Let’s face it. It’s always the right time to better organise our finances. Some people enjoy bringing order to the mess of paperwork that attends loans, credit cards, superannuation and bills. For others, getting on top of the income versus spending calculation is work – a lot of work.

But it’s also one of those tasks that can pay huge dividends for only a small investment of time. So now that winter has passed, here is a checklist for spring cleaning your personal finances. Print it out, stick it on the fridge and tick off each item as you get it sorted.

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We’ve spoken to the experts on the best ways to de-clutter your finances and save for months and years ahead.

1. Create an emergency folder

Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees CEO Tom Garcia says it is an “extremely good idea” to organise all of your important financial documents into a single folder.

“It would make everything a lot easier for the spouse or the children if something really dramatic happened to sort out where all the money is, where the insurance is, where the shares might be, where the bank accounts are,” Mr Garcia says.

Don’t forget to name who will inherit your super. Photo: ShutterStock

2. Check who will inherit your super

Every super fund gives you the option of naming who will inherit your money if you die.

Mr Garcia says this needs to be reviewed regularly, especially if your family circumstances have changed.

“You really need to keep up to date, because some people don’t. They forget about it, and if they get divorced or something happens and they haven’t changed it and it can be quite a bad outcome for the people who are left behind when the person passes away,” Mr Garcia says.

3. Write a Will

Don’t have one? Now is the time to see a lawyer, Mr Garcia recommends.

Don’t use a Will kit, Mr Garcia says, because these can create more trouble than they are worth.

• Read more: What you can learn from Philip Seymour Hoffman’s will

4. Shop around for insurance

Mr Garcia “strongly suggests” doing a check of your insurance premiums – for your car, life, house and more – to see if you are paying too much.

“Go online and check, because so often you can find a significantly better deal if you just spend half an hour looking around,” he says.

Mr Garcia did this recently and saved almost 50 per cent on premiums for car insurance, but he warns that you should be wary of exit fees.

Keep your credit report clean. Photo: Shutterstock

5. Check your credit report

ASIC MoneySmart’s Miles Larbey says it is a good idea to check your credit report to make sure there are no mistakes that could affect your credit record and stop you from borrowing when you need to.

You can get a copy of your credit report for free every year. It can take up to 10 working days, so get in early.

If there are loans or credit in your report that you know nothing about, it could mean someone has stolen your identity and taken out loans in your name. If you think this has happened, Mr Larbey suggests you go to ASIC MoneySmart’s website for more information on identity theft and what to do next.

6. Track down and consolidate your super

If you haven’t already, Mr Larbey also suggests that Spring is a good time to pool all your super into a single account.

Not only can you save on fees, but you’ll also be sent less paperwork, which means less clutter around the house.

Be sure the fund you choose to consolidate into offers all the services you want and that your employer can contribute to this fund, Mr Larbey cautions.

And before you consolidate, you might want to see if you have any super you’ve lost or forgotten about. Find out how to track it down here.

7. Clean up your credit card debt

Spring is the perfect time to get your credit card debt under control before the Summer splurge comes around.

Mr Larbey recommends using the ASIC MoneySmart calculator to see the impact of paying off your credit card debt.

• Read more: 10 ways to control your credit card debt

8. Reconcile your accounts

Financial Counselling Australia CEO Fiona Guthrie says we should be scouring our bank and credit card statements all the time.

“It is surprising the number of people who don’t, and sometimes people find they are paying a direct debit that is being deducted twice, for example. And it’s the only way to check for identity theft,” Ms Guthrie says.

9. Start a spending diary

Keeping track of your spending is painful at the start, Ms Guthrie says, but will reap you benefits in coming months in reduced spending.

“Do this for a couple of weeks, and you’ll find where your spending leaks are,” she says.

ASIC MoneySmart offers the TrackMySpend app, which will help you do this for free.

• Read more: The apps that will save you hundreds of dollars

10. Sell your junk on Ebay

Ms Guthrie says this is a great way to empty your house of clutter and supercharge your savings goal.

“It’s the old story of ‘your trash is someone else’s treasure’ and then do something sensible with that money,” Ms Guthrie says.