Get organized in time for spring

Just in time for spring cleaning, organization expert Denise Schofield is holding a Get Organized seminar at the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau.

Schofield admits she wasn't born organized, but maintains that with a little work, anybody can lessen their clutter and operate more orderly. Schofield will devote the first half of the seminar to organizing things like games, drawers and cabinets and the last half she will talk about managing time and getting rid of paper clutter.

Schofield said people tend to keep bills and other papers they do not need to keep, that people are hesitant to throw things away.

"We're afraid that if we do, a man in a black suit will show up an the door and demand to see what you just put in the shredder," she said.

Certain bills or financial documents should be kept, and people can find the list of important papers and explanations of them in the IRS document "Record keeping for Individuals" available on the IRS website.

Some things, like IRA contributions, should be kept indefinitely, but Schofield said some bills -- like a utility bill -- can be tossed after a month, unless you're running a business from home and plan to deduct part of the cost.

"You need to keep them long enough to get your next bill and make sure everything is the same," Schofield said.

Schofield says organization is key to saving money, time and stress.

"The obvious way getting organized saves you money is that you're not replacing things because things are taken care of," she said.

Schofield will be at the Drury Lodge from 10 a.m. to noon and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday. To reserve a spot or for more information, call 800-835-8463. There is a cost.