I am a mess (literally) - Need suggestions :)

[Freddy03]

Since Aug I have been saving every receipt, bill paid, bill received, medical EOBs, bank statements, credit card statements and everything else in prep for my filing in a few months.

I'm starting to feel like a hoarder.....LOL I have bags and bags just papers every where. My closet is a MESS!!

Since I'll be off for a few days this week I'm thinking of getting organized. Any suggestions? Do I separate each type of receipt and bills?? What's the best way to keep everything organized?

I won't be around to much this week so Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you!!

I'm thankful I have found this forum!

[Peeps]

Hello Mess, Train wreck here...

I ran into one of those ugly brown expand-a-file folders and it has been pretty helpful. Cheap, too. It has enough slots to put statements for each card, bank account, and ongoing service. I've got most of my retail receipts jumbled together but plan on putting the heavy hitters into their own slots. Someday. In my case, that would be medical and veterinary costs since the actuals are WAY above the norm and could draw some questions. If a person really wanted to get anal about it, they could file the receipts by categories that coincide with their schedule J. Anyway, it's a really fat file folder and I highly doubt anyone in their right mind would ever ask for a fraction of it.

Having it all in one place, though, has helped me come to grips with the reality of my own financial train wreck so I guess it helps. It's a depressing, fat, brown thing that I know will be factored into my happy dance celebration somehow/someway/someday. Maybe a nice burning ceremony. It could probably heat the house for a day or two.

[Freddy03]

I'm going to have to get one of these... Extra large one!

Realistically do I need to keep every single receipt? Or are bank statements ok?

[newbie2]

I ditto the expanding file folder. Wonderful for organizing receipts! I don't know if you need to save everything, but since we entered our Chapter 13 I have saved every receipt. (And I mean every one) I will have 5 years worth of those expanding folders to shred when we are done, but I know that if I need to prove an expense I can do so without freaking out.

[Peeps]

Not entirely sure, but I'm going to go with "better safe than sorry" on this one.

Keep what you can, especially in cases where you've paid cash. I know I don't plan to organize all those little receipts. If someone should ask for paperwork, which is not very likely, then I'll go on a digging mission. I'm starting to feel like a hoarder, too. Oh yeah... a jumbo sized organizer. You could always put a nice doily on it and use it as a small table. Just kidding: ixnay on the doily.

[AngelinaCat]

I used a four inch three ring binder, with page protectors which opened in the top in which to put things. Then I organized it by year and month. I have three year's worth of records in it.

Buying this stuff can be pretty pricey, but I had them on hand from another project. If you want to buy any of this stuff including the expanding folders, check out your Staples, Office Depots and Office Max for their specials this week running up to Black Friday. Don't forget Wally-world, and other such stores.

As for keeping every single receipt: That probably is not necessary since you will have your bank statements. But if you mail things to the court, creditors, trustee, any bankruptcy related matter, keep your post office receipts, your tracking tickets, and your green signature card when it returns to you. Of course, keep copies of anything you mail out.

[wonderingrov]

Here is what I did for mine:

I already had one 2 drawer filing cabinet that had files in it for income taxes (also an archive tax statement file for taxes over 7 years ago), bank statements, etc. When I was preparing to file bankruptcy, I bought another 2 drawer filing cabinet at a local thrift store for $3. I spend another $13.95 on 2 frames for hanging file folders, and created folders for various categories of receipts that I hadn't been keeping records on until then (gas, food, etc.). The bonus: now that I'm through with my bankruptcy, I've got plenty more room for filing now!

I'm a little anal about recordkeeping, so you might not need to go this detailed - but it worked for me.

[Freddy03]

Thanks for all the suggestions

This will be my project starting Wednesday!

[helpme2010]

I am digitally organized, but with actual paper, a complete slob. My girlfriend forces me to file receipts and documents in a file cabinet and she labels each area to put things. I sometimes get mad at her for being so anal, but she is right and everytime I have needed documents for UI, home loan mods, bk, etc., she knows where it is and can help me find it.

I do like keeping each years receipts for taxes in a folder, 2009, 2010, etc. and just throwing any receipt that may be a tax write off or tax requirement into those folders (some use a shoebox for this).

When I went to court for 3 years, I had about 5 or 6 large paper ream boxes full of court docs and plenty of carpet in my rooms with court docs laying around everywhere. I would go crazy looking for a document in all that mess.

[Detroit]

I have a file cabinet and had been shoving everything into files by account. I saved every receipt (cash receipts separate and ordered by date) and matched them to the bank statement they belong to. So, I can find a debit and locate the receipt. For anything I'm still paying (ie, phone, Internet, etc), I staple the receipt to the statement and file it (again, by account).

Everything got messy when I realized I had to file BK, quit paying things and started letting piles build up (psychologically increasing the agony, so not a recommended approach). When my attorney gave me the list of things she needed, I moved all the account files that would be included in the BK (and sorted out all the paper stacks, filing accordingly and by date) from the file cabinet and put them in a banker's box (cardboard box for hanging files). And I got one of those thick, brown expandables so I could tote different files to and from the attorney's office as needed. That also served as a place for all of her paperwork.

As soon as I'm discharged (three weeks!), I will summarily burn the banker's box (except the tax records, mortgage docs and BK paperwork) and the brown expander. I've managed to clear a whole drawer by filing the BK! Filing has now served several functions, including paperwork reduction!

Since I've become quite cheap as a result of all this, during the burning, I'll pull out each file and burn the papers, but keep the folder, plastic tabs and hanging files...

[JEM]

I totally understand. I have paper EVERYWHERE. It started out organized, now since there is so much of it, all organization is gone. I have receipts, collection letters, and just general paperwork scattered all of our bedroom. It's a mess. I don't even know where to start trying to organize at this point. The lawyer didn't seem to think we'd need any of the receipts, but I certainly am not going to throw them out until we are done with this whole thing.

[ValleYum]

Oh, JEM, I can truly relate - except we have holiday company and I had to shove all of mine into a box - so my quasi organized piles are no more!!

I just bought my THIRD REAM of paper and THIRD ink cartridge since beginning my BK prep. LOL I also have scanned all my documents and uploaded them onto a thumb drive AND my Norton offsite backup. I am digitally organized - now I need to get paper organized.

[dumpinmydebt]

This is so funny! I plan on having a party of two (just me and my hubby) once our case is discharged and when I get to toss my LARGE box of receipts (been saving for almost a year now) and LARGE box of files with collection notices and such. I can't wait to clear all that crap up.

[chicagoannie]

This is so funny! I plan on having a party of two (just me and my hubby) once our case is discharged and when I get to toss my LARGE box of receipts (been saving for almost a year now) and LARGE box of files with collection notices and such. I can't wait to clear all that crap up.

Once the bankruptcy is discharged, can I FINALLY destroy my "file of shame" and get rid of all the bills and overdue statements and nastygrams once and for all? Or should/do people hang on to them just in case something comes up in the future?

[Freddy03]

I am a total slacker! I haven't even touched my 3 bags of papers. I've been sick since Thanksgiving so I do have an excuse...lol Oh well I'll get started soon I guess.