January is the perfect time to
start.
I can promise immediate
results.
Open your file drawer.
Start at the front.
Purge.
Set aside all the papers you'll
need for your 2012 taxes.
Toss the receipts you were
keeping 'just in case'.
Weed out the out dated policies
and accounts.
Get rid of evidence of paid off
monthly bills.
Ditch the manuals for products
you no longer own.
Shred or recycle all the
paperwork that is no longer relevant or necessary.
(If the shred
pile seems daunting for your home machine, Staple and Office Max will shred it
for you for less than $1 a pound. How much is your time worth?)
Rethink your filing
needs.
Consider on line bill paying to
reduce the paper that comes into your home.
You can set up
regular withdrawals or pay as the bills are due.
Scan important documents and
eliminate whole categories of filing.
Decide if a file drawer is the
best place to be storing some documents and papers.
Should some things be in a safe
or safe deposit box?
Could some items go in a
Sentimental or Memorabilia Box and be stored in less prime real estate?
Could you find the information on
line?
User manuals,
instructions, recipes, travel information, benefit explanations, etc.
Make filing as fast and easy as
possible by filing in broad categories.
(Chances are you're never going
to go back for the paper anyway)
But if you do; spend your time
then looking through the papers.
Organize your files in a way that
makes sense to you.
Some people prefer
alphabetical.
Others prefer frequency of needed
access.
Perhaps you're a color coded kind
of person.
No matter your preference,
simple is best.
Every step you add makes it that
much less likely you'll follow through with the process.
By eliminating the unnecessary,
out dated, redundant, and really should or could live else where, you will be
able to reduce your four drawer file cabinet to a two, your two to a one, and
maybe your one to a small case.
Talk about weight loss you can
see immediately!
If you have questions or concerns
about which papers you need to keep and for how long, I have list I can email
you.
Or talk to your accountant to
find out what your specific needs might be.
There will always be paper coming
into your life and house.
By developing some simple
strategies for dealing with it, you can keep it managed.
Here's to having less weigh on us
in 2013.
Karen
www.LifeUnstuffed.com |
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