hang it!
I love the idea of the most recent pieces of art being on display so children can see and reflect on their art and they come to know how appreciated and respected their art is and how important they are as the artist!

Tip 5 Archive it!
Once art has passed it use-by date, you might like to keep a few pieces a year in archives. A large artfolder per child will do the trick. Many parents photograph their children’s artwork for future reference! This especially works for three dimensional art.

Photograph Children's Creations

Remember all the famous artists in the world were children first! Filing the doodles may end up being your retirement money! I sure hope so!

Join the Paper Flow 28 Day Challenge Facebook group
and share your paperwork questions and successes
with others on the same path!

This article was written by MaryAnne Bennie BEd MBus is Australia’s organising guru, founder of in8 home office and life organising and creator of the Paper Flow® and in8®steps systems. She wrote the best selliing, award winning Paper Flow your ultimate guide to making paperwork easy with Brigitte Hinneberg and her new book From Stuffed to Sorted is out now!

MaryAnne is an engaging speaker and trainer and can be contacted at maryanne@paperflow.com.au or +61 (0)418 597 297

Paper Flow® is the registered trademark of MaryAnne Bennie and in8® is the registered trademark of in8 Pty Ltd. Copyright© 2012

Please feel free to share this article in its entirety, complete with credits.

• Register the baby’s birth within 60 days
• Place birth certificate into your important documents file (scan it for future reference as well)
• Add baby’s name to Medicare and to your Private Health Insurance company
• Add baby’s name to Medicare Safety Net
• Apply for benefits like Family Tax Benefit, Baby Bonus, Paid Parental Leave, Maternity Immunisation Allowance and any other benefits to which you are entitled
• Claim all your claimable expenses back from Medicare and Private Health Insurance
• Set up a book to capture all the FIRST’s in your baby’s life and to write down any funny events or sayings. Just date each entry and keep as a journal of the little one’s life.
• Create a baby reference file for baby related information, immunisations, health records, receipts etc.
• Record gifts received on the back of gift cards so you remember who gave what – remember you will have baby brain and not much sleep in the early days.

I hope this checklist helps but most of all enjoy the new little person in your life as much as I enjoy each new addition to our family.

1. Set up two travel folders-one in a display book to carry with you and a back-up in a cloud based home to access in the case of emergency.  If you lose your information in transit, you can retrieve your information from any computer. I use Dropbox use this link to create a free account. Google Docs is also a good place to store your travel information.
2. Create a checklist of all the documents you need to have, things like: itinerary, tickets, accommodation confirmation, insurance details, vaccination record, copy of your passport, drivers licence, visas. Make a list of your credit card numbers along with the emergency numbers to cancel your cards in the event of theft. Do not put passwords and expiry dates on your list.
3. Create a full list of emergency contact numbers.
4. Create a list of medications you need to take as well as a copy of your prescriptions and any letters from your medical practitioner explaining any conditions you have.
5. Create a travel packing checklist to pack from before you leave and to check against every time you pack up and move on.
6. Take photos of expensive items you are carrying with you along with model numbers and receipts in case of loss of theft. You can even spread all of the items to be packed on the bed and take a photo before packing them to remind you of what you took with you.
7. Make sure you have the address of where you are staying at each port of entry as most countries require this information before you clear customs.
8. Pack any spill-able items into a few layers of zip lock bags as liquids expand and can ooze out of their containers during flight.
9. Pack a full change of clothes in your hand luggage in the event of lost baggage.
10. Keep a travel diary to remind you of places you visited and create a photo album immediately upon your return.

Most of all, have fun. With a good back-up plan you will travel confidently knowing that you can access any information you need at the stroke of a few computer keys. Bon Voyage!

1. Regardless of how big a tax backlog you have, lodge this year’s return! (don’t let the backlog build up any further)
2. Create a checklist of all items you need and note where they are located, even if it’s in the pile in the corner!
3. Gather  the information you already have and bring it all together as a project.
4. Request the information you are missing and add it to your project.
5. Complete and lodge your tax return or take the project to your accountant to lodge on your behalf!

Too easy! If you have past un-lodged tax returns, then simply create a project for each year following the same instructions as above. Update your checklist and use it again next year.

For more simple ideas on organising your paperwork get your own copy of Paper Flow your ultimate guide to making paperwork easy and move from mess to success!