You're late on yet another bill, but when you go to find it, you can't find the statement that says how much you owe. In tearing apart your house, you find three other bills that were due a week ago. Filling out a tax return form is more guesswork than science, and the last time you thought about your budget sheet was on the 1st January when you resolved to become more organised.

Well, you need to get sorted. No excuses, keeping yourself organised is not really as hard as you seem to think it is!

1. Keep important documents together

Whether it's an 'In' tray, a shoe box, or a filing cabinet, you need a space that is just for your important, urgent documents. Nothing else should go into it. Sort through it every week, and pay things with plenty of time to spare. When something is paid, throw it away, or file it somewhere else. The only thing in your box should be the unpaid stuff.

2. Keep pay slips, bank statements, and credit card statements

This one will probably need a folder or filing cabinet of some kind. Sort your pay slips and statements by date. This way, when you need to know how much you earned or how much you paid out in November 2004, it will be right at your fingertips.

The general rule is to keep them for five years, and then throw them out. Tax can be claimed back for up to five years, so if you feel lucky, take a look to see if you're owed anything.

3. Budget

The best kind of budget is one with a bit of flexibility. Get a white-board or a chalk-board, and use it to plan each weeks expenses. Check it before you go shopping. If you get an unexpected extra expense, write it on. At the end of the week, total it up and write it down in a paper book or on a software program. This way you can keep track of your spending fairly easily.

Those three tips can change your life. Start now!

Learn more about this author, Suzanne Fleming.
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