Condos, weddings, and babies can introduce filing chaos.
We have friends who experienced all three of these major life events in less than two years, and as a result, the single 2-drawer filing cabinet in their tiny home office can no longer contain the havoc. We're talking piles and piles of paper that they have no time to sort but that they can't (and probably shouldn't) throw out: medical benefit explanations, hospital bills, tax records, bank statements, disclosure and closing papers... all the documents that prove that these life events did in fact happen.
I wish I HAD figured this one out! I'm with you -- digital copies are great but it takes so long to scan them.
The trick is that every document you NEED comes with a stack of documents that you don't need to keep. When you separate the important form from the drek, the pile gets much smaller.
Set the timer for 15 minutes. Grab a file. If the document is necessary, it goes back in the file. If it's obvious drek, it goes in recycling or the shredder, depending. If it's important info that MIGHT be available online, like the health care providers covered by your insurance, it goes in a third stack of items to check ('cause if you check now, you'll never sort a second file).
The odds are very good that stuff like medical benefits *will* be online somewhere, as the details change so often. And those finds can cut out huge swaths of paper.
You can get a lot done gradually in 15-minute increments.
Wende is so correct. I weed my mail the moment it comes in. Toss the envelopes and the adverts and keep the billing statement.
I've failed in keeping a good filing system with categories etc. So I've resorted to the annual filing system. Once I've done the aforementioned weeding, there is no more organization (with the exception of documents of ownership - condo/car).
Everything that comes in during the year goes into one expanding poly file (with envelope closure).
I get a new expanding poly file each year and store the file from the prior year after I do my taxes.
Yes, I do have to hunt for stuff but it's usually there. I just can't be bothered to consistently put things behind the right divider.
I have some cheap Ikea magazine holders on a shelf by my desk. One is my "inbox" and one is my "to file" box. Unopened mail and other incoming papers go into the inbox until I have time ot look at them. After I go through the inbox, things to file go into the "file" box. When the file box is full, I spend a few minutes filing.
Here are the magazine holders I'm talking about:
http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?storeId=12&catalogId=10103&langId=-1&topcategoryId=16198&parentCats=16198*16296*15959&categoryId=15959&cattype=sub
Perhaps a small problem in the piles of paper debate is how to handle the disposal of personal papers. I've got old bank and credit card statements to purge, would like to recycle the paper and want to protect my financial information, but don't have access to a shredder. What to do?
Michelle, do you work somewhere that has one of those containers that is locked for confidential shredding? My office has one, and when the pile gets too big (or like when I did a major purge), I take a bunch of stuff in there and put it in the little slot.
The professional shredders come with big trucks and are contractually obligated to shred the company's stuff, so mine just goes along for the ride.
Michelle - would a copy store like KINKOS have shredders? Just a thought.
I've got a shredder at work that I use. Maybe a friend has a shredder at work?
Home shredders can be purchased rather inexpensively at most office supply stores, Target, etc. Most even come with a wastebasket. If you are diligent and shred daily they are adequate. The down-size is most only handle a couple sheets at a time. The same is actually true of the much larger business shredders we have in our office. And as I've learned if you get backlogged on your paperwork shredding it becomes a very time-consuming and tedious task.
Oops. "down-side"
I used to have a problem with too many owners manuals rattling around, and then I could never find the receipt if I did need to return something. I got an idea from Marth Stewart that has actually really worked for me. I bought 5 plain white 2" or 3" binders, and labeled them kitchen/small appliances, computer, electronics, house (appliances that will stay if you move) and misc. I punch holes in the manuals, and staple on the receipt. Then I can always find the manuals if I need them, and they're not laying all over. Once a year, I go through the binder and throw out any manuals for items I no longer have, or that have expired warranties.
With my three credit cards and other bank loans, it makes me crazy having to track all of them. I file my statements, with payment receipts, in separate folders so they're easy to locate. In addition, I keep an Excel sheet of what I spend and what I pay for. It takes a lot of organizing, but I know that if a bank company comes up to me and says I haven't paid my bills yet, I can easily say, Let me check my files.
A lot of users manuals are on-line. You can download whatever you need into a file on the computer and throw out the paper copy.
Ripping up papers by hand is a good alternative to shredders--or rent a toddler for an afternoon:) When dealing with volumes of paper they will burn out.
Stephanie Winston wrote a great book on organizing--and even though it is pre-computer her chapters on mail and paper are still a great way to get started.
and--buy a timer. Set it for no more than 15 minutes--and work up to four sessions a day (if you can)--it'll get done....eventually.
Good luck. Nothing more mind numbing than dealing with mountains of paper!!
A big box full of cardboard envelope folders each marked with a different thing - mortgage, water rates, bank statements etc.
The minute you get home from work and pick up your mail:
bin the rubbish
put the important stuff to keep in its relevant folder
keep one folder (always on top) of stuff to attend to
Once a week MAKE yourself deal witht he stuff in the To Do folder
Whenever you get queried about something you can just pull the relevant folder out and all the stuff is there - you can take it with you and not lose anything and when you get back just bung it back in the box
This can be as simple as a cardboard box and some envelope wallets "borrowed" from work or you can go buy yoruself an expensive box and stationery - but it WORKS!
I should definitely try the local Kinko's and see if there's a shredder. I work for a tiny office that doesn't think about confidentiality and most of my friends work for small outfits too. Perhaps it's time to invest in one at home....
Have you guys seen these awesome shredding scissors?
If only I knew Japanese maybe I could order them.
http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/shredding-scissors-178128.php