Even if you're determined to organize your financial life, it's easy to get lost trying to figure out, and then master, all the personal organizers and electronic gadgets that are supposed to make it easier. Meanwhile, that stack of unattended paperwork multiplies like dust bunnies behind a desk.

"In this day and age, you can manage the chaos or the chaos can manage you," says Randy Schuldt, vice president of IHateFinancialPlanning.com, a Web site for people who hate financial planning. "Throw in a tendency to procrastinate on money matters, and an undesirable situation only gets worse."

Disorganization and procrastination can be difficult behaviors to reverse, but it's worth the effort -- and money in your pocket -- especially when it comes to avoiding late fees.

Taking just a few steps can reduce stress and lead you on a path toward financial peace of mind. IHateFinancialPlanning.com offers the following tips to help you cut through the clutter:

• Take This Tax Form And Shove It:
  Most self-respecting taxpayers dread tax season, and the Form 1040 arriving is usually the first sign that it's here. You can count on receiving a heap of tax-related mail starting in January.
  Schuldt recommends you shove all that taxing paperwork in the same file folder so it's out of sight, yet easy to find when you're ready to deal with taxes (on or before the April 15 deadline). Don't buy a special file. Don't scan all the documents for systematic filing on your computer. Don't lose sleep debating whether information for the Schedule A&B should be alphabetized under "A" or "B." Just find a manila folder and shove everything into it.
• Make Non-Monthly Bills A Non-Factor:
  Do certain expenses sneak up and bite you in the budget? Bills for auto insurance, car registration, property taxes and homeowner's insurance have sharp teeth, but they don't need to draw blood. Simply add up anticipated expenses, divide the total by the number of paychecks you receive and have that amount automatically deposited in a savings account.
• Auto Pay Is The Way:
  You've resisted paying your bills through electronic debit because you like to "control" what gets paid and when.
  Strange how that "control" can lead to frustration when you forget, or worse, result in blips on the credit rating screen if you're late.
  Direct payment plans are free, safe and easy to establish. Plus, they eliminate the cost of mailing checks and free up some bill-paying time. Mortgage companies, utilities and even credit card companies are anxious to help you get started.
  "While you're at it," Schuldt adds, "start using direct deposit for your paycheck. If you don't have to scurry to the bank or ATM every payday, you're making progress."
• Two Cards May Be Better Than None:
  If you have more credit cards than you can count, how can you possibly keep track of all the due dates, minimum payments, annual fees and interest rates?
  Get rid of all your cards except two. Make one a debit card -- it works with ease like a credit card, but the amount you spend is deducted from your checkbook balance. (Look, mom! No late fees!) Only use a second card if you must carry a balance, but don't make new purchases with it. If your credit card debt is too big to consolidate on one card, organizational peace of mind may not be your top financial priority.
• Forms Over Function:
  Maybe you're putting off getting organized because you don't have the tools that would make it a manageable process. There are a variety of easy-to-use, interactive forms available that will help you track spending, create a budget, inventory your finances, keep all your contact information in one place and much more. Storing and updating the forms online can be an easy way to minimize messy paperwork.
• What To Keep And What To Toss:
  For some people, getting organized simply involves dumping paid bills, bank statements and other financial documents in the circular file or running them through the paper shredder. The purging process may have a cleansing effect, but you're certain to throw out records you should have kept.
  It's safe to toss paid utility bills after one year. Keep monthly bank and other financial statements, including income tax returns, for three years.
  Store wills, trusts, powers of attorney, birth, marriage and death certificates, adoption and custody papers, investment records, insurance policies, car titles and property deeds in a safe place (as in, not in that pile of bank statements). It can take months to replace lost originals, and the resulting frustration will far outweigh the effort of being organized enough to know where they are. Scanning documents into your computer will work for quick reference, but won't make them legally useful. You're still going to need the originals.
• Stuff Your Stuff In A Shoebox:
  Account aggregation is an intimidating phrase you may have heard in conversations about getting organized. Basically it's a service that allows you to track an unlimited number of online accounts in one place. IHateFinancialPlanning.com calls its account aggregation tool My Shoebox Online. Data from Web sites is collected, summarized and delivered to your personal account, which you access using just one password. You can track your airline miles, e-mail or cell phone accounts, checking, savings, credit card, brokerage accounts and more.

Courtesy of ARA Content