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Paper Tamers' Challenge - Taming 2016
Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2016 9:45 pm
by Harriet
Helloooooo out there!
Yes! There is hope for the paper clutter. We all know the feeling of disbelief at how much there is and how many categories.
Like, for instance... ..
Stash 'n Dash recovery!
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
(breathe)
That list could go on and on. Better take charge. You need some friends who are in this PaperTaming thing with you, so post here for accountability and encouragement.
The days prior to and including April are a helpful time to get caught up on papertaming. For those of us in the U.S. and Canada, there's the specific reason of April tax deadlines. There are also other spring deadlines for businesses. We can save ourselves a lot of stress if we gather and organize as info comes in, and get finished with that paperwork early.
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, what to do when the children's coloring book pages look like more fun than the tax forms and you consider switching - whatever advice will help you!
Re: Paper Tamers' Challenge - Tame by April, 2016
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:51 pm
by Harmony
Harriet, where did you get my picture?
I would be that girl if I didn't keep after things constantly.
Recently someone gave DH a gizmo and he had no idea what it was. We had to find an orifice on the computer to stick this and look at all the files and print some out. Sure eliminated a whole bunch of paperwork for this guy. I am well aware that there are other ways of dealing with all this paper.....
I have a long ways to go getting my papers tamed. Usually I am much further ahead. And I spent lots and lots of hours already.... DH just had too many employees this year. I will report back with progress...someday.
Re: Paper Tamers' Challenge - Tame by April, 2016
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 10:29 pm
by Harriet
For those of you who don't know, that young lady in the desk photo is the spitting image of Harmony. 
But I don't know what she's talking about re: the desk. That desktop is nothing. I have to move stacks over in order to see my computer screen.
Harmony, I thought of you more than once posting this, since I know you are definitely the one among us most affected by spring business deadlines.
Today was First Desk Day of the year for my household. De-press-ing. It's bad enough so many insurance bill deadlines converge in early January, adding to the regular monthlies. Add to that property tax (which is that thing that penalizes families for being good neighbors to their community all these years by not selling to all the entities that everyone complains about, and just trying to hang on to a homeplace so anyone would even know a landmark or a neighbor-memory at all) and it is bleak.
Oh, well. We are square with the world. Also got out to the bank to make a deposit.
Now comes the organization, so that I can keep up with everything and not run 'round the house in a tizzy. I imagine I'll take everything from last year's plastic accordion file and label that, then start using the same file for this year.
We have a lost check - we assume. BCBS started paying the customer by mail rather than paying the dentist in the way they have done all these years. No one told us. Sigh. (We have not changed our insurance at all - they just took to sending out checks this way.) So somewhere in this house (maybe) is a check. I had not paid the dentist the whole amount at the visit - they didn't know about this either, and didn't ask.
Re: Paper Tamers' Challenge - Tame by April, 2016
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 10:50 pm
by Harriet
For church stuff, I needed new file folders. The standing "bleacher" style file rack I have for that at the right side of my desk is all in black and white, as I'd told in last thread. So I ordered white file folders on Ama zon. Sensible price - just happen to be white. I don't think they'll seem too odd if others in the family want to use them. And they will make that rack look efficient and friendly to me, I hope.
Re: Paper Tamers' Challenge - Tame by April, 2016
Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 11:37 am
by lucylee
If I miss a few days at dmom's, this is definitely HER desk. And her coffee table. And her kitchen table!
I don't really use a desk here. DH takes care of all tax matters and files all receipts. His "system" leaves something to be desired, but he does if all, so I don't complain.
I pay bills as they come in, and then he files the papers.
There ARE some "pending" papers on the kitchen counter... So I guess that is our "desk."
Re: Paper Tamers' Challenge - Tame by April, 2016
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 4:34 pm
by blessedw2
Love the picture
I too am getting ready for tax day - hi all
Re: Paper Tamers' Challenge - Tame by April, 2016
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 1:13 pm
by Harriet
To follow up, I actually found a new plastic accordion file to replace last year's at Goodwill, of all places. An odd design on the front in geometric will help remind me that this is the new one and the most-used, since I have a lot for different purposes.
I continue to love the number-10-envelope-sized plastic accordion file for carrying deposits. Mine's bright neon yellow and I put my address label on the back. I don't get it mixed up with anything else, purse-shaped but it doesn't LOOK like money would be in there at all.
One more advantage to white file folders I've found is giving them titles. I type in 16-point font size onto any ordinary white label sheets, cut out a rectangle around my words and stick on. This is the neatest I've ever been able to do folder titles. If I need to change one, it's easy to pull off and redo. Honestly, they look like some kind of purchased set, as if they were bought with my choice of words already on them!
I don't have much in my office area ready for House Beautiful, , but at least my all-black-and-white standing desktop files may be! Maybe it will inspire me to organize the rest. I just hope I can take care of the work the files represent as well as I neatened up their desktop area... ...hmmm... ...
Re: Paper Tamers' Challenge - Tame by April, 2016
Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 2:06 pm
by Harriet
Many tax prep hours of work. Trip. Had to make the trip again because of one piece of info. More work when I got home. I suppose this much is done, though, and that's positive.
Re: Paper Tamers' Challenge - Tame by April, 2016
Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 12:36 pm
by Harmony
Well, I am into collecting papers for NEXT year's taxes. I worked up numbers and copies regarding those lots we sold. I imagine that will trigger some capitol gains tax, plus the title company said they would be sending a 1098 (is that number right?) for the amount we collected. I also copied all the spreadsheets from last year, deleted the contents and got them started for next year. I have the first 3 months done so far.
Set up a bankers box with hanging folders for the dining room table project, got everything sorted and separated into categories. A plastic box would be better, smoother to move the folders about, but this is cheaper. Also, I was thinking down the road when a lot of stuff will be put into these cardboard boxes and stored OUT OF THE HOUSE, out of sight somewhere permanent. I am glad I had a box of assorted color legal size hanging folders to use...I used all the purple ones and 1 green one when I ran out of those.
I have another box to set up for another big project and I will use another color so when my disorganized DH takes the folders out of the boxes and leaves them out and about all over the house I will be able to tell at a glance which box it goes back into.
It is wonderful to get my dining room table back.
Ah, the picture looks more like the kitchen table where DH stacks stuff. I use the little file hanging box I bought for his church things, but I am the one who files stuff away..and those little files are stuffed pretty full.
One project is still scattered on the living room couch. That has been on my mind. I need to organize that when DH brings back a signed paper (I remind him daily of that). This one's been a thorn in my side for 6 years or so... I didn't take the courses that tell of the requirements, so I've tried to ferret out the information. DH took the courses, but asking him to set up a system is like speaking Greek. I'm just not sure what to do, so I've never tackled it beyond a little bit. I always pray the agency in charge of this information never ask for any of it.
Re: Paper Tamers' Challenge - Tame by April, 2016
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2016 9:57 am
by blessedw2
we are starting our tax collection... dh starts an envelope at this time of year
house taxes pulled and ready for envelope.
I have been keeping pretty good records - I haven't added what I spent per category but I know what my budget has been and where I made spending mistakes.
"HE WHO BUYS WHAT HE DOESN'T NEED, STEALS FROM HIMSELF" trying to remember this when I am out ... esp. with food.