You Can be Great If You Really Want To

Do you have a wallet that is overflowing with stuff? Are you constantly frustrated that you can’t find what you need because there are receipts, cards, or misc notes crowding the important things? The following are some simple suggestions to get your wallet organized and keep it organized once and for all. You will learn what to have in your wallet and what NOT to have in your wallet, how you can be ready in the event of an emergency, and important information on how to protect yourself.

Things that SHOULD be in your wallet

* Gift Cards – Treat these like cash and keep them with your cash. Over 30% of all gift cards are lost and never get redeemed.

* Credit Cards – Only the credit cards you frequently use should be kept with you. If there are cards that you no longer use, they should be kept in an envelope in your safe deposit box or they should be shredded.

* Driver’s License or ID

* Emergency Contact Card – On a piece of paper that is approximately business card size, type the names and numbers of two different people you would like someone to contact if there were an emergency. After laminating it, keep it behind your ID or Drivers’ license. The police and/or hospital would then know whom to call if you were in an accident.

* Medical Insurance Card – This would also be helpful in an emergency or accident.

* Auto Insurance Card – It can be helpful to keep a copy of your insurance card in your wallet if you own and operate a vehicle. Typically, insurance companies will send you an extra one. If your car is stolen or if you are in an accident and can’t get at the one in the glove box, this would be helpful.

TIP: You should photocopy everything in your wallet. Keep copies of the front and back of all your credit cards. Copies should be kept in your safe deposit box. You will, then, know exactly what you lost and whom you need to call if your wallet is lost or stolen.

Items that you should NOT keep in your wallet

* Business Cards – A couple of your own business cards could be kept in your wallet. However, as you accumulate business cards from other people, either place them in a file or enter them into your address book and toss them.

* Receipts – Place your receipts into a simple and efficient filing system as soon as you get home from shopping. My Fast-Filing Method program explains how to set up a super fast self-cleansing filing system.

* Misc Notes & Papers – Rather than writing on napkins and misc. scraps of paper and shoving them into your wallet, use a more effective system for organizing your information. Also, in my Fast-Filing Method, I explain how to use a Capture Tool to easily and effectively keep track of misc information.

May this year be your best and most organized yet!

Heidi DeCoux is publisher of Life Made Simple e-Magazine, a professional organizer and creator of the Fast-Filing Method home office filing system. Heidi energizes her readers’ by simplifying their homes & schedules. For more info, free tips, and to receive her FREE Report: The Fast & Easy Way to Get Organized and Stay Organized Forever, visit ClearSimpleLiving.com