There is never an end to a person's paper clutter. We all get mail: bills, invitations, junk mail ... you get the picture. And if you're like most people, some of these things are all jumbled into one pile. When it comes time to locate one of those papers, or a store receipt to return an item, we can spend -- or rather, we can waste a lot of hours needlessly!
There is a lot of talk about downsizing and /or organizing your home; if you Google it, you are sure to come up some good and some not so good ideas for both of these things. But the one thing that is often left out is how to be organized with your papers.
But it doesn't need to be any more complicated than creating a plan. When I collect my mail, I often review it quickly, sorting out the junk mail straight into the garbage can. Then bills go in a basket over my desk, and personal mail goes into another basket. When a bill is paid, if it will be needed at tax time, I have another basket just for those items (doctor bills, car repairs, etc) Being a homeowner, I also have one of those accordion file jackets with several slots for receipts and owners manuals for things like the fridge, dishwasher, roof repairs. Just so they're handy if they're ever needed again.
It's important to have a system so that you aren't stuck on worrying where you put that receipt, and you aren't wasting time looking for that one you just can't seem to find! When you realize how much time is spent on this one aspect of your life, you can then use that time for other pursuits - like doing something creative!
No comments:
Post a Comment