Gardeners are thinking of clearing the soil, fertilizing, planting and preparing the soil this time of year. They know that for growth and new nourishment the land must be cleared and prepared for the upcoming season. This is the time to purge, process, and clean up your financial world to make more space for the new. We must be open to the abundance of the new season and make room for it. This applies to financial paperwork as well.

My Nanie taught me the most about spring cleaning and gardening that is very helpful still today:

Don’t Do Too Much
Enjoy a Treat At the End

Here is what I remember: The ritual of dusting and vacuuming the house leaving no rug unturned as we freshen up the house after the winter. As a young girl, I loved joining my grandmother in the task of spring cleaning her home. She would add rearranging the living room furniture and changing the curtains to the usual cleaning. When we finished, the house smelled fresh, and the floors and furniture sparkled. We would take a moment to examine and appreciate our work when we were done. I found the process satisfying as well as an opportunity to spend time with my grandmother. She always sensed when I was tiring and rewarded the cleaning with cup of tea and a treat.

Spring clean your financial life! Here are two places to start so you do not get overwhelmed:

First, find out how much you are paying for subscriptions on-line: Videos, music and podcasts add up. Once you know how much, you can decide if you use all those services. Which ones to keep? Change? or Unsubscribe? Take some action.

Second, set up a place to keep all your financial information. Whether you put it in a digital file or a paper file, be sure you have investments, banking and insurance information all in one place for easy access.

Then, be sure to give yourself a non-financial treat: A walk with a friend, bake something special or just sleep in tomorrow!

Happy Spring!