Tips for Organizing Utility Bills
Amongst the heaps of paper clutter in any home, utility bills are another problem. While you can reduce paper clutter by throwing most of it away, utility bills are important. You can’t just throw them out. However, if they’re all over the area, that’s no good either. Here’s what you can do about them:
Keep them in one place:
The most common crisis when it comes to utility bills is not finding that one receipt or bill you need, just because all of your bills weren't organized in one place. So, the first thing you need to do for organizing your utility bills is to keep all of them in one place. In this modern era and digital age, where everything can be done through phones or computers, some bills, important business documents, and receipts still exist in paper form. Or, if it is available via electronically but you're not much of a tech person, you keep all of your utilities in physical form. If that's the case, you need to keep them safe and organized in one place, such as in a binder, folder, or even a caddy. Similarly, create a folder on your computer where you can keep all of the bills you've received electronically.
Open all the bills:
Many people avoid opening their bills or even getting them from the mail to evade the bad news. But, this makes the entire situation even worse. Not facing the utility bills timely is one of the top organizing mistakes you can make for your home. You end up increasing the clutter in your home, or the worst-case scenario, you might end up losing the only hard copy by mixing it with junk. So, don't delay the unpleasant task of viewing your monthly phone bill or internet charges, or dealing with the credit card bill, as it's the exact opposite of financial organization.
Lump bills together:
Even if you have a whole pile of organized bills and payment receipts, taking care of it is still a hassle. What's better than a single invoice consisting of all the transactions and payments you've done? If you are given the option of consolidating your bills, you should always go for it. Even if you're confused, you can always call and ask your provider for this specific service. Sometimes, you might even get a lower or discounted overall bill by grouping them. Even if it's a dollar, it'll be worth it. You can lump your telephone, internet, and cable or your rental, house, and auto insurance bills together. If you love the idea of having a minimalistic home, this tip also complements that, as "less is more".
Proper naming:
Although you might have stacked all of your documents and collected them in one place, it still doesn't mean you're all organized. You need to arrange and categorize all the files somehow, and the best way to serve you is by following a systematic naming method. Work in an organization that has multiple facilities in various countries. The most convenient system can address them in the "Address - City - State - Zip Code - Utility - Account Number - YYYYMM" order. This way, once you've organized your bills according to the utility, you'll know whether you're being overcharged. If you only want to organize your home utility bills, a simpler system will work for you. You can group specific bills and use a protruding sticky note to separate them from the rest. For instance, you can use a flashcard to separate all of your electricity and gas bills.
Final Verdict
Once you get a hang of organizing your utility bills with these hacks, your life will become so much simpler. They won’t take up unnecessary space and they’ll be easier to manage and find. What more could you ask for?
