How to Organize Your Bank Accounts for Better Money Management

You ever look at your online banking and think… what even is all this?

Same 😂

At some point, most people end up with a pile of accounts they don’t really use, don’t really understand, or honestly just forgot about. A checking account from college. A savings account with $47.12 in it that you’re “keeping open just in case.” An investment account from an old job that you haven’t logged into since you left the company. 

But here’s the thing: those accounts take up space. Mentally, emotionally, and financially.

Some of them might feel like security blankets. Some of them might be tied to who you used to be. Some might just exist because you were too busy to close them. But we don’t need to keep holding onto old versions of ourselves or our finances.

This is your permission slip to clean it up.

An account audit is basically a financial spring clean (yes, even in the middle of summer). We’re going to simplify, reorganize, and give every dollar a job—and maybe even say goodbye to the account you opened when you were 19 and thought being an adult meant choosing the bank closest to your dorm.

Let’s do it.

✅ Step 1: Make a List of Everything

Pull up all your financial accounts and write them down. I mean everything.

• Personal checking accounts
• Savings accounts 
• High-yield savings accounts (HYSAs)
• Investment accounts
• Business accounts (if you run a biz)

Write down which bank each account is held with and the current balance.

🧠 Step 2: Define the Purpose of Every Account

Ask yourself, what is this account for?

• Is this your main checking account, where income hits and bills get paid?
• Is this HYSA where your emergency fund lives?
• Is this a short-term savings account for vacation, holidays, or your bestie’s wedding?
• Is this your brokerage or Roth IRA, and do you know what it’s invested in?

If an account doesn’t have a clear purpose right now, make a note of that too.

🧹 Step 3: Clean House

Now look at everything and be honest:

• Are you keeping a savings account open with $12 in it… just because?
• Do you have three checking accounts and no idea why?
• Is your money scattered between accounts that don’t serve a real purpose?

This is your invitation to simplify. Fewer accounts = less stress.

💸 Step 4: Reorganize + Reallocate

Once you know what’s staying and where, move your money around with intention:

• Transfer your emergency savings into your HYSA (if it’s not there already).
• Combine checking accounts if you’ve got more than one for no reason; choose one for primary use. 
• Set up funds for your short-term savings goals (you can use account nicknames, buckets, or separate savings accounts depending on your bank and goals).
• Consider rolling over 401(k)s from previous employers (you can work with a financial coach or financial planner to help with this process).

And yes, go ahead and close the accounts you no longer need. You don’t owe the bank a breakup text. 

💡 Pro Tip: Here's What You Actually Need

You don’t need 12 accounts to be “good with money.” In fact, most of our clients find this setup works best:

• 1 checking account
• 1 HYSA for your emergency fund
• 1–3 short-term savings accounts for specific goals
• Business checking & savings accounts, if you’re a business owner
• Investment accounts (401k, IRA, brokerage, HSA, etc., depending on your employer and overall financial plan)

That’s it. Clean, simple, intentional.

When your accounts are organized, your money is easier to track, your goals feel more attainable, and your nervous system can actually relax a little. 

This isn’t just cleanup—it’s claiming your financial power.