Paper Tamers' Mid-Year Tidy & Challenges 2011

A place for organizing, simplifying, checklists, challenges and ta-das.
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Harriet
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Paper Tamers' Mid-Year Tidy & Challenges 2011

Postby Harriet » Wed Jun 01, 2011 4:51 pm

Just think of all the paper chores we need Calgon to take us away from... ... :shock:

Mailbox dailies
Thank you notes
Bill paying
Financial plan
A clear desk?
Refrigerator art
Magazines
Office supplies
Greeting cards to send
Greeting cards received
A filing system?
Medical records
Catalogs
Stash 'n Dash recovery!

(breathe)

That list could go on and on. And Calgon is so unreliable. Better take charge.

Let's get suspicious :| of all that paper and make some changes with a mid-year "tidy" together. Join us here in this thread as we tackle the paper, in its many forms, that can clog or clutter our efficient homes. We'll simplify our lives.

Tell us :idea: what routines do you recommend? What systems are working? What supplies are MUST haves? You have no idea how swamped sister paper tamers may be... ...

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bittersweet
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Re: Paper Tamers' Mid-Year Tidy & Challenges 2011

Postby bittersweet » Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:23 am

What I started working on this week is revamping my filing system. Instead of actually filing, I've just been stacking papers *sigh* ...NOT good! I spent about 15 minutes on Tuesday going through some of the stack of papers, and took about 200 sheets of paper - everything from 2009 utility bills to old letters from companies we no longer deal with - to work with me and tossed them in the shredding bin.

I'll be doing at least two more 15 minute sessions up there this weekend...there's still lots of papers to go through! Once it's been culled a bit more, I can clean the old stuff out of the filing drawer, and start getting things filed away properly.
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." Ralph Waldo Emerson

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bittersweet
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Re: Paper Tamers' Mid-Year Tidy & Challenges 2011

Postby bittersweet » Tue Jun 28, 2011 11:59 pm

I didn't get back to the paper sorting at all over the weekend. Then today was payday at work, and having looked at my online bank statement, it's become startlingly apparent that I really need to get a proper budget in place!!! Since last payday (two weeks ago), I've spent almost $400 just at the grocery stores! :shock: That doesn't include eating out, smokes, meds, or gas for the car. We already have quite a bit of food in the house, so quite what I was spending all that money on is beyond me! The amount of pop and coffee creamer we go through around here is ridiculous...that I DO know. Time to get back to the basics of menu planning and shopping with a list!
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Nancy
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Re: Paper Tamers' Mid-Year Tidy & Challenges 2011

Postby Nancy » Tue Jul 05, 2011 3:14 pm

Tackling the journals has me manning the shredding detail this week for a day or three.
Making progress on this has me doing paper tamers challenges h. even got involved and
hubby cleaned his office out last month yea for progress!

Done done done with the shredding of old journals Yea!
I can't begin to say how happy that makes me.
I've swept up the mess made from the paper on the floor too. =D

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Harriet
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Re: Paper Tamers' Mid-Year Tidy & Challenges 2011

Postby Harriet » Tue Oct 04, 2011 12:55 pm

Here is a current (today) article and video on setting up a "money zone" in your home for handling day-to-day tasks.

I found it very helpful, although I thought the bulletin board was unnecessary and almost silly, and the file for receipts was too small. It did not deal with ongoing projects, such as an after-hospitalization stack of medical papers or all the filing for a parent's estate.

But it does "cut to the chase" and remind that this really isn't rocket science and a lot of the papers we are saving can be tossed. Also that it is possible to have a neat desk (not that neat - but then, she is fictional!).

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Re: Paper Tamers' Mid-Year Tidy & Challenges 2011

Postby Harmony » Fri Oct 07, 2011 12:38 pm

Nice basic article. I've got multiple areas / systems set up and wish I could find some way of streamlining, but there is a lot involved, so I guess not. Business things, rental house, personal stuff, all need their own stuff. I guess the key is getting something set up and using it. I have relatives who don't have much of a system and can see it's a problem. As far as discarding everything, DD once had no utility bills saved to prove to agency that she lives where she said she does!

Video has moved on (today at least) to an organization of clothes closet, also interesting.

avadavis

Re: Paper Tamers' Mid-Year Tidy & Challenges 2011

Postby avadavis » Sun Dec 11, 2011 2:52 pm

I have recently taken my philosophy of my clothes closet (if I haven't worn it within 6 months, I get rid of it) to handling mail and bills. I keep the latest copy of a bill and toss the others. I make it a point to read magazines within 1 week of receipt. It has been a wonderful streamlining of my paper pile that just seemed to keep building higher and higher!

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Re: Paper Tamers' Mid-Year Tidy & Challenges 2011

Postby Nancy » Sun Dec 11, 2011 3:11 pm

I worked on some of this on Sat. before the no show showing!


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