If you're a longtime reader of our blog you know that we are big advocates of clearing out your clutter and donating items. If you need the motivation to declutter click here to read one of our previous posts. If you've already cleared out one or more rooms in your home chances are you have a big collection of items to donate. Many of us make the mistake of bagging or boxing items up as we go and then getting them out of the house as quickly as possible. On the surface that's a great plan. Who wants unsightly piles of unwanted goods taking up space? Think back a few months to when you last did your taxes. Remember that section about donated goods? How did you handle itemizing your donations? Did you have detailed records or did you just guess? Most people fall into the latter category. They have receipts that list the number of bags or boxes donated but sketchy records, if any, listing what was in each container. Even if you have an itemized list it's unlikely that you also recorded the condition and approximate value of each item so you're guessing at that aspect. Most people assume the only thing they have to worry about is being audited and they let it go. The bigger issue is the fact that you probably aren't claiming as much value for your donations as you're entitled to and that means that you are giving away money each and every year.
The good news is that Stockpile fast simple inventory solution can help! If you enter items into Stockpile as you purchase them you'll already have records that may include your purchase price. Whether you included the price or not, these records will tell you how long you've owned an item which can give you a great idea of what condition it was in when you got rid of it. If you already use Stockpile fast simple inventory solution you know you'll need to update your records to indicate the items you are eliminating so it will be an easy add-on to create records of what is being donated. If you aren't using Stockpile yet, now is a great time to start. As you declutter you're going to want to create records for the items that you're keeping so you can find everything in your newly organized space. Plus, you'll want to create records for the items that you're donating so that you'll have that information come tax time.
Don't Just Give Your Stuff Away | Track Donations with Our Fast Simple Inventory Solution
Entering items into Stockpile is quick and easy so it isn't the big job that you might assume it would be. Stockpile is fully customizable so you can choose the fields that make the most sense to you. Don't worry about having to add lots of details that you don't need. You create the kind of files that you'd like to have. It's easy to run reports with Stockpile which can really take the headaches out of tax prep and while that may not be on your mind right now, you'll be really happy the next time you get ready to file.
Stockpile is also mobile compatible, so you can access your data anytime from anywhere. This might keep you from making some purchases that are destined to be future donations. Get the most out of your possessions, whether you're keeping them or donating them. Get Stockpile today!
