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We got an extension on filing our taxes this year. I had very good intentions of dealing with them much sooner than now, but didn't get to actually sorting papers and finding vital information until last week. I ended up with seven or eight file folders with stuff in them, a brown paper bag of papers for recycling, and an as-yet-unsorted mass, mostly of medical information, but with a leavening of charitable contributions and so on. I put the file folders, with all the W2 and other income forms, and the sorted household expenses and rental income information, back into the brown paper bag that said 2014 TAXES in large friendly letters, and then just slid the folders with sorted stuff in them down one side of the bag. I left the recycling in my bedroom, where I had been using the bed for sorting because my desk is a horror show; and I brought the bag of actual tax information, sorted and not, back into my office, because I was still discovering random credit-card statements and receipts for prescription medication and technicians' invoices for fixing dishwashers, and so on. Then I spent about a week and a half avoiding more sorting, though the deadline is approaching pretty quickly. At some point in this interval, I took out several brown paper bags of papers for recycling, labeled RECYCLING in large friendly letters.
Do not lecture me about this system. I know it is stupid. However, it has got me through catching up on *mumble* years of late taxes. Let me tell you, a brown paper bag for the year in question is a huge improvement over my previous method, which I don't intend to discuss because nobody could refrain from lecturing me about that one.
This afternoon, the internet went down. Well, I thought, I guess I'll sort some more of that stuff for taxes, and maybe get all the utility bills entered properly, because that's very tedious and I won't do it if I can do something more interesting. I picked up the brown paper bag from the location where I had left the one that said 2014 TAXES in large friendly letters. It said 2015 TAXES in letters superficially just as large but noticeably less friendly.
There are really too many brown paper bags in my office. It is okay, in my opinion, and do not start on me because I will not listen to you, to have bags of both useful paper and recycling. However, having the lovely shimmery moon and stars mobile that Eileen gave us as a housewarming present, which we recently had to take off the library light fixture but hope to hang elsewhere, in a brown paper bag is confusing; and having extra copies of the reissued Secret Country trilogy in a brown paper bag is confusing, and having a bag of brown sugar, a lidless refrigerator dish and a recipe for scones in a brown paper bag is DEEPLY CONFUSING. It's also less than helpful to have bags saying 2009 NON-TAX. They raise hope only to squash it flat again.
I spent a short time whimpering and emptying out bags of recycling. Then I thought, okay, I really do not think that that is the mistake that I made. I always read the bag and go through it before I recycle it. Always. Because I know my system is stupid.
I looked through every brown paper bag in the upstairs. We also have cat toys in paper bags. And sometimes actual cats.
I searched around and discovered that the IRS, grudgingly, has a way to get you a replacement copy of your W2 or other tax form, but it takes a long time. They prefer you to remember everything you need to about your employment, or have actual pay stubs, which seem to be going out of fashion quite fast, and reconstruct an estimate of your income and file that instead. I really didn't want to do that. One can also apply to the employers in question; how long that takes will of course vary with employer. I made about $26 in royalties last year, and the other income was made by David, with at least three different employers.
I decided to sleep on it, since I did not actually believe I had taken all the tax information and recycled it. Then I would have to email the accountants and hope that they would not also recommend the reconstruction of the income stream, not to mention the household expenses. At least the rental income is consistent, and one can get copies of bank and credit-card statements from the respective providers, though they tend to cut off abruptly at the date you want and demand compensation for sending you anything. Still, it could be done, one way or another.
The internet came back up. I started making vegan jambalaya. (NO, really, stop it. Nobody is making you eat it.) I went into my office, and Saffron was sprawled on the desk cushion. I reached out to rub her belly, and my brain said to me, "File drawer." I looked in the empty file drawer. Yes, yes, yes, it's empty because everything is in brown paper bags. It was not empty. In it was my bag with the folders and the unsorted receipts and statements, with 2014 TAXES in large friendly letters.
I now recalled quite clearly that Saffron had kept pawing at the bag of tax papers until it fell onto the floor, whereupon Cassie licked some of the bank statements. I have no idea; they were not visibly stained, nor did anything in the bag smell of anything but paper and dust. After three iterations of this behavior, I put the bag in the file drawer. Then, while procrastinating, I forgot all about it.
But now there is vegan jambalaya simmering on the stove, and it seems possible that sorting the damn papers won't be so tedious. At least they are there to be sorted.
Pamela
Do not lecture me about this system. I know it is stupid. However, it has got me through catching up on *mumble* years of late taxes. Let me tell you, a brown paper bag for the year in question is a huge improvement over my previous method, which I don't intend to discuss because nobody could refrain from lecturing me about that one.
This afternoon, the internet went down. Well, I thought, I guess I'll sort some more of that stuff for taxes, and maybe get all the utility bills entered properly, because that's very tedious and I won't do it if I can do something more interesting. I picked up the brown paper bag from the location where I had left the one that said 2014 TAXES in large friendly letters. It said 2015 TAXES in letters superficially just as large but noticeably less friendly.
There are really too many brown paper bags in my office. It is okay, in my opinion, and do not start on me because I will not listen to you, to have bags of both useful paper and recycling. However, having the lovely shimmery moon and stars mobile that Eileen gave us as a housewarming present, which we recently had to take off the library light fixture but hope to hang elsewhere, in a brown paper bag is confusing; and having extra copies of the reissued Secret Country trilogy in a brown paper bag is confusing, and having a bag of brown sugar, a lidless refrigerator dish and a recipe for scones in a brown paper bag is DEEPLY CONFUSING. It's also less than helpful to have bags saying 2009 NON-TAX. They raise hope only to squash it flat again.
I spent a short time whimpering and emptying out bags of recycling. Then I thought, okay, I really do not think that that is the mistake that I made. I always read the bag and go through it before I recycle it. Always. Because I know my system is stupid.
I looked through every brown paper bag in the upstairs. We also have cat toys in paper bags. And sometimes actual cats.
I searched around and discovered that the IRS, grudgingly, has a way to get you a replacement copy of your W2 or other tax form, but it takes a long time. They prefer you to remember everything you need to about your employment, or have actual pay stubs, which seem to be going out of fashion quite fast, and reconstruct an estimate of your income and file that instead. I really didn't want to do that. One can also apply to the employers in question; how long that takes will of course vary with employer. I made about $26 in royalties last year, and the other income was made by David, with at least three different employers.
I decided to sleep on it, since I did not actually believe I had taken all the tax information and recycled it. Then I would have to email the accountants and hope that they would not also recommend the reconstruction of the income stream, not to mention the household expenses. At least the rental income is consistent, and one can get copies of bank and credit-card statements from the respective providers, though they tend to cut off abruptly at the date you want and demand compensation for sending you anything. Still, it could be done, one way or another.
The internet came back up. I started making vegan jambalaya. (NO, really, stop it. Nobody is making you eat it.) I went into my office, and Saffron was sprawled on the desk cushion. I reached out to rub her belly, and my brain said to me, "File drawer." I looked in the empty file drawer. Yes, yes, yes, it's empty because everything is in brown paper bags. It was not empty. In it was my bag with the folders and the unsorted receipts and statements, with 2014 TAXES in large friendly letters.
I now recalled quite clearly that Saffron had kept pawing at the bag of tax papers until it fell onto the floor, whereupon Cassie licked some of the bank statements. I have no idea; they were not visibly stained, nor did anything in the bag smell of anything but paper and dust. After three iterations of this behavior, I put the bag in the file drawer. Then, while procrastinating, I forgot all about it.
But now there is vegan jambalaya simmering on the stove, and it seems possible that sorting the damn papers won't be so tedious. At least they are there to be sorted.
Pamela
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Date: 2015-07-31 12:03 am (UTC)No lecture from me. You're doing what needs to be done.
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Date: 2015-07-31 03:01 am (UTC)P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 05:58 am (UTC)My house cleaning system is like that, only less organized.
My yard...I think you see the pattern.
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Date: 2015-07-31 05:23 pm (UTC)P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 08:05 pm (UTC)See also: my abject failure at any kind of career.
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Date: 2015-08-12 01:05 am (UTC)P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 12:32 am (UTC)And vegan jambalaya sounds delicious! :D
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Date: 2015-07-31 03:02 am (UTC)Paper bags were what I lit upon when I realized that if I kept saying, "I can't do X until I clean my office," X would never, ever happen.
P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 01:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 01:27 am (UTC)It's the magical mix of onion, green pepper, and celery sauteed in olive oil, with Tony Chachere's seasoning, only I didn't have any, but I found a recipe for a similar Creole seasoning and just use that; plus some chopped fresh garlic, vegetable broth, bay leaves, hot sauce, canned diced tomatoes, brown basmati rice, and an extremely generous amount of minced parsley. Then you just put the protein of choice in at the end and wait til it's heated through. I often add extra smoked paprika. The recipe calls for vegan Worcestershire sauce but I haven't tried that. I could use regular instead, since we do eat fish, but I keep forgetting to get any. I don't feel the recipe really needs it, I'm mostly curious at this stage.
P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 12:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 05:29 pm (UTC)Take that out of the pan and put it aside. Put in a couple more tablespoons of olive oil, and one diced onion, one diced green pepper, and two diced celery stalks. Let them cook without stirring till the bottom stuff is wilted and a little brown, then turn the mass over and let the other side wilt and brown. Recipe says this takes three minutes, but I am worried about burning things, so it takes five or six on the heat level I use.
Add two teaspoons of Creole seasoning, three bay leaves, a teaspoon of hot sauce, two teaspoons of the vegan Worcestershire or maybe some soy sauce, 3/4 cup brown rice, 3 cups Imagine No-Chicken Broth or vegetable broth, 1 can diced tomatoes, and 4 cloves chopped garlic. Bring to a simmer, cover, and let cook for about 45 minutes. Add half a bunch of minced parsley and the sauteed protein, stir around til it's all heated, eat with pleasure. People who like very hot things can add more hot sauce or more Creole seasoning. If you don't use Imagine broth and also don't use the soy or Worcestershire, it might need a bit of added salt. (This also depends on what kind of Creole seasoning you use; some has salt, some doesn't.) Serves four.
The Creole seasoning I found a recipe for is Tony Chachere's, but there are dozens and dozens.
P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 05:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-08-12 01:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-08-12 04:23 am (UTC)P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 01:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 03:03 am (UTC)P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 03:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 05:11 pm (UTC)P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 02:21 am (UTC)Fortunately, Roy does all that. I just put everything on credit cards so that he has a paper trail. I sincerely hope I predecease him.
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Date: 2015-07-31 03:05 am (UTC)David did it all for years, but at some point he was overwhelmed at work and things went to pieces, and then I ended up picking up the pieces because, while lacking in organization and talent for such things, I had more free time. Now it's a tradition.
P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 02:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 03:05 am (UTC)P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 12:45 pm (UTC)Not to mention the joysome event when the puppy, having finished the execution of the paper sack, turns her not-so-tiny dragon-like teeth upon the papers which make me her Personal Human a bit gloomy and sad.
I considered sticking the bags under the bed, but I had forgotten we put the mattresses on the floor.
If only my desk had a handy filing cabinet....
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Date: 2015-07-31 05:13 pm (UTC)But yes, young enthusiastic smart chewy creature. Oooof.
I use plastic boxes for finished taxes because they keep the dust out.
P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 01:08 pm (UTC)Your system sounds uncomfortably akin to our . . . (searching for a word, falling back on) system.
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Date: 2015-07-31 05:16 pm (UTC)*snortgiggle* Yeah. I know. When I went to the paper bag, um, that's what we had. Plastic stacking tubs are really pricy. But paper bags come into the house on a weekly basis and, while useful as packing material and cat caves, mostly just stack up. They are uniform and can be labelled. My only complaint, really, is that they don't keep the dust out. One could fold over the tops and clip them, but this reduces the chance that I'll put a random piece of paper in one when I feel the urge, and that's bad.
P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 02:09 pm (UTC)Nice to know we have at least one part of the mess in common!
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Date: 2015-07-31 05:19 pm (UTC)There are two of us filing jointly; both of us are often self-employed, though David does have long stretches where his taxes would be simple if he were single; we have rental income from the duplex we live in with two others, and that income must be declared, so that it is advisable to tot up all the household expenses, from utility bills to garden gloves; and because of the self-employment, we often pay for our own health insurance and medical expenses can be deductible. It is very argh.
P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 02:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 05:21 pm (UTC)I used to have a TO BE FILED box too. It was a great help when I went to TAXES and NON-TAX. Though NON-TAX is after the fact. I don't put those in a bag as I go. I just let them pile up.
P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 02:54 pm (UTC)And I agree that vegan jambalaya sounds yummy.
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Date: 2015-07-31 05:22 pm (UTC)P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 07:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 07:17 pm (UTC)P.
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Date: 2015-07-31 07:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 10:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-31 11:28 pm (UTC)And as I know from topping and tailing beans, and putting the tops and tails in one bowl and the part we're going to eat in another... it's easy to be confused about which is which, with potentially disastrous results. Sounds like you're doing heroically!
And vegan jambalaya sounds delicious!
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Date: 2015-08-12 01:08 am (UTC)I have done just that thing with beans, and also potatoes and their peels, incredibly.
I love the story about closing a bank account rather than dealing with the checkbook balancing. I can so very much relate.
P.
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Date: 2015-08-01 01:08 am (UTC)I have a cardboard box. When I get a tax document, if it is for a new tax year, I reuse its envelope and label it " TAXES". When I get another document, if the previous envelope has room, the document goes in, or I reuse that envelope and restart. At the end of the year, I go through my cardboard box and collect the envelopes and sort through them.
If I had lots more receipts and stuff, I'd reuse one of the big envelopes that sometimes comes in, possibly for stuff unrelated to taxes. But if I really had lots of receipts to keep for taxes, then I'd
give upstrongly consider paper bags, too.no subject
Date: 2015-08-12 01:09 am (UTC)P.
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Date: 2015-08-01 04:02 am (UTC)It's a system when people care about it, it has components, boundaries, and effects change, and it would be different if components were removed. That's pretty much it.
Well, and the solution has to be at least as complicated as the problem if it's going to function as a solution. You're doing very well at not making the solution you apply more complex than the problem.
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Date: 2015-08-12 01:10 am (UTC)Your last paragraph is SUCH A COMFORT, I cannot tell you.
P.
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Date: 2015-08-12 12:39 pm (UTC)There's a lot of home accounting advice out there that presumes that the household accounts are appropriately on the same armature as, say, provisioning an aircraft carrier, and it annoys me from a system design perspective.
The get-up-and-pace result was fine, really it was; included as an indication of effective writing.
(I was reasonably certain that you wouldn't be using quite that register if there had indeed been a records disaster, but nerving myself up to fill out IRS forms (to invoke tax treaties for ebooks) takes me some effort, and they're not even my tax agency, as it were.)
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Date: 2015-08-06 01:45 pm (UTC)I guess we also have a magnet on the fridge with to-be-sorted household receipts, my personal and household expense spreadsheets, and a number of gmail tags. This year's big innovation was the creation of the Being A Grownup/Taxes gmail tag. (Last year's innovation was grouping all of these tags under the heading Being a Grownup.)
Mind you, my finances are generally pretty simple, so a one-year layer of papers in the box is usually fewer than twenty or thirty items deep.
One of these days I'll actually move to a proper file system with hanging folders and such. My mother did try to get me started on one when I was a kid, but I wound up throwing most of it out when I was in college because the categories that had been useful at age ten were not relevant at age twenty, and I really didn't have enough papers to justify it.
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Date: 2015-08-06 01:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-08-12 01:11 am (UTC)P.