PaperTamers' Challenge - Tame by 2009

[Harriet]

The end of the year is a helpful, natural time to get caught up on papertaming. There are some specific paper-deadlines near end of year. But, more important, the general nature of a lot of recordkeeping is annual. So we'll get extra satisfaction from our efforts if we can complete a well-documented year, then start a new year with an easy-to-access, neat-looking paper-life. Time will be saved!

Paper, including filing/recordkeeping; billpaying/finance-planning; computer updating; social/correspondence upkeep; and just plain "stacks of indecision" is probably our most depressing organizational problem. Since it is tied up in every aspect of our lives, getting our papertaming in order can have a huge positive effect on our well being, with more control and less frustration.

As this challenge is posted, there are 6 weeks until year's end. What each of us needs to work on is individual, so let's just say the challenge is to control at least one nagging aspect of PaperTaming by January 1.

Please post here any tips and ideas to help others, any recommendations of supplies or storage that have helped you. Feel free to ask questions about how long others keep documents, how they consolidate storage, how they keep on top of complicated tasks, ways to simplify correspondence - whatever advice will help you!

[blessedw2]

this is so appropriate for me! i did very well and then stopped a couple 2 months ago, so now before it really falls apart (which I think it has ) I need to get that back to square one before december. I need help with this one now, dh I think with out meaning to is putting it out of his mind again as it becomes my domain for him. Then he askes how we are doing... I am not the best at controlling money, I am not a spend thrift but I am not good at knowing where it goes, even though i write it in a book. sometimes I forget to keep the money spent written down.
this will be a focus this week after the photo project.

[Harriet]

My tip so far – use pocket folders for current files instead of plain manila file folders. They’ll hold odd-sized papers better – even cards - and become portable if needed, look nicer. Get various colors so you can grab the right one fast.

Site to help us – Where to keep/How long to keep Papers

My Goals –
#1 – control our files for easy access
#2 – organize my parents’ files
#3 –Cardfile rethink! (my fun goal)

Working on the #1 goal - I’ve cleared my desktop with a declutter and cleaned it. Just having a clear, neat surface gives me confidence. Here’s all that is on my desktop:

phone
standing 5-slot "step" file holder for immediate items
tall clear mug for pens and scissors
computer monitor
paperweight I love
3-hole punch (may not need that out)
Accordion file for 2008 bills and statements

Above the desk’s “hutch” are peripherals, computer paper, basket of homemaking books including my Household Notebook. I tossed a lot of unnecessary papers while doing this. I may choose to bring one more thing here - my cardfile (I have kept it in the kitchen).

Then I used our made-bed surface to sort all office supplies except the desk-drawer things. Very happy to find ALL envelopes of several types will fit well into one of my desk’s upper cabinets. How helpful to know every envelope in the house is in one place. Also there, a small Swiffer container that fits fine, with “new pens and pencils” marked on a piece of scotch tape that I can peel off and change any time.

8.5x11 size supplies (label sheets, graph paper, sheet protectors, business-card sheet protectors, report covers) may either go to the filing cabinet, or, if I find there is room, a cubby of the desk.

Next up, the file cabinet makeover, and then time to turn my attention to my parents' files.

[DeeClutter]

Nice challenge, Harriet. I'm gradually sorting and filing papers that I brought with me. I have a 'portable' filing brief case that I try to keep current. Most of 2008's I placed in manila envelopes and labeled the top right corner as to what the contents were: I.E. "Medical 2008", "Investments 2008". Those I'll place in a file basket I had bought for our RV and decided this was a better place for it.

I also have a lot of 'church' papers with me to sort and get filed per year -have lots more at our RV.

I, like Blessedw2, am working on photos. Took 5 35mm cannisters to be developed -lots were from the 90's. I will send those where they need to go or file them with mine. I have lots more cannisters to develop and plan to do about 4 or 5 each month. Want to work on albums for us and the dk's -perhaps for next Christmas. I'd like to get them done over this winter so I can take them home with me to leave as gifts for next year.

My desk -the one we brought down with us is already a mess inside. The top looks great! I've mainly put everything (odds 'n ends) in the top full width drawer. Need something in there to separate things so they don't get jumbled. I actually put my blood glucose tester in there as I'm finding it to be more convenient for me to sit here, test and put the #'s in Excel.

I will surely read over your suggestions again. I want PAPER to be T A M E D.

[Harriet]

blessed, I'm impressed you write it down - you have a record, then. A lot of people don't know what they've done from one day to the next so you are ahead of the game. I know you are relieved to have the copies of the old photos. It's probably good that you are a little "obsessed" as you said and will plow through and finish the photograph project so you can relax and get on to other organizations.

The extra papers are what's getting to me, Dee - like you have the church papers, I have my parents' household papers. There's just a greater sense of responsibility when you are charged with handling others' paperwork. You really can't be casual about that, plus it will drive you crazy if there are TWO you don't have under control! lol

Continuing on the #1 goal - I cleared out two drawers of our filing cabinet and cleaned them. I again spread things out on my made bed surface to have plenty of room to sort. I used the link, above, to make some tossing decisions.

To the trash cans today, a tall kitchen garbage bag full of the declutter. I estimate 4 square feet now of newly freed-up space, most in the filing cabinet.

Next up – More of the same, but heavier on the actual sorting and creation of files. Also continuing to see if I can consolidate around my desk. I haven’t even opened the desk drawer yet!

Working on the #2 goal – I’ve started an accordion file for my parents to gather every item I may have around here – doctor’s cards in my purse, notes and statements I’ve saved to handle for them, directions to doctor’s offices, etc. I’ll sort those and know what I have, then start on files at their house.

Next Up - Check out their file cabinet to see what’s going on there, and if it’s really as poorly used as they say. Find out WHY my mom would rather use baskets instead of that cabinet. Consolidate. Find a cut-off date between those files and what I’ll start keeping for them. Decide where I should file what.

[catnipper]

I have one tip for collecting and corraling all those scraps of paper in your address book:
I created a spreadsheet in MS Excel with First Name, Last Name, Address, City, State, Zip, Phone, Cell Phone, Email.

Each line is for one contact; you just list what you have.

Then, when learning to print address labels for a reunion, I learned that this information could fit on the labels,so
I print 30 addresses to a page and list the last names by ABC, DEF, GHI, etc. This way each year I only have to print the pages that have corrections written on them.

[Harriet]

Hi catnipper I'm glad you joined in posting again - good to see you. That is a sensible system for addresses. My dh does something like that but I don't believe he keeps it up well. He really should - it's likely more help than my address cardfile. I have kept an address cardfile since reading Sidetracked Home Executives in 1985 (?). It was 100 percent better than anything I was doing then, of course. But the problem with it is that when a card is taken out it might not go back in correctly, or at all. I do like that there is plenty of room on the card to write a lot of information about any one family, jotting down births with baby names, for instance.

I guess this is kind of personal, but you all know these are things I am working toward. Today my parents and I called their bank together as per their lawyer's advice and had my name put as a third one onto their checking acct.

[catnipper]

Hi Harriet,
I know the feeling. I was added to my mom's bank account when my dad passed away. However, we forgot to add me to the business account. When my mom passed away, I went to the bank with both mom's and dad's death certificates so the two accounts could be merged. As for the extra space with the cardfile for recording info about a family, maybe if you use Access(Excel's big brother) you can collect that info on your computer.

[Harriet]

I am actually a little jazzed about 2009 Desk Day filing system - I'm aiming for simple but colorful. Nice to begin anew and have neatness, believe I will be efficient!

Hoping blessed's computer troubles are over soon and she can post with us to update us. She mentioned in a post from the library that she found even more old family photographs but still managed to get the gift-albums completed for Christmas.

Dee, my drawer dividers range from things bought for the purpose to cardboard boxes I've cut down to drawer height. The recycled ones work as well ! One recycled item that has been great is a cleaned-up microwave tray that had been purchased as a child's tv dinner-type meal. Cubbies deeper and narrower than most trays, therefore sturdier, enough to hold things but not so deep that it won't go in a drawer. I have paper clips, rubber bands, in the smaller cubbies, glue sticks and calculators in the larger. Now that I think of it, I'm in the market for another!!!

Cannot sing the praises of recycled Swiffer wet cloth containers enough - they are around my house right now doing so many jobs, easy to dust, see into, sturdy, stay closed, stack, smell great if at all. Both heights are helpful.

I have continued financial filing for my parents, and have been trying to resolve in advance those kind of questions, catnipper - yes, best to make sure things are as you expect. I have gotten a debit card issued (they have never had one - my dad always went inside bank personally if cash was needed). I will be the only one who uses it, probably, because I can't really see my dad learning ATMs at this point in life. But very good to get these loose ends tied up with banking and a handle on how I will do the banking/errands for them in future, as it becomes 100% my job.

I need to make a couple DPCs to determine exactly who among their regular or semi-regular creditors is paid by automated debit and who can be asked to do that.

I'm doing a good job lately of posting addresses onto 3x5s and getting them into the address card file fast, rather than letting envelopes sit around cluttering.

[Indiana]

Harriet nice job on documenting what you are doing complete with tips.

You have so many great ideas.

I don't have swiffer containers but I have clear shoebox size containers that were my dmom's. They are wonderful for corraling things. They are the perfect size for storing batteries, extra envelopes, scratch pads, pencils and pens, etc. and you can see what is in them without reading the label.