Paper-Tamers' Challenge - Tame by April, 2015

[blessedw2]

expenses marked and checked against account activity
january so far done

[lucylee]

This is sort of a paper question.
I have a huge problem w/magazines. I LOVE magazines. I subscribe to Real Simple, Redbook, & Good Housekeeping, and sometimes buy Woman's World or that Just for You (? Is that the name of it?) at the checkout counter.
I try very hard to do the 1 in, 2 out method of decluttering them and keeping the stack down...
and I try to tear out articles that I want to save...
but THEN...
I have this stack of articles, folded, on my nightstand... and I never seem to get back to them.
Any solutions to this situation???

[Harriet]

Well, it is Monday the 19th so here I am. Ready to tackle Office declutter, since next Monday begins Office Focus cleaning. I have a feeling this will first include a lot of general tossing and organizing and putting like with like. Then get down to Desk Day organization. Like what supplies and containers will I use to organize bill paying in 2015, best use of desk and desk cubbies, etc.

How long do ya'll keep insurance policy papers? When is it time to look at a year of them and let that year go? Is it important to recall how your policies have been changed or upgraded through the years?

lucylee, maybe I'm the wrong person to chat about magazines. I've almost given up on magazines. If I never bring them into the house, I never have a problem with them, so avoidance has become my method. I don't mean to make your problem look worse, but do you also have a problem with catalogs? I do. Those few that I do use (or those I dream of being able to use) make me worry that I will miss a sale or product and I have a hard time letting go, and they always have "catalog only" deals. The ones from sewing and quiltmaking companies are nearly timeless and have creative ideas - aauuugh! Just the fact that you do have articles cut out puts you ahead of me. I usually am an "all or nothing" mag declutterer who finally closes her eyes and tosses.

blessed, you have done so well. I bet your stacking storage containers look neat together. Dust is kept off those well-contained items, too - don't forget that help.

[lucylee]

Harriet, I don't have a big problem w/catalogs. I look through them, turn down corners of pages if I see something I think I might want to buy, but usually I just throw them out b/c I know I can find whatever it is online.
I ended up w/the magazine clippings in a small ziplock bag. They stick out the top, folded in half, but they are still "corralled" a little better and less dust-collecting. I guess when they won't stay in the ziplock bag, I'll be forced to go through them and make 3x5's of any really important notes... throw out stuff that bores me now... and maybe put others in ring binders for future reference.

Sadly though, a lot of things I save "for future reference" seem to be forgotten about when the future time comes.

[blessedw2]

d Lucy: I scan certain articles then mark on the calendar to go through them. I find, I delete most of them when that calendar date makes me go through the scanned articles. I find pulling things are more impulse than anything, for me. I have, in the past, taken scanned pictures, I have liked, and place them on my pinterest page for further reference instead of keeping them in other parts of my computer.

i have 2 file folders for kitchen/decorating and garden and now have marked on my hang up calendar to go through them in 6 months - i find that I toss most of the pages as my tastes change.

I don't have a problem anymore with magazines building up because after seeing a d family members collection broke me of the habit of going beyond that month. she is in her 80s and she had kept articles and some magazines from the 50s/60s - if I haven't looked at the month before I don't break it open (even though it kills me lol) - it goes out to recycling. I also found by doing this.. I was more apt to take time to look at that magazine when I get it. It was a hard habit to get into (it took me a year until I no longer felt the pull ) I can always go to the library and see it if I want it.

I had the same thing.. regarding future reference... those cool ideas in magazines are sooooo tempting. Scanning them takes them physically out of your house.

d Harriet... thanks for the product review... I do love that swiffer duster even though I don't like spending the money on them - its good to know that other items are not as good before I buy them... thank you.

re insurance - my d brother is the insurance whiz in our family... he takes care of everyones stuff so I am not the person to ask. I could ask him if you would like.

[blessedw2]

all spending listed - now to separate into spending categories and then add it all together.

December 2014 as far as I can see is done.
When I am home... add together.

[Harriet]

I do get a lot of use out of ring binders, lucylee. Some I don't know what I'd do without. Protective, easy to spot, will stand on end like books and look neat, thank goodness, even if you know the contents are haphazard. Those clear sleeves with the 3 holes on the side are helpful, and sometimes the 3-ring pencil pouches for odd items that aren't like pages.

blessed you are a wonder. I can't believe how much you are getting done. Filing taxes with be a breeze for you this year. Hope I can come close to that.

I didn't realize it, but the chore of paperwork for the Angel Tree reports was bugging me. Probably had me thinking about how many people could be let down if I didn't get all the info in while I still remembered it all, and there was some guilt starting. I am so happy I just completed it early today. It's all off in the mail, well ahead of time, so that I can put it out of my mind. That has been a tough project and very eye-opening to me, to see the volume of work and worry in that type of high-expectation volunteering.

It's interesting - I think the final paperwork being on my desk waiting was continuing to remind me of anxiety I felt other times during the project.

The surface of my desk is made of wood - new discovery.

[DeeClutter]

having moleskin 5 x 7 lined books (1 book for each month) - has spending and budget - different colors for each month (set up now for whole year)

Not sure what 'moleskin' is, Blessedw2 -would you mind expanding a bit?

[blessedw2]

D Harriet not only did you get your Angel tree work done while it was fresh on your mind but you also blessed the next person who does that job! I know I have gotten the project folder from the year before and was shocked by the lack of anything worthwhile I could gleam off of to do the job at hand. You should be proud by the hard work (and work for the good) you did for the Angel tree. a Wonderful blessing.


http://europeanpaper.com/product/moleskine-volant-extra-large-ruled-notebook-mvx14/
I use 5 x 7 moleskine lined booklets for each month - I do not pay even close to the cost on this site. I like the bright colors.

[blessedw2]

I have been getting the information together for accountant and dh. I have to update my February 2015 spending. I have everything listed - but I want to get the spending on my Exel file for February (I like the excel because it adds all the numbers together).