The Paper Tamer's Desk, 2019

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Harriet
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The Paper Tamer's Desk, 2019

Postby Harriet » Tue Jan 01, 2019 3:35 pm



Is this about as close to a bouquet as your desk ever enjoys?

Do you resist decorating because you aren't sure what color the desk is?

Would you like to rearrange office space ... but the paper stacks weigh down the furniture?

Has paper infiltrated the rest of the house? Has it started hiding your stuff, just to drive you crazy?

Well, let's fight back!

We may like all different styles of decorating, but for Paper Taming, we can agree on MINIMALIST. :idea: Let's organize, file and clear TOGETHER in 2019, so that our personal taste and enjoyment can shine through!

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Kathryn-in-Canada
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Re: The Paper Tamer's Desk, 2019

Postby Kathryn-in-Canada » Tue Jan 01, 2019 6:46 pm

Harriet wrote:Is this about as close to a bouquet as your desk ever enjoys?


No, but my desk isn't suited for bouquets because of its design (roll-top.) It would be nice to be able to close it without worrying about the stacks falling out when I open it, though.

Harriet wrote:Do you resist decorating because you aren't sure what color the desk is?


No. It is imposing but fits in with the rest of my imposing furniture. It is so large, I'm sure there are only two spaces for it in the room. And the other space is less than optimal for wires, so here I am.

Harriet wrote:Would you like to rearrange office space ... but the paper stacks weigh down the furniture?


I'd like for the paper stacks to be out of sight. They overflow the desk and the chest and the music cabinet I have to contain the papers.

Harriet wrote:Has paper infiltrated the rest of the house? Has it started hiding your stuff, just to drive you crazy?


Yes, yes, and yes it drives me crazy.

Harriet wrote:Well, let's fight back!


I'll try. Not sure where to begin. Will observe a bit here and maybe read back posts to see how I can use this thread to help me.

blessedw2
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Re: The Paper Tamer's Desk, 2019

Postby blessedw2 » Tue Jan 01, 2019 7:42 pm

love the bouquet!!! thank you for this d harriet.

I am getting my fight on...
hello d harriet and and kathryn

I worked 3 hours on stuff as I didn't touch the real paperwork in December. I also had a lot of checking on things.
it is always a joy to be here with you!

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Nancy
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Re: The Paper Tamer's Desk, 2019

Postby Nancy » Tue Jan 01, 2019 8:20 pm

I have some planner pages to sort in a large tray to pay attn. To get on the list next desk day , aka tomorrow!

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lucylee
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Re: The Paper Tamer's Desk, 2019

Postby lucylee » Tue Jan 01, 2019 9:07 pm

I straightened up a hot spot of papers today! Woo hoo!
Not really my desk, but I don't use a desk, except here where the computer is. I pay bills, etc, at the kitchen table. So straightening up the kitchen counter that doubles as a catch-all for mail, coupons, receipts, etc -- that was a big step here.
Tomorrow is another day.

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Harriet
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Re: The Paper Tamer's Desk, 2019

Postby Harriet » Wed Jan 02, 2019 12:03 am

I made our household's 2018 box for all receipts and statements. I use a large size plastic Swiffer-wet box and I scotch-tape a paper label on. It's temporary but bright blue, sturdy, and easy to find when it's time to do taxes.

Then I made up the new plastic accordion folder for 2019 bill paying and receipts. Scotch-taped a label so I can read it through the clear flap of the file. I like the designed ones with that clear area, because my label stays untouched inside. I have places for deductibles, current insurance papers, and extra envelopes. I often end up with extra billing envelopes and they're handy later since the windows match the right address spaces.

Important part of this, too, is that I showed it all to HRH so he's aware of where to find my side of billing items (he has another), and knows where to put bills right away, so they don't go missing.

This time at desk today got a few stacks whittled. But like ogres and onions, there are so many layers.

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Harmony
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Re: The Paper Tamer's Desk, 2019

Postby Harmony » Wed Jan 02, 2019 10:32 pm

I have one of those memo racks, like the one in the picture, except there are just 5 slots. I stand envelopes in there if I pay a bill that must go out the next day. I wonder if we're a fire hazard here?

There is just so much for me to remember all the time. I have one of those satin-ey bulletin boards with the crisscross satin ribbon on the wall between the 2 hutches above my desk surface. Lots and lots of notes tucked here and there, business cards of things I need to use often, a spot to tuck a check when it comes and put deposit receipts and voided checks until the bank statement comes. It is pretty filled up. Occasionally I take everything down and tidy it all and remove anything I've not been using.

I try to keep all that visually "pretty" and my notes to myself are on squares of construction paper all the same color. I yearn for the day there will not be so much business paperwork I need to have at my fingertips all the time. I have 2 letter boxes, cardboard ones covered with some sort of flowery paper. The 3 black plastic ones with filing and invoices waiting for statements and unfinished current stuff are inside the right hutch out of sight.

Also in the right one are 6 3-ring binders. In the left hutch are 4 accordion folders (no pockets) and several folders with pockets and clips and 2 3-ring binders.

There are year-end projects on the desktop now. The one I'm working on is paper-heavy and I've put that together in a file as best I can with notes on top of what I'm waiting on.

I am really aware of how little time the household paper takes in relation to this business stuff. It takes me no time at all to keep the checkbook, pay bills, file. Someday I may get my mornings back. I just can't wait.

I remember years ago before DH I had 2 clear shoe-box sized clear boxes, one marked paid bills, one marked bills to pay. Every year receipts went into a manila envelope with the year marked on the outside. I had a cheap 2-drawer file cabinet mostly empty, that held house ins. policy and house plan, a couple odd files and that was all. Such a difference. I'd sure love to go back to that.

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Kathryn-in-Canada
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Re: The Paper Tamer's Desk, 2019

Postby Kathryn-in-Canada » Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:37 pm

I've watched all the episodes of Tidying Up (the KonMari show) and was hoping to find tips on paperwork.

I was disappointed. The KonMari goal with regards to paperwork is to have the bare minimum (actually she said 'no papers' but obviously that's not realistic.)

Unfortunately, my paper problem is three fold. It used to be two-fold before concussion:

1. I get a headache from handling financial affairs. (That's concussion related, that part of my brain, which used to be my strength, is scrambled and I'm terrified of making mistakes.)

2. I am a procrastinator so things pile up for as long as they can.

3. I hang onto things for too long.

Despite the move, there's still way too much paper in the apartment, but since the concussion, there's too much piled on my desk. Which adds to the depression I'm fighting.

Getting something like my kitchen linen drawer all organized helps me, so I'm sad that the TV series had nothing to help with organizing papers.

Which is depressing since papers are #3 on the tidying up list (Clothes, books, papers, everything else.) I know for myself, if I had to keep to that order, I'd never get to 'everything else' since I'd remain stuck on paper, cast adrift, not quite knowing how to handle the work.

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lucylee
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Re: The Paper Tamer's Desk, 2019

Postby lucylee » Sat Jan 05, 2019 5:03 pm

I really admire all of your systems -- so many of you are doing amazing! LOVE the binders, Harmony! And the accordion file, Harriet! Dmom says that is what she is doing this year. She said since she no longer has business files, unlike (((Harmony))), she thinks she can file A-Z and keep things straight in a smaller system. She has been doing bankers boxes with hanging files and separate files for each thing for so long!

Here, however, I cannot make much headway on this sort of thing, b/c it is dh's domain. I understand little of his "system" but he has it like he wants it and he gets all the tax stuff together and all that.
If he were suddenly to die, I'd have some trouble getting it all together like he does, but I think I could manage with a little help from dmom and our CPA. I know WHERE he keeps everything -- it's just such a crazy system -- using kitchen drawers and cabinets, a filing cabinet, and a box on top of the filing cabinet -- it's really like an episode from I Love Lucy. :roll: :lol: :oops:
Tomorrow is another day.

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Harriet
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Re: The Paper Tamer's Desk, 2019

Postby Harriet » Wed Jan 09, 2019 2:03 pm

lucylee, maybe just try to shoehorn him out of the kitchen. It must have dawned on him that spatters and spills are the enemy of his papers. You could try saying "I need" in a sentence, as John Gray used to suggest for speaking with men. Like "I need a drawer to be freed up (somewhere office-y) for the papers that are in the kitchen drawer, so we can use it for the kitchen."

Kathryn, check out this article. The writer at least thought someone was going to get some office attention before the season finished. Of course, that could have been a minute and done, or lost in editing. Um... ... I'm editing myself because after skimming the article I think I saw a lot of this episode and don't remember office attention. Not sure.

I didn't know enough about konmari to realize that paperwork was such an important part of the book, etc. Omission from the show must have been a producer decision. You would think they would have generally included a discussion of everyone's types of supplies and spaces, though, even if there isn't show time to get into specifics of a household's paper.

Harmony, financially IKWYM since the household paper for financial/recordkeeping is smaller here than that for the church. Years of household records take up the same space that only a few years of church records do. I can take past years to the church for filing, though. You don't have a similar option. The "in-flux" church paperwork, however, is still much more than household finance, and computer files are way more.

Today I've made up all the new, plain file folders for storage of 2018 for church. (For current year, I like my same neatly typed monthly white file folders, in their standing black-white file folder.) All 2018 papers are exchanged to hand-printed ones, filed in file cabinet. Perhaps I should reassess the standing file. Although its footprint is small, it is tall and visually takes up space.

But non-financially, paper just has so many categories. All around the house I could point out need.

Dd's lovely office area at work is beginning to feel like "her own" I think, and she is gingerly taking possession. That's interesting to watch. She's bought several items that are frankly cheap, but in the same color blue/green scheme. She has no way to lock her 2 upper cabinets so I suggested a child-lock latch at an odd place - whatever seems like the last place someone's hand would naturally try. That might discourage the casual snooper, at least.


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