May 18, 2009 (from Organized A to Z Blog entry)
Thanks to our guest blogger, Nancy Black of Organization Plus, for today’s tips on creating a clutter free home file and paper sorting system!
Here are some ways that you can decrease the papers that come into your home.
Pay bills online or put them on auto pay.
Call 800 #s on catalogs & ask them to delete your name from their mailing list.
Do not renew the magazines that you do not have time to read.
Request to have your name deleted from charitable request solicitations for charities you will not be contributing to.
When you fill in warranty forms check box asking them not to share your name.
Shred credit card solicitations that you do not want.
Mail: Process each day and sort by what action you need to take action on it. Have a desktop action file, with hanging file folders, or cubbies labeled with the action that you need to take or by category. Example: Calls to make.
School Papers: Have a folder in each child’s back pack for school papers. Review with your child daily, sign permission slips and fill out forms.
Magazines, Newsletters, & Newspapers: Set retention guidelines on how long to keep.
Post-its, scraps of paper with messages/addresses on them: Put info. in phone message book. You will have carbon copy of it.
Organizing Home Files:
The Homefile System is an excellent way to set-up an easy-to-use filing system for your home.
Creating a filing system: Purchase functional products so that it will be easy to set up maintain your files. Example: Decorative File Folders. The Homefile system gives you suggested categories and retention guidelines.
Color coded files are easy to identify by category. Example: Bright green for finances. Choose color for each family member.
Organizing existing files: Set retention guidelines on how long to keep documents. Purge outdated information or categories you are not longer interested in. Check with accountant or attorney on how long to keep legal and accounting files.
Shred any confidential information you are purging.
Nancy Black, of Organization Plus, is an Organizing Consultant with over 25 years of organizing experience. She was quoted in the NY Times, March 26, 2009. She created the “3 Hour Transformation” to turn your piles into files. She specializes in helping people create paper-flow systems, organize their space and plan their time. These services are provided on site or through telephone consultations. Her Web site is http://www.organizationplus.com/.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment